Education Magazine issue 49

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Healthy Food for Healthy Minds Get top marks for sustainable waste management ‘Real time’ parental engagement for Generation Appy Policy, advice and free CPD at the Education Show 2012 Managing Asthma in the Classroom London 2012 helps schools ‘Get Set’ for the Games

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Contents

January Edition Annual Subscription £10 Where sold cover price of £1

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Editorial Team Tracy Johnson, Derek Cooper, Emir Valentino

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Healthy Food for Healthy Minds

Administration Paul Wing, Lyn Mitchell

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Veg Out

Design/Production Amanda Wesley

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Special reader offer

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Get top marks for sustainable waste management

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There is more to LED Lighting than meets the eye

Copyright Education Magazine 2012

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‘Real time’ parental engagement for Generation Appy

PIR Education Average Net Circulation: 13,528 for period 01/07/09 - 30/06/10

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London 2012 helps schools ‘Get Set’ for the Games

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Do children with specific language impairment have difficulties with higher order thinking, planning and reasoning skills?

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Policy, advice and free CPD at the Education Show 2012

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Managing Asthma in the Classroom

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Some schools break the law as they struggle to combat disruptive pupils

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Improving energy usage: it’s an education

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‘Too cool’ students put health in jeopardy by failing to prepare for allergic reaction

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More news

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Product showcase

Published by Education Magazine, Clifton House Media Ltd, Clifton House, 4a Goldington Road, Bedford MK40 3NF. Tel: 01234 348878 Fax: 01223 790191 E-mail: production@pirnet.co.uk Website: www.pirnet.co.uk

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.

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News

A new look at teaching children about Diabetes The Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust - Is re launching it’s ‘All about Diabetes’ Lesson Plans for primary schools. The Lesson Plan Package now has new feature, as well as 5 comprehensive Lesson Plans the pack now has full curriculum mapping to show how learning about diabetes will fit into the National Curriculum and New Free teaching resources. We all knows how important it is to support schools understand the problems associated with long-term conditions, such as diabetes so IDDT are encourage teachers to take part in this exciting project to show the whole school what diabetes is all about.

As a result of their work with children the Trust’s latest project at Primary Schools in Personal Health and Social Education (PHSE). These Lesson Plans and teaching resources provide information on how to deal with hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) – which is of specific problem for children with diabetes and more general diabetes information to help both teachers and their pupils understand exactly what diabetes is and how the condition is treated.

“I have had diabetes for 35 years and was diagnosed at the age of 5. This meant that for my whole school career I had to deal with injections and blood testing as this was essential to keep me healthy and able to concentrate on my school work.”

She continued, “I believe that an immense pressure is removed from children when both their teachers and their peers have a better understanding of their diabetes and the things that can go wrong such as ‘hypoglycaemia – so this Lesson Plan will be enormously useful in helping this understanding.

I just wish that there had been something like this when I was a child as it would have made such a difference to my school life.”

In addition to this Lesson Plan the Trust also provides presentation materials for teachers and pupils and all these resources are FREE OF CHARGE. For more information email: enquiries@ iddtinternational.org or visit the website: www.iddtinternational.org

The Trust’s Outreach and Development Manager, Beverley Freeman commented;

Delia Smith was right all along: the perfect boiled egg does take six minutes - as proved by young scientists at Sherborne Girls They’ve cracked it! Young science students from Sherborne Girls in Dorset have discovered what makes the perfect boiled egg and soldiers. In an “Eggsperiment” commissioned by the Royal Society of Chemistry and led by Professor Hal Sosabowski (above), principal lecturer in Chemistry at Brighton University, a team of 12 girls tested one of the nation’s favourite breakfasts and confirmed not only the optimum time for boiling an egg but also the key variables that make up the perfect dipping soldier.

The conclusions of the experiment, which were presented in Sherborne Girls’ new £2.5million science centre, were:

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Margarine makes a stronger soldier than butter

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White bread makes more effective dunking soldiers

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Optimum toasting time is 2.5 minutes

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The perfect soldier dimension is 1.5cm in width

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The perfect boiled egg takes six minutes

Professor Hal Sosabowski said: “We’ve had a brilliant day of real scientific inquiry.

I was particularly impressed by the pupils’ diligence in generating results but not believing what they saw upon first inspection; checking and rechecking their results; scrutinising their own experimental design to eliminate variables and error. I was proud to be involved in the serious scientific inquiry. These pupils are certainly members of the scientific community.”

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Sixth-form student Rosanna Younger, 17 (pictured above right with Bethany, 14), whose hypothesis was that “applying margarine to toast will produce stronger soldiers than applying butter” added: “It has been really interesting to identify a strong trend in such a short time. We kept the experiment simple, focusing on one aspect of boiled eggs and soldiers. I love butter on my toast but I might just have to swap over to margarine in future to ensure strong soldiers!”

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Living roof to inspire city children A living roof to encourage biodiversity and installed by Cityroofs is a key feature of the new environmental Isis Education Centre at The LookOut, Hyde Park in London.

The new 400m2 eco-friendly building, designed by David Morley Architects, sits above an existing Victorian reservoir and is made from a lightweight green oak timber structure. In a location with such a big density of trees, the concept of a tree house emerged quite early on in the design process.

This idea developed into a building inspired by trees, in which the structure is akin to tree trunks and branches, with a roofline that mimics the curve of a tree canopy.

Working with Dr Nigel Reeve, Head of Ecology at The Royal Parks, living roof specialists Cityroofs installed the roof membrane over the gently curving timber plywood substrate, then covered it with crushed brick and soil forming a ‘brown roof’ to maximise colonisation by local flora and fauna. The choice of a brown roof was motivated by the aspiration to blend the building with the landscape, make it a habitat for invertebrates and birds, and help to preserve and potentially enhance the biodiversity of the Park. Self-seeded plants are now already well-established on the roof.

The notion of the building as an interpretation of a tree also makes it a sustainable learning tool for children. All the materials used have been carefully chosen to

stimulate curiosity and encourage children to touch and interact with the building.

The Isis Education Centre is a partnership project between The Royal Parks and the Royal Parks Foundation - the charity for London’s eight Royal Parks, which raised the majority of the funds for the centre and chaired the project. The education centre will tackle the need to encourage city children to explore nature and the environment, outside the classroom. It offers an all-year-round, hands-on, learning experience for primary and secondary school children and also

features nature trails, a dipping pond with underwater endoscopes, a mini-allotment, butterfly bank, lightning tree and mini-beast habitats.

SUDS to reduce flooding and satisfy new legislation; enhanced biodiversity and green spaces for our cities to breathe; reduced carbon footprint with better thermal performance; and transformation of unused areas into real assets, maximising land-use.

For more information visit www.cityroofs.com.

Entrepreneur Nurse celebrates 10 years in business Nursing Educator Barbara HastngsAsatourian celebrates 10 years in business as her company Contraception Education launches a new product launch called SHARE (Sexual Health And Relationship Education) – a teaching resource available for senior school teachers to use in Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) lessons.

After developing CONTRACEPTION: The Board Game® for senior school age students in 2001 ex nurse and senior nursing lecturer Barbara Hastings-Asatourian set up the social enterprise company, Contraception Education. The award winning game is now used across the country by half of the senior schools in the UK and has been translated into several languages across the continent.

Explaining the new resource, Managing Director Barbara says: “SHARE is an extension of the board game really. It is binder full of lesson plans for teachers to use in PSHE on a variety of topics from Sex and Relationship Education to Pregnancy, Child Birth and Safe Sex. In fact there are over 30 lesson plans there for teachers to use.”

Not one to rest on her laurels, Barbara has

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also been working on another resource which is a DVD on Methods of Contraception.

This looks at the most common methods of contraception with Barbara providing the commentary, whilst using clear graphics and practical demonstration to illustrate. The DVD is accompanied with a booklet too.

All these resources are available to purchase at Contraception Education new E-commerce site which is managed by Barbara’s team.

Always keen to learn and move on, Barbara has packed her career in the nursing profession starting out as a nurse, progressing to midwife then health visitor in the 1970s and for 18 years was senior lecturer in Nursing and Public Health at Salford University from which she retired last year.

“Thinking back, my interest in teenage pregnancy stemmed from my midwifery days and the times when working in the inner city as a health visitor certainly got me thinking;” says Barbara reminiscing over her career.

Such is her passion for anything health related Barbara has spoken at conferences across the world, is registered on the School

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Speakers circuit and has no hesitation to speaking to young men at organisations such as Wise Up. Barbara’s entrepreneurial spirit has been spotted by many; so much so, she was invited to tell her inspirational story at the first “Nurse First” conference a couple of weeks ago.

News

Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France and one of the principal collaborators, as part of an analysis presentation.

CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT “The words Yuri Gagarin spoke when orbiting the earth in 1961 are so very important to the history of humankind that they should be accessible to as many people on Earth as possible. With your help we aim to ‘viraly crowd-source’ the translation of the film into as many languages as possible and have chosen to launch this call to action at the 2011 International Astronautical Congress in the hope that, with your help, we can reach the widest possible audience.” Chris Riley, Director and Producer.

British University Academic Professor Chris Riley embarks on the second phase of his viral experiential documentary film project First Orbit, with a new campaign to crowd source translations of the film into as many languages as possible.

A pioneer in post digital film production and distribution, Riley harnessed the power of crowd sourcing to generate over 1600 premiere screenings for First Orbit in more than 130 countries in April this year, making it, one of the most widely premiered independent films in history.

“At this time, we received multiple requests for the film in different languages, but didn’t have the resources to supply it with anything other than English subtitles”, recalls Riley. “So in preparation for future anniversary screenings around the world we’d like to tap into this international, multilingual community of fans, which the project

generated, to translate First Orbit into as many languages as possible.”

Riley believes that this will be the first time that Gagarin’s full Vostok 1 mission transcript will have been translated into multiple languages, making it even more accessible to scholars and space exploration history fans for generations to come.

His ‘viral’ call to action, to translate the film into as many languages as possible, was announced today at the International Astronautical Congress, Cape Town, to the largest annual assembly of space professionals on Earth.

Anyone wishing to help can download a transcript of the entire film from www. firstorbit.org/join-us.

The following call to action statement from Chris Riley was delivered to congress by Professor Chris Welch, of the International

Award for Busy Bees

Chris Welch also presented the results of a six-month long analysis, which revealed just how wide the film’s appeal has proven to be.

Example Stats and Facts: 1. The First Orbit viral experiential premiere event generated 1600 public screenings in more than 130 countries around the world, making it one of the most widely released independent films in history.

2. YouTube, simultaneously premiered the film on their global platform, attracting over two million viewings within the first 48 hours; making it the most watched long form film release in YouTube history.

Chris Riley says; “Internet driven film distribution has given us an opportunity to make direct connections with audiences across the world. Now it’s their chance to get involved with the next stage of this unique project. I can’t wait to see how many translations we receive back.”

Busy Bees, the UK’s largest childcare provider, has been highly commended by the School Food Trust for the quality of the food offered to its children.

129 areas, Good Practice being the highest award given by the School Food Trust.

The remaining 14% met the School Food Trust guidelines, with suggestions on how to continue to improve the quality of the menus.

Following the debate on nutrition in food provided by early years settings to children in their care, Busy Bees requested that the School Food Trust to carry out an analysis on menus across its 137 nurseries. The findings from the final report have helped the School Food Trust in putting together its own guidelines, which are due to be published this year.

Marg Randles, Operations Director for Busy Bees said: “It is important to establish healthy eating habits in the years before school to continue good eating patterns through to adulthood and reduce health risks in later life. Children under five are also growing at a rapid rate, so it is important they receive all the nutrients they need to develop into strong, healthy young adults.

The menu checking involves analysing the nutritional values, frequency and types of food and drink provided to the children whilst they’re at nursery against the recognised nutritional requirements of under fives. The School Food Trust analysed the nurseries approach to food thoroughly, looking at the nurseries recipes, portion sizes and nutritional information on manufactured products, as well as their menu planning.

Busy Bees’ Autumn/Winter and Spring/ Summer menus were closely analysed to establish how much of each of the food groups are provided to over 14,000 children attending Busy Bees nurseries. Breakfast, snacks and dinners on each of the Busy Bees menus were individually analysed for the right levels of various nutrients, including energy, fat, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins, and zinc, to name a few.

The School Food Trust found that all the food groups on Busy Bees’ menus adhere to existing food-based guidelines, demonstrating good practice by offering all the nutrients a growing child needs. Busy Bees was awarded 86% Good Practice in

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“We’re delighted that our menus have met the School Food Trust’s stringent guidelines.

We felt it was important to undergo the analysis to have a firm understanding of the value of the food we provide to children at Busy Bees. The process has allowed us to stand firm in the knowledge our menus are nutritious, and we can build further on the knowledge we have to continue to provide quality food to the children in our care.”

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Winner sees playground design built before her eyes

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Viking, the direct mail and e-commerce school and office supplies channel of Office Depot today unveiled the playground won in their recent competition.

Kesaia Toganivalu from St Matthew’s Primary School in Westminster beat 10,500 other school children in Viking’s ‘Win a Playground’ competition by designing her dream outdoor space – worth £25,000.

Kesaia watched her creative design being built right before her eyes, and is now able to enjoy it with her school friends.

Onye Agwu, Kesaia Toganivalu, George Selinas, Beatrice Quinney and Youbab Khan are photographed at their exciting playground with head teacher Miss Emily Norman.

John O’Keeffe, Commercial Director at Office Depot said: “We wanted to give something back which would be meaningful to pupils and teachers. This venture seemed the ideal way to reward creativity”.

Now that the building work has finished, Kesaia has created a real buzz in the playground and pupils can enjoy her imaginative and highly creative design.

Viking teamed up with Playforce, the UK’s leading provider of high quality school playground equipment, to provide the professionally-designed and built space.

Kesaia Toganivalu from St. Matthew’s Primary School with friends Youbab Khan, Onye Agwu , George Selinas and Beatrice Quinney in the playground she designed.

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Ne ws WYG helps

Dorset school project complete Around 1,500 pupils in Dorset are benefiting from a new state of the art school, project managed by award-winning consultant WYG on behalf of Dorset County Council (DCC).

The global management and technical consultancy was appointed back in 2009 by Dorset County Council on the rebuild of the Queen Elizabeth’s school to project manage the construction phase of the new school.

WYG’s commission has subsequently been extended to provide contract administration, move management services and management of the resulting external works programme.

The school, which has provided education and opportunity to young people for over five hundred years, is now operating within its new school buildings and has been transformed into an inspiring 21st century learning environment.

Dave Corbin, Regional Director, WYG said: “It has been a great project to work on with many challenges and we are pleased to have seen the project through to this key milestone.

We are now working closely with DCC and the school to complete the overall project by progressing the external works programme, which includes the demolition of the old school and remodelling of the overall campus.

Work is due to start shortly and is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2012.”

Cllr Toni Coombs, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Dorset County Council said: “The involvement of WYG has enabled us to deliver this state of the art school for the pupils in east Dorset and ensure that the investment in the new school will meet their aspirations and needs for many years to come. It is a truly inspiring building.”

An opening ceremony of the new Queen Elizabeth’s School will be held on 05 December 2011 and will be opened by the Right Reverend Nicholas Holtam, Bishop of Salisbury and employees and students of Beau Bassin State Secondary School, Mauritius.

Mr Andy Puttock, Head teacher, Queen Elizabeth’s school said: “The atmosphere

Boost needed for extended services Daycare Trust is calling for extra support for extended services around the school day, as two just-published pieces of research show a conflicting picture of support for schoolage children and their parents. While the number of places has gone up, new research shows that too few places (28 percent) are located in and around schools, even though this offers the best route to improving attainment and life chances, particularly for the poorest children.

In a study commissioned by the Department of Education, academics from universities including Manchester, Southampton and Newcastle found that services such as after-school clubs and adult literacy classes improved pupils’ grades – and parents’ career prospects.

Extended services in practice: a summary of evaluation evidence for head teachers points out that these benefits depend on schools being able to target families and pupils who are most in need. The most successful way of doing this, it concludes, is to offer activities on, or near to, school premises.

However, the most recent Childcare and early years providers survey, which covers 2010 and has also just been published, highlights the fact that just over a quarter of

out-of-school places fall into this category.

The survey also highlighted an ongoing shortage of places, with, with only one for every ten children between the ages of five and 15. This echoes Daycare Trust research from February 2011 which found that just 14 per cent of local authorities had sufficient childcare in their area for children aged 12 and over.

Anand Shukla, Chief Executive of Daycare Trust, says: “We welcome this evidence that shows the benefits of extended services, as well as the news that the overall number of places has increased. But many more places are needed in and around schools, where the evidence shows the greatest benefits.”

“If an after-school club is on a school site, it’s easy for children to take part in the full range of activities offered by the school, whether it’s playing football, extra revision classes or band practice. It’s also much more likely to be used by children and parents from disadvantaged families.”

“With this welcome evidence from the government’s own research showing the benefits of extended services to disadvantaged children, it is surely time to address this gap.”

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of the new school is already very different to the school we have left – many students comment that it is more like a university than a school, and this was a view echoed by the 3,000 or so visitors who attended our recent open days.

“We feel immensely lucky and immensely grateful; our job is now to make sure that we use what is undoubtedly one of the best school campuses in the country to the very best of our ability, and we remain totally committed to that goal.”

The way forward for the School Run? For many parents the school run is essential, a large number of children live beyond a reasonable distance to walk, cycle or take public transport to school leaving the car as their only option. With over a billion school runs a year in the UK alone there are predictably problems for parents, Schools and the local community.

These include spiralling fuel costs, congestion, pollution and frustration from local residents.

Part of the answer could lie in a new affordable online car sharing software specifically for schools.

The school car share system can be setup within minutes and provides each School with its very own customised and secure system, parents can then simply access the scheme and register their details, once authorised by the school they have access to a host of features that encourage car sharing as a responsible part of parenting.

“There is no silver bullet when it comes to tackling the ever increasing problems both parents and schools face surrounding the school run, School Car Share will play an active part in a Schools travel plan to reduce congestion, pollution and fuel costs as well as improving community relations” For more information on the service please go to www.school-carshare.co.uk

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Prestigious mark of approval for school catering Sodexo achieves the prestigious bronze Food for Life Catering Mark for serving fresh and healthy meals in all its primary schools across the UK. The foodservices and facilities management company has become one of the first in its industry to achieve the Soil Association’s bronze Food for Life Catering Mark for serving fresh and healthy meals everyday to thousands of school children aged between four and 11 years.

The Catering Mark is a unique scheme which recognises caterers and restaurants who serve fresh food that is free from controversial additives and better for animal welfare. More and more, people want to know where their food comes from and how it was produced. The Food for Life Catering Mark offers a guarantee that fresh food you can trust is always on the menu.

As a provider of more than one million meals a day, many people rely on Sodexo for much of their daily nutritional intake, including parents and guardians of school children. Sodexo is committed to providing freshly prepared, sustainable and healthy menus, with produce from farms that satisfy UK welfare standards. Caterers with the bronze Catering Mark serve seasonal

meals which are freshly prepared and free from undesirable additives including MSG, tartrazine and aspartame. No GM ingredients are used and all eggs are from cage-free hens.

Colm O’Mahony, divisional director for Sodexo Education, said: “We’re delighted that we’ve achieved the bronze Food for Life Catering Mark. This is a fantastic recognition of our commitment to sourcing the very best British produce and serving freshly prepared seasonal meals.

“Through our 26-year Healthwise campaign and food offers such as ‘Club Joules’ and ‘Be part of it’, we are able to create exciting, nutritional and healthy meals for children everyday.”

Explaining the importance of the Catering Mark, Rob Sexton, Chief Executive of Soil Association Certification, said: “The bronze Catering Mark is an excellent achievement which recognises the vital role that fresh, seasonal meals play in healthy, planetfriendly menus, especially for large-scale catering. It reassures customers that their meals are free from GM ingredients, trans fats and prepared from scratch.”

The Food for Life Catering Mark originated as part of the successful Food for Life

News Partnership, which is working with 3,800 schools across the country to put fresh, healthy dinners on the school menu and food education in the timetable. Food for Life Partnership schools have reported an increase in attendance as well as improved behaviour, and meal take-up has risen by almost three times the national average in schools which have been awarded the Catering Mark.

Other accreditations achieved by Sodexo includes the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for serving MSC certified fish and seafood at all fish serving sites in the UK; and Red Tractor, which provides an assurance of governance and traceability, including high standards of food safety and hygiene, animal welfare and environmental protection. In addition, Sodexo is a member of LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), which promotes environmentally responsible farming, and is also currently working closely with Freedom Food to increase the amount of high welfare salmon, chicken, pork and eggs sourced by Sodexo.

For more information about Sodexo’s Club Joules menus, please visit www.clubjoules.com

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News

Retailers and customers achieve massive food waste reduction A sharp fall in food waste from homes demonstrates the success of retailers’ work to change customers’ behaviour.

Figures published by the Government’s waste reduction body WRAP quantify the scale of the reduction. Total UK domestic food waste fell by 13 per cent (1.1 million tonnes) between 2006/07 and 2010.

All the major food retailers are delivering WRAP’s Love Food, Hate Waste campaign by providing advice on food storage and use of leftovers, offering a wider range of portion sizes (such as half loaves of bread) and making the best use of packaging.

British Retail Consortium Head of Environment Bob Gordon said: “This reduction is all the more important because food waste has such a large environmental impact and costs people hard-earned money. The scale of the reduction shows retailers are right to support customers in tackling the biggest source of food waste – the home. Previous WRAP figures showed eight times more food waste coming from homes than from stores.

“Not all food waste is avoidable - bones and peelings for example - but the scale of the waste reduction achieved shows retailers successfully educating and encouraging customers to change the way they buy and manage food. It’s also good to see local authorities taking more responsibility. Rising numbers of separate collections are making more households aware of their food waste and the need to tackle it.

“Retailers are working to take these gains further but also to make progress in areas such as the assessment and reduction of the whole-life environmental impact of products.”

We are always looking for good news on Education issues. Please call us if you have any ideas or articles you would like published.

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Celtic Harmony win Best Environmental Education Organisation Celtic Harmony are pleased to annouce that they were awarded Best Environmental Education Organisation at the Hertforshire Green Awards last week. The awards took place on Tuesday 25th October, right in the middle of a particularly busy time at Celtic Harmony; Autumn half term.

The award comes at a great time for Celtic Harmony, following the success of their half term Winter Celebrations, with over five hundred attending for a fantatic week of hands on activities and Celtic inspired celebrations. The finale was Samhain Festival on Sunday 30th which proved very popular with locals and children of all ages, who were able to take part in archery, crafts in the roundhouse, woodland quests, pumpkin carving and experience the bonfire, local folk band, owl and fire-breathing displays and story-telling at the end of the day.

The team at Celtic Harmony are now looking forward to an active winter, with the launch of the Outreach program to schools in the

local area. The Iron age experts will be offering an alternative learning experience during throughout November until the end of February by coming into schools to deliever the same hands-on activites the kids enjoy so much at the camp in the comfort of their own school hall. They are hoping this will also appeal to teachers, who are looking to reach learning objectives in History, Maths, A+D , RE and PSHE, encourage full group participation, and liven up their History topics. The experience should also appeal as it is easy to organise, with no extra arrangements having to be made such as extra staff or coach travel.

Clare Holt, Education Manager at Celtic Harmony said of the award: ‘We were very happy to win the Best Environmental Educational Organisation at the Hertfordshire Green Awards last week. The success of the school and events program is possible due to the dedication and hardwork of Celtic Harmony staff and volunteers and the enthusiasm of teachers and families to take part.’

School visits and events can be booked at www.celticharmony.org or tel: 01438 718543.

Farms open for all Free and accessible farm visits for people with disabilities, people aged 65 and over and those from socially deprived areas Getting out into the countryside and onto farms need not be difficult thanks to a new initiative called Let Nature Feed Your Senses.

Farms and nature reserves across the country are opening their gates and offering free visits to people that currently cannot, or do not, have access to the countryside because of age, ability or social situation.

While the very act of taking exercise has undoubted health benefits, numerous studies also show that connecting with nature leads to increased well-being, physically, psychologically and even socially.

Let Nature Feed Your Senses is a Big Lottery funded initiative run by farming charity LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) and Sensory Trust. The project organises memorable sensory-rich farm visits that help connect visitors to nature and the story of their food.

Farm visits are available to a huge range of groups of people, including wheelchair users, people with dementia, those with neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis, and those with sensory disabilities, learning difficulties and brain injury.

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75 farms and nature reserves around the country are hosting Let Nature Feed Your Senses visits. There are sites to meet a variety of needs and hosts will adapt visits to suit different groups’ requirements. Many of the farms are wheelchair accessible with plenty of things to see, smell and touch at wheelchair height. Some farms also offer tramper access.

Visits can be booked from now until August 2012.You can search for farms near you via the website www. letnaturefeedyoursenses.org or by calling 0247 6413 911 or 01726 222 900 to speak to a project coordinator.

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Survey finds 88% of Family Information Service budgets cut as thousands of families face missing out on vital information A survey of local authority Family Information Services (FIS) by Daycare Trust, the national childcare charity, has found that 88% of respondents have had their budget cut.

FIS offer an essential service to parents and children, providing information and assistance on a range of issues including childcare and local activities. The budget cuts have led to many FIS being merged into generic council call centres, often damaging the quality of the service they offer, while 62% have been forced to cut staff. Furthermore 34% of local authorities were not able say that their FIS complied with the information duties outlined in the Childcare Act 2006.

Anand Shukla, Chief Executive of Daycare Trust, said “The results of this survey are obviously extremely concerning, although sadly not surprising. As budget cuts continue to bite and fewer staff are forced to share bigger workloads, it’s inevitable that front line services will suffer.

“Families with specialist needs and those with disabled children are being hit particularly hard; local authorities

Renowned campaign for parks needs financial support Parks and green spaces improve the lifestyles of local people; they contribute to health and wellbeing, the local economy, the environment, and to building stronger communities. Access to these spaces is as essential to civilised modern society as education and health care.

Parks charity GreenSpace are appealing for organisations to support a nationwide campaign - Love Parks Week - which raises the awareness of the importance of parks, voicing the need for continual investment and support for such valuable public assets.

Love Parks Week was launched as a national campaign in 2006 by parks charity GreenSpace.

The campaign encourages as many people as possible to get out and enjoy their free local green spaces whilst enabling event organisers, such as local authorities, fitness companies, trusts and community groups to run successfully branded and advertised events in their parks for their local communities.

The campaign has grown year after year, with Love Parks Week 2011 being the most successful yet. It reached a huge level of public participation, attracting one million people across the UK to parks and green spaces, whilst receiving increased sector PIR Education

in England have a legal duty to provide brokerage services, offering all families detailed advice and support. Too often, generic council call centres do not have the specialist expertise to deal with complex calls and many limit the time that an operator can speak to a caller, resulting in parents being cut off mid-conversation. This means that thousands of families could now face missing out on vital information.

“Daycare Trust is calling for local authorities to ensure they meet their legal duties outlined in the Childcare Act 2006 by resourcing FIS properly. We also call for Ofsted to develop a more detailed schedule for inspecting Family Information Services when visiting local authorities in England.

“Our survey shows that where FIS are properly supported they often provide an excellent service. Providing the right information to families at the right time is the ultimate in early intervention. By investing in high quality childcare support now we can not only ensure families can access the services they need but prevent poverty child poverty in the future.”

support and national news coverage.

Astonishingly the campaign has achieved these milestones with limited funding and for the last five years operated without a budget, with just time allocated to it from a team of four at GreenSpace.

GreenSpace predicts that the importance of parks and green spaces is moving higher on both people and businesses agenda’s and are expecting Love Parks Week to continue growing both with people hosting and attending Love Parks Week events in 2012.

Because of this rapid growth, the campaign needs your support.

This is a campaign that has a lot to offer, it brings people together to enjoy and benefit from free local parks and greens paces, it encourages interaction, relaxation, exercise, hobbies, socialising…the list goes on. Love Parks Week is GreenSpace’s strongest tool for advocating on behalf of parks.

Funding will go towards both the operations and maintenance costs of the campaign and provide the event organisers on low budgets with materials to promote their activities to communities.

GreenSpace hope that you too can share this vision, understand the need for funding, and see how your company can help support Love Parks Week enabling it to continue to get people loving and using their parks for years to come, and advocating on behalf of the precious green spaces.

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Credit Action supports campaign to dispel the myths about Student Finance As part of national Student Finance Day (14 November 2011), money education charity Credit Action will be reaching over 1,000 prospective university students to help demystify the confusion surrounding the increases in tuition fees.

The day, which has been organised

by The Independent Taskforce on Student Finance, will see a national effort to ensure the implications of the changes to the student finance system for 2012 are correctly understood by students, their parents and teachers.

Credit Action will be providing money workshops to students around the country, joining the other organisations, colleges and universities involved in communicating the message.

With 1 in 10 students now put off going to university by the higher tuition fees, Head of the Taskforce, consumer champion Martin Lewis said: “Prospective students are making their decision based on headline fee levels rather than how much it’s actually likely to cost them.

Many students, especially from lower income families are unnecessarily being put off. We need ensure they understand how it really works so they can make an informed decision.”

Credit Action’s support for Student Finance Day compliments its ongoing efforts to improve financial literacy amongst young people. The charity’s Future Ready project readily offers free money management workshops to sixth forms and colleges, providing support to 16-19 year olds in a crucial stage of their life: when the transition into financial independence often begins and decisions about entering into higher education are made. Credit Action offers these workshops throughout the year, and has reached over 9,000 students already.

Bushara Raja, Education Officer at Credit Action said: “We are delighted to support such an important campaign. There is a clear need for financial education amongst today’s youth; such action promotes the importance of making decisions based on facts not fear. ” For more information about Credit Action’s involvement in Student Finance Day see http://www. creditaction.org.uk/helping-others/ schools-colleges/student-finance-day. html

Healthy food for healthy minds If children in your school are not paying attention in lessons, the food they are consuming could be partly to blame. Research has shown that children eating a healthy diet and absorbing the required nutrients have higher attendance levels, reduced illness, more energy and a greater level of concentration – particularly in the afternoons.

a number of courses on offer which give an introduction to the basic principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Many, like my own company’s, are available online and can be completed module by module – which means that staff can study in their own time.

These courses will give ideas for menu plans, provide information on the links between nutrition and health and include sections on special diets. This can include special diets for health or religious reasons, or those with allergies to particular foods. For example,

Children spend approximately a quarter of their waking lives at school, so providing them with a nutritious and healthy meal at lunchtimes will not only help guard against the burgeoning ‘obesity epidemic’ and other potential medical problems, but it will also help them to absorb information.

By Dr Verner Wheelock

to transform the way school meals were prepared and served.

A recurrent theme was that educating children about healthy foods, getting them involved in tasting sessions, providing free fruit, letting them run their own fruit and vegetable tuck shops, providing choice (salad bars proved very popular) and providing a more relaxed/less institutionalised environment in which to eat really seemed to work. Encouraging staff to eat school meals also added grist to the mill.

The head teacher of a primary school in Ilkley, Yorkshire, commented: “The children now eat healthily, with better manners. There is an air of calm in the dining room and the children’s social skills are developing well. Teachers consistently report improved behaviour and concentration in the afternoons.”

Fish as ‘brain food’ was previously considered something of an old wives’ tale, but in actual fact studies have found that an increase in Omega 3 fatty acid, found in oily fish (such as salmon, tuna and mackerel) can reduce behavioural and learning difficulties in cases of both ADHD and dyslexia. The vitamin status of children has also been shown to influence their cognitive ability. So, how can we ensure that pupils are receiving a balanced diet?

Another head teacher from Leeds, which implemented a healthier eating policy at school said: “I can’t believe what an impact we are having on the children – I even heard children at lunch yesterday having a heated discussion about whose lunch was the healthier.”

There are several more examples of improvements in pupils’ behaviour, concentration and academic results relating to a culture of healthy eating. However, it is not enough to plan and prepare nutritious meals. You also need to be sure that they are fit for consumption.

There have been initiatives aimed at encouraging individuals and families to get their ‘5-a-day’ and reduce salt, sugar and fat, even before celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s much publicised crusade on school meals. one child in every fifty in the UK is now allergic to peanuts or other types of nuts.

Other allergies / intolerances include milk, eggs, sesame, fish, shellfish, soya, wheat, celery and even strawberries and kiwi fruit.

Of course, supplying meals which are healthy and nutritious is only part of the story.

Encouraging children to stay for school meals is another challenge. A few years ago VWA published a book called ‘Healthy Eating in Schools’ which was a series of case studies from schools, companies and suppliers which had grasped the nettle and decided

A Level 2 Food Safety certificate is the minimum requirement for anyone handling food in a catering environment. It includes an introduction to food safety and hygiene; the impact of food-borne illness; food law, food safety hazards and contamination; food preservation, storage and temperature control; personal hygiene; hygienic premises and equipment; and Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). Once again, it is not necessary to disrupt the working day in order to attend a training day, since this course is also available online. Larger kitchens where food is prepared will also need to prepare and follow a HACCP plan.

Training in nutrition and food hygiene, particularly when conducted online, is inexpensive, but a valuable investment in preparing food which is safe, stimulating and satisfying.

However what he did was force the subject onto the Government’s agenda and food served for school dinners is now regulated by national standards to ensure that appropriate levels of nutrients are served.

Dr Verner Wheelock is Chairman of the award-winning food safety and nutrition training company, Verner Wheelock Associates, (www.vwa.co.uk). He is also the author of ‘Healthy Eating for Schools’ ISBN 978 0 9554633 03.

In order to make sure that school kitchen staff and caterers are providing balanced meals to pupils, it is important that they have an understanding of nutrition, so that they can plan menus accordingly. There are

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t u O Veg Healthy eating for children and adults is never far from the news – whether it’s improving school meals, the causes and consequences of obesity or understanding the supply of food.

Getting children to understand where shops get their food from, the variety of flavours available (even if they aren’t what they like) and how you can make nutritious and tasty food are all important.

A whole range of topics are food related– food miles, ethics, health, science or green issues.

Vegetarianism lends itself to many of these issues and the Vegetarian Society’s Youth Education Team is available to help.

The Vegetarian Society is an educational charity and a voice for vegetarians across the UK. As well as its cookery school, the Cordon Vert, the charity runs campaigns such as Say Cheese, Silent But Deadly, V-Healthy and Fishconceptions. It also promotes better labelling through its Vegetarian Society Approved scheme for products and services.

Since 1847 the charity has celebrated the benefits of a vegetarian diet for people, the planet and animals.

Jamie Johnson, Youth Education Officer, explains how the Vegetarian Society can support teachers, “We have a wide variety of free resources, including leaflets, booklets, posters, postcards, bookmarks and stickers, available to schools, colleges and young people within the UK. They range from our brand new publications the Parent and Teenager Guide and Schools Project Book to the Meat Free Made Easy recipe collection. The Young Veggie website also hosts specific online resources, including worksheets, quizzes, power points, lesson ideas and a revision sheet. “ The Vegetarian Society also maintains a register of volunteer speakers who are willing to give talks about vegetarianism and sometimes cookery demonstrations (if you’re really lucky). An e-newsletter, Vegucation!, is available for anyone working in schools and colleges, and they also run a “contact a specialist” e-mail service for students and teachers.

Healthy eating remains a key part of the science curriculum, specifically “Life processes and living things” in Key stages 1 and 2 whilst dietary effect on conception, growth, development, behaviour and health is covered in Key Stage 3. “Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle” is investigated in PSHE, while Citizenship encourages students to take an interest in, discuss and debate topical issues. Vegetarianism should, of course, be a key research area in most of the food-based subjects.

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Unfortunately, anyone who believes that basic cookery is an essential, practical, everyday life skill will be disappointed by the lack of opportunities for many school students, of all ages, to experience food preparation and cooking both at school and home. Learning about food, whilst vitally important, is no substitute for cooking.

Acquiring a taste for different flavours, textures, and the huge range of ingredients that are not commonly used in ready-meals or so-called fast foods, as well as the many different cooking styles and processes,

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should surely be part of all young people’s education?

The good news is that food and cookery seem to be popular with students.

We asked Jamie what sort of requests the team deal with, “School students studying a wide range of subjects are regularly in touch with us. Areas such as Food and Nutrition, Food Technology, Catering, and Health and Social Care studies form the basis of our enquiries but we also supply help to those studying many other areas of the curriculum including Citizenship and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). We also advise and support young people who are thinking of becoming vegetarian, answering any questions that they might have and offering information.

(We’re here to help their parents too!)”

Even spending just a small amount of time focussing on vegetarianism can help to increase a young person’s knowledge and understanding of a diet that is enjoyed throughout the world, whilst allowing them to learn about a lifestyle that has a wide-range of health and environmental benefits. A well-balanced vegetarian diet is one of the easiest ways to follow official healthy eating guidelines,

as it will easily supply five portions of fruit and veg’ a day, plenty of good carbohydrates and antioxidants, as well as lower saturated fat and cholesterol. A balanced vegetarian diet also tends to be lower in calories and higher in fibre so can help to maintain a healthy weight.

New for 2012 are two booklets, the Veggie Guide for Parents and Teenagers plus Vegetarianism – A Project Book For Schools. Both are available free of charge. To find out more about the resources available email Jamie at education@vegsoc.org or visit www.youngveggie.org

A date for your diary is 21 May – 27 May 2012 when it’s National Vegetarian Week. Why not get your students to take part in the writing competition - the Vegetarian Society would like to hear what they’ve got to say about vegetarianism.

More details from education@vegsoc.org

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Get top marks for sustainable waste management In recent years, managing and reducing environmental impacts has become increasingly important for schools. Not only does it demonstrate environmental responsibility both internally, to pupils and staff, and externally, to parents and other stakeholders, but it can also help to achieve cost efficiencies in a climate where public sector budget cuts dominate decision making.

Sustainable waste management, through waste reduction, recycling, energy recovery and ultimately landfill avoidance, is crucial to this agenda. According to research by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), 258,300 tonnes of waste is produced by primary and secondary schools in England each year. Of this, food waste makes up the largest proportion, followed by paper and card, and then plastics.

Despite schools making great progress to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste in recent years, there is still an awful lot that can be done to reduce environmental impacts and save all-important budgets.

Accounting for almost half of the waste from primary schools in England and almost a third from secondary schools, food waste has the highest environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

However, until more recently the UK did not have the capacity to reprocess this waste, which meant more often then not it went to landfill. Fortunately, thanks to significant investment in a technology called anaerobic digestion (‘AD’) by companies including Shanks, it is becoming much easier for schools to recycle their unavoidable food waste and turn it instead into valuable resources and fuel to generate green energy

AD is a natural process which converts organic matter such as food waste into energy. The main products resulting from AD are: biogas, which is very similar to natural gas and can be used to generate electricity, gas or heat, or compressed for use as a biofuel; and digestate, a fertilizer which is rich in nitrates and phosphates.

For schools, food waste collections make both environmental and economic sense.

And, now that AD capacity is increasing across the UK, there is no reason why 100% of this majority fraction of the school waste stream cannot be treated.

At Shanks, we want all schools to get an A* for their efforts to reduce and recycle their waste and we hope that some of the tips below will provide some inspiration. If you’d like to know more about what Shanks is doing in the educational sector or to find out how you can push your grades up, please contact us on 08000 28 28 77 or at www. shanks.co.uk Shanks’ top ten tips for School Business Managers 1) Know what you need - before organising a recycling collection it is important to know what you need, this may require you to perform a waste audit but if done properly should result in no additional overall cost of introducing a recycling collection.

2) Remember that by introducing a recycling collection you can reduce the amount of waste in your residual bins and as such won’t need as many - paying rent on bins you don’t use and for collections you don’t need will only add to your costs 3) The collections won’t work unless all staff members are on board – the eco co-

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ordinator, management team, caretaker, kitchen, office, cleaning and teaching staff – they will each play a role 4) As the person who will have to ensure that the gates are open, the bins accessible and the waste in the correct bins the caretaker / groundskeeper should be involved when arranging the collections 5) Keep it simple, use a system that either mirrors what the pupils have at home or where it is easy to follow (e.g. paper and card in a blue box, plastic bottles in a red box and cartons in an orange box) 6) Get the pupils involved – ask them to place the boxes in the classroom and design posters reminding people about using the system 7) It is often best to start collections at the start of the year or the beginning of a term or half term – this way everything is in place as soon as the pupils start and it quickly becomes part of their routine 8) Ensure everyone knows their roles – arrange in advance who will empty the classroom boxes, where they will be taken, who puts them in the bins outside, how often and on which days they need emptying 9) Don’t make a fuss about it – reducing, reusing and recycling should be everyday activities in your pupils lives 10) Stick on in there – here may be teething problems with any new collections and accident sometimes happen and bins get missed. It is important you know who to contact if this happens but don’t let it put you off, soon enough it will run like clockwork and you’ll wonder why you didn’t have recycling in school sooner Written by Ian Goodfellow, UK Managing Director of waste management group Shanks

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There is more to LED lighting than meets the eye Chips with Everything!

LED lighting uses many types of LED chips from a huge range of manufacturers. CREE, Nichia, Philips, Osram, Samsung, Bridgelux, Edison, Epistar and many others.

Each brand has its own range of products and types of chip. SMD (Surface Mounted Device) and COB (Chips on Board) are the most commonly used. The performance or grade of chip is usually defined by how many lumens per watt it can achieve, but there is another, often overlooked factor in how good the chip is, CRI.

LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lighting is rapidly evolving into what we now accept will be the future of all lighting.

LED technology is advancing at a furious pace, prices are falling and a plethora of products are now making their way onto the UK market. As many buyers will have already found to their cost, there can be a considerable variation in quality and performance of LED products.

Although externally many LED products might look very much the same, internally they can be very different. The majority of manufacturers in the China (where most LED products are made) use the same suppliers for the outer shells or casings. It is a little like computer cases, if you took away the manufacturer’s badges, they would all look much the same, but what’s inside, can be vastly different!

As an example, here are two 50 watt LED floodlights. The one on the left has a high quality 45mil Bridgelux chip and quality power supply from Taiwan. The one on the right has a 38 mil Chinese Chip with Chinese power supply. Can you see any difference?

CRI (Colour Rendering Index) or Ra is a measure of how accurately a light source can reproduce colour. The scale used is 0-100, 100 being the highest amount achievable, as in natural daylight.

LED chips with a high CRI offer a more complete mix of the light spectrum. As you can see from the chart below natural daylight offers a fairly even mix of the primary colours of the spectrum, whereas standard fluorescent tubes are deficient in some colours, which ones depends on whether they are classed as Warm White or Cool White.

Daylight

Ott then took his research into schools in and found that children and staff who worked under a more complete spectrum of light with shielding on the electrodes, were far less stressed, had higher levels of concentration, fewer sick days and actually achieved better academic results than the classes who were still working under standard spectrumdeficient, fluorescent lighting.

More interestingly, by using time-lapse photography in the classroom, Ott was able to demonstrate that those normally disruptive and less attentive pupils became calmer and more focused on the lessons.

This research has been repeated by other groups since and yielded similar results.

Warm White

Standard fluorescent tubes produce a CRI of around 65-70.

A standard Cool White LED tube will offer around 70-75 CRI however it is possible to obtain LED tubes and other LED products with a much higher CRI of around 80-90.

These products use higher graded chips and special phosphors to achieve the superior quality of light. You pay a little more at the outset, but the benefits can be enormous, as you will see in the following.

“Good Lighting Can Improve Educational Performance”

They may look identical but the higher quality version will last a lot longer, give much more light and the power supply will give many years of good service, so ‘Buyer Beware’.

pioneers like Dr John Ott in the 1970’s, discovered that standard fluorescent lighting is very deficient in some parts of the lighting spectrum. Also that there are Electromagnetic Emissions (Known today as ‘Dirty Electrcity’) emanating from the fluorescent ballasts and electrodes in a range that can affect human health. Ott discovered that these inherent factors in the design of fluorescent lighting can cause a myriad of health problems, both physical and psychological.

That may seem like a bold statement, but there has been a tremendous amount of research over the years into the quality of lighting in schools and the results do confirm it.

Good lighting is not just about quantity of light, but also the quality that light.

Research into the effect that fluorescent lighting has on plant and animal life, by

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Cool White

Fortunately, with the arrival of LED lighting, the issue with high energy ballasts is no longer a problem and the ability to produce a more natural spectrum of light with LED is now achievable.

All life has evolved under natural daylight and there will never be a substitute for that, but in many buildings, it is simply not possible to have natural daylight in every area where it is needed.

Choosing good lighting, with a balanced light spectrum is probably one of the more important investments that you can make for your pupils and staff.

By providing the best possible working environment, you are giving everyone the best opportunity to achieve their full potential.

LED4light www.led4light.co.uk is a specialist LED lighting business who work closely with manufacturers to produce superior LED lighting products.

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LED Lighting Specialists Would you like to save up to 70% of your current electricity spend on for lighting?

Create a better and more productive learning environment for pupils & staff?

Reduce you maintenance costs on lamp replacement and fixture failure? Reduce your carbon emissions?

Obtain the most energy efficient lighting available at discounted prices for schools & colleges ?

With energy prices constantly rising, finding ways to reduce energy costs is becoming a priority. Lighting is one of the major costs in any commercial building.

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Led lighting offers the opportunity to reduce lighting costs by a staggering 70% and is fast becoming the preferred choice for low energy lighting.

Good quality light can make a major contribution to the working environment, well being and performance of pupils and staff and pupils.

If you would like to find out how your workplace could benefit from the switch to LED lighting please contact us at enquiries@LED4light.co.uk or

telephone 08453 707 607 and we can arrange a FREE, no obligation assessment of your current expenditure on lighting and calculate how you could benefit from switching to LED.

www.LED4light.co.uk

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‘Real time’ parental engagement for Generation Appy Recent research carried out by Parent Councils UK found that education failure is increased by lack of parental interest in schooling, and that engaging hard to reach parents has a disproportionately positive effect on student learning and student achievement. A study in England, however, encouragingly showed that 72 per cent of parents wanted more involvement in their children’s education.

This supports the National Literacy Trust’s report ‘A research review: the importance of families and the home environment’ which was released earlier this year. The common thread linking all three studies is the suggestion that parents are a child’s first educator and as such, have the greatest influence on their achievement through supporting their learning.

If parents are considered a child’s first educator, then it is imperative that schools foster strong interactions and links with parents to ensure that the learning experience is a fully developed one.

Thankfully, many schools now acknowledge this and are refocusing their efforts into improving how they correspond with parents. However, in a rapidly advancing, technology driven age, it is important that all communication outlets are current, relevant and properly utilised to benefit the end user.

As such, email and text messaging systems have been embraced by many schools.

Lawrence Royston, managing director, Groupcall, explains why email and text messaging systems are now being embraced.

He also explains why ensuring that parental communication is reflective of the world we live in, and happens in ‘real time’ is a must.

“Schools have very quickly realised a real need for an effective parental communications system which encourages parental involvement, whilst being simple to integrate, efficient and cost effective.

Traditional methods of contacting parents or guardians to alert them to their child’s achievements, progress or behavioural concerns are proving increasingly ineffective. Methods of communication have to be up to date and relevant to a younger generation of parents; and indicative of the world we live in. For these parents, mobile calls and text messages are far more commonplace as a means of communication; therefore schools need to be able to provide these services.

‘Appy’ to help!

The popularity of iPhone and iPads as a means of contact and for sourcing information is undeniable; the growing number of accessories available for both is testament alone to that. Currently, there are approximately 90,000 ‘apps’ available for the iPad and a staggering 475,000 for the iPhone that also run on the iPad. While parental contact systems which enable schools to send text, voice or email messages in any language to parents’ mobile phones or landlines, have proved popular with teachers and parents alike, it is vital for service providers to develop supporting apps in order to keep with this growing trend.

The intuitive app, Emerge was developed for the Apple iPod touch with Wi-Fi, or an iPhone/iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity (available for android devices soon). It delivers up-to-the-minute Management Information System (MIS) data instantly, with access on an anytime, anywhere basis. It was designed specifically for senior leaders, administrators and teaching staff at both primary and secondary stage education, providing them with access to on-the-go key data from a compact mobile device. Registration can be taken while simultaneously being written back to the school’s MIS. Additional student information including timetables, attendance and behavioural data can also be accessed wherever the teacher is located (both on and off school grounds) without the need to rely on a desktop PC. Engaging technology rich, time poor parents Streamlining products to enhance functionality and benefit the end user

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should always be a pivotal focus in development; therefore, integrating parental communications systems with apps should be the next logical step for service providers. We recently completed such integration, providing teachers with the capabilities of communicating with parents directly from the palm of their hand. The rich interface allows messages to be sent to any group or individuals at the touch of a button. Therefore, parents can be informed, for example, of their child’s helpful and good behaviour on a school trip, any experienced delays when returning home from an organised museum trip, or a goal they scored at a football match, as each event happens. As a result, communication with parents becomes more meaningful, as it happens in ‘real time’ as issues or questions arise. Parents that are technology rich but time poor become more readily engaged as communication is on their terms and in a format that they are familiar with and favour.

Many schools understand that a successful learning experience begins in the home, therefore ensuring that parents are as engaged as possible in their child’s learning ranks high on their list of priorities.

Implementing technologies that are simple to use, effective, engaging, but most importantly relevant to twenty-first century parents, is a necessity for schools.

And when the research so clearly indicates that an overwhelming percentage of parents actually want more involvement in their children’s education, it would be short sighted of schools not to try and accommodate their requests.”

For further information please visit: www.groupcall.com

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London 2012 helps schools ‘Get Set’ for the Games As we finally move into the Olympic year, the Education Team at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) are planning the final stages of Get Set, the official London 2012 education programme which aims to inspire children and young people through the power and excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It provides a whole range of learning opportunities which use London 2012 as a unique and engaging hook for learning.

There are currently over 22,000 schools and colleges registered with Get Set and able to access a huge range of free resources for 3-19 year olds that support students to explore the Olympic Values of friendship, respect and excellence, and the Paralympic Values of courage, determination, equality and inspiration. These resources enable teachers to bring lessons to life across the curriculum by linking the learning to the Games. The programme also offers a structure through which to mobilise the whole school behind a set of shared values and a shared goal, thousands of schools are using Get Set to do just this.

The Get Set Network The Get Set network is the London 2012 reward and recognition scheme for the active community of schools and colleges across the UK that are demonstrating a commitment to living the Olympic and Paralympic Values.

Schools who had joined up by December 2011, and that was over 15,000 of them, will get free tickets for some of their pupils to attend Olympic and Paralympic Games.

But just because that deadline has passed it doesn’t mean there aren’t many more benefits to schools signing up. Joining the Get Set network is a great way of demonstrating to the community that a school or college is part of the London 2012 family. All the school has to do is tell London 2012 what they’ve been doing and what they plan to do next – it really is that simple.

Members of the network gain the right to use the London 2012 education logo, and are given priority access to the most exclusive prizes and opportunities.

A number of schools have already benefitted from exciting opportunities as a benefit of being part of the network. London 2012

offers tours of the Olympic Park exclusively to members of the network. They also run competitions and prize draws to win prizes like Panasonic cameras, visits from athletes, mascots and the chances to attend really special events such as meeting Archbishop Desmond Tutu on his visit to London in February. Recently the Petchey Academy in London was chosen to receive a visit from Jude Law to launch a new strand to the Cultural Olympiad programme Film Nation:Shorts.

Get Set Goes Global In 2011 LOCOG launched the international strand of the education programme, ‘Get Set goes global’. The first project to launch in September was ‘Get Set for the Olympic Truce’, a major initiative which aims to encourage young people to learn about the concept of the Olympic Truce and to explore how sport can bring the world together and support the promotion of peace.

LOCOG has invited schools to ‘Support a team’ and become a supporter of at least one of the 205 Olympic teams and one of the 170 Paralympic teams, alongside Team GB and Paralympics GB. Schools are encouraged to select nations that their school or communities already have a link with or training nearby, and learn about the athletes, sports and cultures of the competing teams.

There are lots of resources and ideas on the Get Set goes global website to help schools to select and to learn about their nations.

Schools have already been selecting teams to follow. Perryfields Primary School, Oldbury are supporting Ethiopia for the Olympic Games because they have been inspired by the achievements and values of Haile Gebrselassie, the long-distance track and road running athlete. They are also supporting Zambia for the Paralympic Games due to an existing school link that they have.

Get Set goes global will culminate on Monday 25th June 2012 when London 2012 will be inviting thousands of schools across the UK to celebrate the athletes and cultures of the world. There are lots of ways that school can get involved in London 2012 World Sport Day, presented by Lloyds TSB, including hosting their own Opening Ceremony, organising a global showcase of sport and culture, and learning the London 2012 Mascot dance.

Kirk Hallam Technology College is planning a culture day linked to Japan, which is the Olympic team that they are supporting, and involves the whole school taking part in taster sessions led by members of the local community group. These sessions include judo, learning about Japanese food and drink, calligraphy, origami and taiko drumming.

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What do teachers and students think?

Neilsen, the London 2012 market research provider, recently conducted an evaluation of the Get Set programme which revealed that 96% of teachers would recommend the Get Set programme to a colleague in their own or another school or college and 70% of educators say that students are inspired by the Games and the Values and that they seeing the benefits of using the Values to support the all round ethos and culture of their school. One teacher said: ‘“Values have been a huge hook for us to hang everything on, a whole school enrichment programme... the students are passionate about it... it’s opened their eyes.”

The results also revealed that teachers see the greatest benefits when Get Set is used across the curriculum. In many schools the Games are being used across a variety of subject areas including English / Literacy, PSHE / citizenship, arts, maths, science, humanities, business studies, technology and foreign languages. During Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week Eltham Green Specialist Sports College, who are a member of the Get Set network, ensured that every subject area was linking their lessons to sport and the Games – this really demonstrated how effective the whole school approach can be, and how Get Set brings an added dimension to learning.

The most encouraging results are around the impact that Get Set has had on students.

Students reported a number of changes and improvements in their outlook and attitudes, including better life skills and enhanced confidence, improved behaviour and attendance, increased activity in sport and a greater understand of / empathy with the disabled. The research also revealed that students are developing greater determination to succeed and have new hopes and dreams for the future as a result of participating in Get Set. One student said: “I feel up for everything. If there is an opportunity available I will take it... I am much more willing to try new things and put myself out more. My confidence has grown and I feel more in control of what I do....”. A Year 9 boy said: “I’ve learnt the value of hard work. That it’s ultimately down to me and that I can achieve what I want. Hard work and determination is even more important than natural talent” . Through Get Set, young people are developing a deep understanding of the Values and are living them in their everyday lives.

For more information on Get Set visit www.london2012.com/getset

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T: 0845 505 0103 F: 0845 505 0104 www.geodenetworks.com

Geode Networks is an independent and innovative technology services company providing solutions and services for the networked IT environment.

Our expertise lies in ensuring the delivery of critical educational applications and services over both wired and wireless infrastructures.

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Our unique understanding of the technologies used and challenges faced by learning establishments has driven our success in this market Find out why we are the right choice for you, and let us help you unlock the true potential of your networked world.

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Supply2Schools.co.uk Add Supply2Schools.co.uk to your email white list Information, goods and services are an important route to doing the job to the best of your ability

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Supply to Schools will get you this information

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Do children with specific language impairment have difficulties with higher order thinking, planning and reasoning skills?

Background: Specific language impairment (SLI) is a developmental disorder that affects up to 7% of schoolchildren in the UK. Children with SLI have difficulties with most or all aspects of language including grammar, vocabulary and using sounds appropriately. Many of these children, perhaps as many as 50%, also have significant difficulties with reading.

The important feature about children with SLI in terms diagnosis, is that their language difficulties cannot be explained with reference to some other problem such as autism spectrum disorder (or another

Formal diagnosis of specific language impairment (SLI) 1. The child or young person has significant difficulties with language that have no obvious cause.

2. The child or young person’s non-verbal abilities are within the average range.

3. The child or young person does not have another developmental disorder associated with language difficulty, such as an autism spectrum disorder.

A participant generating as many different ‘mini-pictures’ as possible based on connecting the dots in each box.

developmental disorder that is known to be associated with language problems), brain injury, or environmental deprivation.

In fact, it is usually the case that although children with SLI have marked language difficulties, their non-verbal abilities are in the average range. Finally, a formal diagnosis requires that the language difficulties are having a negative impact on a child’s academic, emotional and social development. The Box below summarises the features required for a diagnosis of SLI. Public understanding and knowledge about children with language disorders such as specific language impairment tends to be limited. This is in contrast to the greater public awareness of ‘dyslexia’, which is a related specific disorder.

Dyslexia is similar to SLI in that it involves difficulties with one particular dimension of a child’s thinking and ability to deal with information, in this case the ability to read and spell fluently and accurately.

For students with dyslexia, there is a relatively wide and pervasive recognition in educational settings that certain adjustments are of enormous benefit, including extra time for examinations and/ or use of a laptop computer to produce written work. However, it is of great importance to have a better understanding of the types of educational adjustments that might be particularly beneficial for children with SLI.

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The current research We looked at higher order thinking, planning and reasoning skills in children with SLI. Such skills (often referred to as “executive” skills) are vital for virtually any learning task as they allow us to keep in mind relevant information while we are carrying out tasks, plan solutions to deal with novel or demanding situations, inhibit responses that are unhelpful or out of date, change strategies when necessary, and generate new ways of solving problems.

Therefore, it is of immediate relevance to speech and language therapists and educationalists to know whether children with SLI have executive difficulties.

We assessed 41 young people with SLI, who were between 8 and 14 years old and referred to us by Speech and Language Therapists or Headteachers. The children with SLI were administered a range of measures designed to assess their executive thinking and reasoning skills. We compared their performance to that of 88 typically developing children who had no demonstrable language difficulties. Box 2 gives examples of the “executive” tasks.

Were there executive difficulties in children with SLI? Yes - we found a range of executive difficulties. Children with SLI had problems with the following: remembering information whilst doing another task;

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Box 2. Executive skills Remembering some information whilst doing another task.

Generating examples or ideas around a particular theme (e.g. name as many animals as you can name in one minute).

Inhibiting a response that is almost automatic or readily comes to mind. generating examples or ideas around a particular theme (e.g. draw as many ‘minipictures’ as possible – see illustration); planning new solutions for novel tasks; and inhibiting “out of date” responses.

Switching between two tasks; or changing strategy when required.

Planning new solutions for novel tasks.

words; table squares). This should support them to hold in mind the relevant information whilst carrying out the required task.

What are the implications of these results?

Considerable levels of support will be required for children and young people with SLI when they are embarking on any type of learning task. With such broad and varied executive difficulties, they may need an imaginative range of remediation strategies beyond those confined to language.

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Children with SLI may benefit from:

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Visual aids to support their memory for important material in everyday life and also while they are engaged in school-based tasks such as free writing or mental arithmetic (e.g. spellings for commonly used or difficult

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A very clear task structure, together with “hints” to help them generate and plan new and alternative ideas for solving problems. Difficulties with generating ideas and planning new solutions may hinder progress on a variety of learning tasks.

Repeated reminders to inhibit unhelpful (but common or readily available) responses may be useful if these appear to be getting in the way of new learning (e.g. exceptions to spelling rules could

be written out on flashcards for easy access, perhaps using pictures to aid understanding).

Overall, any strategies that help support executive difficulties in remembering, generating new ideas, planning new solutions and inhibiting unhelpful responses are likely to support the learning of children and young people with SLI. This research was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council, UK, grant number RES-062-23-0535.

Authors: Henry, L.A.1, Messer, D.2 & Nash, G.1 1 London South Bank University; 2 Open University.

For correspondence concerning this article please contact Lucy Henry (henrylc@lsbu.ac.uk).

TOTAL APPROACH TO SPECIAL TOILETING NEEDS The personal hygiene needs of the 1.75million children with special educational needs can be more appropriately met through developments in equipment and service….

Latest statistics from the Department for Education demonstrate there are currently over 90,000 pupils in special schools alonewith and without statements almost 1m more pupils with special needs are in mainstream schools; all of those children need to toiletsomething we do on average eight times a day, according to leading disabled toileting solutions provider Total Hygiene.

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The company is uniquely positioned to help schools comply, providing a ‘one stop shop’ for advice, design, supply, installation and maintenance of all the equipment for appropriate toilets and hygiene rooms as detailed in DfE’s Building Bulletin 102.

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Total Hygiene’s range of equipment not only meets the core requirements of the Building Bulletin for both accessible toilet and hygiene room provision, but can go beyond, to deliver greater independence for the child (and potentially overcome any potential issues re intimate care) from simple grab rails through hoists and height adjustable basins to its Clos-o-Mat floor-mounted Palma Vita and height adjustable Lima Lifter ‘wash and dry’ toilets. A range of paediatric supports are also available to further ensure the child’s safety when toileting.

Robin Tuffley, Total Hygiene marketing manager, explains, “The right to toilet in appropriate surroundings, in privacy and with dignity, can be regarded as a basic human right. To our mind, that encompasses the user and their carer, whether an adult or a child. Our equipment and supply options enable school managers to make effective decisions on how to improve their school toilets- and thus contribute to an improved environment for their pupils.”

T: 0161 969 1199 freefone 0800 374076 E: info@clos-o-mat.com PIR Education

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Policy, advice and free CPD at the Education Show 2012 Education is undergoing a huge change. A new curriculum and greater freedom at a time of financial uncertainty have put a premium on information and placed greater emphasis on continuing professional development (CPD) and collaboration. To reflect this, the education sector’s thought leaders, experts, leading practitioners and associations will gather at the Education Show 2012 to debate, discuss and share information. The event, which is the largest showcase of free, accredited professional development and educational resources in the UK, is free to attend and takes place from 15 to 17 March at the NEC Birmingham.

importance to our young people and The Big Bang Fair shows how inspiration can help to drive learning in these areas. When coupled with the fundamental role that teachers play in shaping the academic attainment of young people, this link enables practitioners, young people and organisations to share exciting ideas, products and projects throughout the education community.”

Collaboration is a watch-word throughout education at the moment and the Leadership Lounge, sponsored by the sector’s trade association BESA, is designed to enable Head teachers and Deputy Heads to network with peers, discuss current education policies and share ideas. Meanwhile, a series of Leadership Workshops focuses on the most crucial issues affecting school leaders, and brings together the leading experts in one event to help them meet individual and collective challenges.

Planning, travel and collaborative links

Paul Jackson, chief executive of EngineeringUK and The Big Bang Education, outlines the importance of providing an exciting and enriching experience to all visitors: “The Big Bang Fair takes young people out of the classroom and brings science, technology, engineering and maths to life in new and exciting ways. By colocating with the Education Show we can help teachers share their most stimulating ideas for creating a love of science and engineering.

The potential to reach so many pupils and teachers is fantastic.”

The Information Point, run by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) can help visitors plan their visit to get the most from the day. Educators can also pick up a copy of the BESA book, which lists all 300 plus BESA members; educational suppliers of every kind who adhere to a stringent Code of Practice, offering school leaders peace of mind when looking for new products and services for their school. To help with the journey to the show, BESA is also sponsoring the Group Travel Subsidy – where groups of 10 or more education professionals that come to the show together can receive up to £150 subsidy towards coach hire. This is ideal for the many schools using the Education Show as an INSET day – visit www.education-show.com/coachsubsidy for details.

With STEM and employability set to be a focus, the 2012 show will be co-located with the award-winning science and engineering event, The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair. The association between the two events aims to help give teachers the tools, knowledge and inspiration to encourage the next generation of young innovators. Cross promotional activities between the two events will showcase the latest and most effective resources and teaching methodology, enabling practitioners to establish collaborative links with relevant organisations throughout the education sector.

In 2012 nasen, the UK’s leading organisation embracing all special and additional educational needs, once again hosts the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Information Point on stand J100 – K100.

Selected as the Department for Education’s (DfE) delivery partner for free SEN training, nasen are ideally placed to help schools and teachers find out about the implications of changing policy, along with ways to meet the needs of all learners. Visitors can also find details on all SEN resources, gain practical advice and meet with experts to discuss the latest inclusive practice and specialist SEN teaching techniques.

Anita Pal, exhibition director for the Education Show, explains why the two shows seized the opportunity to forge an association: “Inspiring ideas and resources are a powerful currency in education and forging a relationship with The Big Bang Fair helps both shows reach a wider audience. The STEM subjects are of huge

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Professional development Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is at the heart of the Education Show 2012.

The ‘Learn Live’ programme features free CPD accredited sessions, bringing together leading educationalists to discuss the principal issues in education, share effective methodology and outline the latest teaching practices. Covering topics such as literacy, numeracy, behaviour and employability, the seminar programme is peer-led and focuses on practical examples that can be used in the classroom.

The show also hosts free SENCO training from nasen, developed in partnership with the Schools Network and leading SENCOs, and funded by the Department for Education (DfE). The training, for Secondary school SENCOs is part of a nationwide programme to support schools across the country in meeting the needs of all learners.. The three, oneday sessions at the Education Show provide a high quality SEND training package for SENCOs in order to equip them with the tools to disseminate training to their colleagues as whole school professional development To discover more and to plan your time at the show, please visit www.education-show.com. When registering to attend, enter priority code EPR5.

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

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

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

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The elements that make up our temporary kitchen and restaurant facilities can be provided as individual units in their own right – Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms, Restaurant Units, etc - or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex. Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer term hires.

We have many tried and tested design layouts applicable to the education sector. These include, for example, Training Kitchens, specifically designed for colleges that offer this type of course to their students. The attached photos show one such facility (Training Kitchen and Student-run Restaurant) that was recently provided for the College of Northwest London.

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

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

call us on 0845 812 0800 or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk PIR Education

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Managing Asthma in the classroom On average, there are two children with asthma in every classroom in the UK. Asthma is a condition that affects the airways – the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.

When a child or young person with asthma comes into contact with an asthma trigger, the muscles around the walls of the airways tighten so that the airways become narrower. The lining of the airways becomes inflamed and starts to swell.

Often sticky mucus or phlegm is produced.

All these reactions cause the airways to become narrower and irritated – leading to the symptoms of asthma.

Children and young people with asthma have airways that are almost always red and sensitive (inflamed). These airways can react badly when they come into contact with something that irritates their airways (an asthma trigger). The usual symptoms of asthma are: • coughing • shortness of breath • wheezing • tightness in the chest • being unusually quiet • difficulty speaking in full sentences • sometimes younger children will express feeling tight in the chest as a tummy ache.

Asthma in the individual Asthma varies in severity from person to person. Some children and young people will experience an occasional cough or wheeze, while for others, the symptoms will be much more severe. Some may experience them from time to time (maybe after exercise or activity). The rest of the time their asthma causes them no problems. But asthma can affect some children and young people’s school life in other ways. Some pupils may occasionally need to take time off school because of their asthma symptoms. They may also experience night-time symptoms disturbing sleep, so they may be tired in class.

Children and young people can usually control their asthma effectively by avoiding known asthma triggers where possible and taking the correct medicines.

To help with asthma control, all children and young people with asthma should have regular asthma reviews with their doctor or asthma nurse every six to 12 months or

more regularly if recently diagnosed. They should also have a written personal asthma action plan.

Practical classroom suggestions • wet-dust chalk boards.

• ensure rooms are regularly wet-dusted and cleaned to reduce dust and housedust mites.

• avoid keeping pollinating plants in the classroom or playground areas • avoid mowing sporting fields and grass areas during school hours – this is best done on a Friday afternoon (or after sport on a Saturday) • give the option of indoor PE/games activities on days with a high pollen count • avoid leaving windows open during thunderstorms as thunderstorms release large quantities of pollen into the air and can trigger asthma attacks.

• ensure classrooms are well aired and avoid condensation • remove any damp and mould in the school quickly • ensure piles of autumn leaves are kept in areas away from pupils and regularly removed from the school grounds.

• be aware of children whose asthma is triggered by scented deodorants and perfumes • ensure changing rooms are well ventilated • encourage the use of unscented products.

What to do

1. Take one to two puffs of your reliever inhaler (usually blue), immediately.

2. Sit down and try to take slow, steady breaths.

3. If you do not start to feel better, take two

puffs of your reliever inhaler (one puff at a time) every two minutes. You can take up to ten puffs.

4. If you do not feel better after taking your inhaler as above, or if you are worried at any time, call 999.

5. If an ambulance does not arrive within 10 minutes and you are still feeling unwell, repeat step 3.

If your symptoms improve and you do not need to call 999, you still need to see a doctor or asthma nurse within 24 hours.

Call 999 or a doctor urgently if: • the child or young person’s symptoms do not improve in 5–10 minutes • the child or young person is too breathless or exhausted to talk • the child or young person’s lips are blue • you are in doubt. Ensure the child takes one puff of their relieverinhaler every minute until the ambulance or doctor arrives.

Common signs of an asthma attack

After a minor asthma attack

• coughing

• feeling tight in the chest

Minor attacks should not interrupt the involvement of a pupil with asthma in school.

When the pupil feels better they can return to school activities. The parents/carers must always be told if their child has had an asthma attack.

• being unusually quiet

Important things to remember in an asthma attack

• shortness of breath • wheezing

• difficulty speaking in full sentences • tummy ache (sometimes in younger children).

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• Never leave a pupil having an asthma attack.

• If the pupil does not have their inhaler and/or spacer with them, send another

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“Never leave a pupil having an asthma attack” teacher or pupil to their classroom or assigned room to get their spare inhaler and/or spacer.

• In an emergency situation school staff are required under common law, duty of care, to act like any reasonably prudent parent.

• Reliever medicine is very safe. During an asthma attack do not worry about a pupil overdosing.

• Send another pupil to get another teacher/adult if an ambulance needs to be called.

• Contact the pupil’s parents or carers immediately after calling the ambulance/ doctor.

• A member of staff should always accompany a pupil taken to hospital by ambulance and stay with them until their parent or carer arrives.

Staff administering medicines

your child’s asthma and medicines. School and Pre-School Asthma cards A convenient resource designed to help primary and secondary schools keep a central register of all students with asthma.

Available to all staff.

Asthma Attack Cards A credit-card-sized resource that a pupil can keep on them and a teacher can keep in the classroom. It contains information about what to do if someone is having an asthma attack. The card is recommended for everyone with asthma.

Exercise at school - Out There and Active Exercise is good for everyone. Order free factsheets and posters to learn more about how children with asthma can exercise safely in our ‘Out There and Active’ Campaign.

Asthma educate - schools & early years

Children and young people should be allowed to take their asthma medicines when they need to. There is no legal or contractual duty for school staff to administer medicine or supervise a pupil taking medicines unless they have been specifically contracted to do so.

Asthma Educate is a free online teaching resource for 7- to 11-year-olds. It includes lesson plans, activities and assembly guides to help make learning about asthma as easy and as fun as possible. Visit the Asthma Educate microsite

Administering medicines is a voluntary role and one that many school staff are happy to take on. Employers are responsible for providing indemnity for those staff who agree to administer medicines.

Medical Conditions Awareness Sessions

In emergency situations In an emergency situation (for example, an unexpected severe asthma attack), school staff are required under common law, duty of care, to act like any reasonably prudent parent. This may include administering medicines.

Teaching materials and resources Most Asthma UK materials are free and can be ordered from our website or over the phone by calling 0800 121 62 55. Education professionals may be especially interested in: School asthma card, for details of

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Medical Conditions Awareness sessions is a tool for school healthcare professional such as school nurses to use with school staff to raise awareness and understanding of long term medical conditions including asthma. It includes slides and presenter notes and can be downloaded for free from the Medical Conditions at School website Planet Asthma - Art & Activity book coverFor Primary Schools Planet Asthma is an art activity book containing creative activities for your classroom which are designed to raise understanding of asthma.

The book can be ordered free from Asthma UK by calling 0800 121 62 55.

Download an asthma policy for your school from the Asthma UK website.

Asthma UK schools pack.

Asthma UK have developed asthma policy packs for schools. The packs contain guidance to help develop and maintain a school asthma policy that is customised to the individual school’s needs.

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Asthma UK can visit your school Asthma UK can provide you with speakers for your school through our Alert to Asthma work and our Speak Up For Asthma volunteers.

Alert to Asthma Alert to Asthma is a successful awareness programme delivered to all teaching staff.

It aims to reduce the risks to children with asthma by raising awareness in staff at schools and nurseries to spot and deal with asthma attacks and to ensure children with asthma live a full and active life. The sessions are usually delivered by asthma trained nurses.

The Alert to Asthma awareness sessions all have the same objective but differ slightly across in the UK. SUFA – Speak Up For Asthma volunteers Speak Up For Asthma (SUFA) is a network of trained volunteer speakers who raise awareness of asthma and the work of Asthma UK. They can visit your school to talk about asthma and its effects through workshops delivered to teachers or students. There is no charge for a speaker.

However, you can support Asthma UK by making a donation or organising a fundraising activity.

Pre-school guidelines The guidelines tell you more about how children with asthma can control their condition, help you understand how to build a child’s confidence, and help create a safe environment for children with asthma where they can reach their full educational potential.

They aim to promote a working partnership between all concerned, resulting in the development and successful implementation of an asthma policy.

Asthma UK’s Kick Asthma mini-marathon is a new school fundraising challenge to encourage pupils to get fit and active while raising money for the 1.1 million children in the UK with asthma. They are challenging your school or group to cover the distance of a marathon - a whole 26.2 miles - in any way you choose. This can be done in a single day or over a period of time.

For more information on any of the topics mentioned please visit www.asthma.org.uk

Some schools break the law as they struggle to combat disruptive pupils And a number of primary school pupils carry weapons for protection, says the CSJ Children as young as seven are carrying weapons such as knives in some of Britain’s poorest schools, according to a shock new report, which also reveals a profound failure on the part of some schools to respond to disruptive behaviour.

The report, No Excuses: A review of educational exclusion, exposes the extent to which some children feel unsafe in schools, and the impact of gang culture on their behaviour and education. At one primary school cited in the report children aged 9-11 regularly turned up to class wearing the colours of their local street gang.

The CSJ urges ministers to use its report as a blueprint for radical reform on exclusion, in line with its commitment to transform education in failing schools.

The review highlights the climate of fear gripping many pupils who feel unsafe in school, and on their journey to and from it.

“The extent to which pupils in some of our schools are feeling unsafe and the impact that weapon-carrying street gang activity and conflict is having on their behaviour is staggering.

“During evidence to the CSJ, the head of a primary referral unit cited a number of examples of 7-11-year-olds being sent to the PRU for having brought knives into their primary school.

“Often the children said that they had brought the knives in because they were being bullied in school, to scare someone, or because they were being bullied by older children or, in one example, by someone’s father, on their way home from school.

“One witness to our review informed us that some pupils who truant may be doing so because they are getting robbed or bullied

on the way home from school.”

Some schools try to hide their gang problems because of fear of damage to their reputation, the report says.

The CSJ’s report has been informed by a group of expert education advisers, including two Academy Principals, the leading UK schools lawyer and a charity chief executive specialising in young people at risk of exclusion from school.

It will be launched at Pimlico Academy in London – an example of excellence in tackling disruptive behaviour – on Monday September 12 at 2-30 pm, with Nick Gibb, the Schools Minister in attendance.

CSJ Executive Director Gavin Poole said: “It is vital that unscrupulous and sometimes illegal practices indulged in are confronted head on. The money for these ‘ghost pupils’ is retained by the school, but they don’t attend, with some schools failing to provide any suitable education or support to these children.”

“This report reinforces the need for early intervention. It is tragic that 320 young children were excluded below the age of 8 between 2009-2010” Another of its key findings is that many schools are ill-equipped and ineffective in dealing with disruptive behaviour.

Measures currently used include permanent exclusions (expulsions), fixed-term exclusions (suspensions) typically lasting a few days, transfer to off-site pupil referral units (PRUs) or other “alternative provision” by means of processes such as “managed moves”, “referrals” dual registrations (where a pupil is on the roll of 2 schools), and the use of part-time timetables.

The report calls for a “standardised, simplified and cohesive approach” to helping vulnerable young people in place of the current patchwork of arrangements.

Mainstream schools, PRUs and alternative providers from the charitable and private sectors should develop better and more

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detailed knowledge about the circumstances and needs of individual pupils. This could be achieved by an ‘education passport’, the CSJ believes.

Primary and secondary schools should be able focus on building relationships with pupils, explaining their rules and laying the foundations for behaviour.

Heads and teachers should receive special training in conflict resolution and police officers should be trained to work in schools with problem pupils.

According to the latest official figures, in 2009/10 there were around 5,700 permanent exclusions and 330,000 suspensions out of a pupil population of 8 million.

After action by the previous Labour government, permanent exclusions have fallen.

Yet the official figures do not provide an accurate picture in some schools. For example, fewer pupils are being excluded but it seems more are being educated outside mainstream schools and sent to PRUs (twice as many in 2007 as a decade earlier) and other alternative provision.

Some will have been illegally excluded from their mainstream schools.

There is currently no way of knowing how many pupils are being illegally excluded.

The report warns that some schools are acting illegally or unscrupulously, and that their practices are allowed to remain hidden within systems that are either completely unregulated, or that are subject to very little transparency and monitoring: “Some schools are failing to comply with their legal obligations in respect of official exclusions, are carrying out unofficial illegal exclusions, or are otherwise failing to provide an acceptable level of pastoral care and education.

“In doing so they are failing to comply with their child protection and safeguarding obligations in many cases...The weaknesses in the current system are being manipulated

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by some schools in relation to some of society’s most vulnerable children and young people.”

CSJ research showing that a child not growing up in a two-parent family is 75 per cent more likely to fail at school.

The CSJ report identifies a number of deep-seated factors that cause disruptive behaviour often leading to exclusions in response.

It also cites NSPCC research showing that almost one million secondary school children had been physically attacked by an adult, raped or sexually assaulted, or severely neglected at home.

Family breakdown and domestic abuse are among the causes. The report cites previous

Lack of nurture and communication in the

first three years of life when the human brain is developing rapidly is cited as another underlying cause of later severe behavioural problems.

It found some children were starting school who communicated with grunts, couldn’t use a knife and fork because they didn’t use them at home, and who were routinely aggressive.

Key recommendations include:

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Government and Ofsted must address the issue of unofficial exclusions and promote transparency

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Electronic education passport model: Mainstream schools, special schools, PRUs and other alternative providers need to develop an informed understanding about each pupil’s circumstances and educational requirements. The CSJ believes this could be achieved through the development and introduction of an electronic education passport model

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Reaching and engaging parents with the voluntary and community sector: Mainstream schools, special schools, PRUs and other alternative

providers should engage with effective voluntary and community sector organisations running evidence based programmes

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Dedicated police officer engagement in schools should become more specialised, and joint training (with schools) should be provided

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Effective conflict resolution training should be provided for head teachers and as part of initial teacher training and Career Professional Development

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Restorative justice approaches should be promoted in all secondary schools and research should be conducted with respect to its use in primary schools

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Recommendations to assist teachers cope with the impact of disruptive behaviour

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The Government should recognise the specialist skills that are required to work with pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD): The Government should consult on the potential for teachers to train and qualify in BESD schools, and on creating a conversion course allowing teachers to transfer back to mainstream schools in the future, should they wish to do so. The best BESD schools should be allocated with a ‘Kite’ mark entitling them to provide such training.

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Improving energy usage: it’s an education Using colourful home energy monitors, pupils at one infant school have learned how cutting energy waste can help save money – and have encouraged their parents and teachers to get more energy aware too!

In 2010, Ann-Marie Hopkins, a teacher at South Farnborough Infant School, became involved in an environmental project called “Less CO2”. Funded by the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, this programme involved ten schools throughout Surrey and North East Hampshire in a series of initiatives designed to create increased awareness and understanding around key aspects of sustainability.

As part of the joint project, she was given a Current Cost energy monitor for the school to develop a programme which would encourage reduced energy consumption, both in and beyond the school boundaries.

Environmental focus For Ann-Marie, the Current Cost energy initiative fitted perfectly within the school’s broader commitment to improving environmental performance. “A key target within our School Development Plan was to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability among our young students and more broadly in the local community,” she says.

In order to enable the project to be undertaken throughout each class, Ann-Marie successfully applied to the local Rushmoor Borough Council to provide money for 33 monitors as part of the local authority’s Community Project Fund.

“From day one, everyone involved in the new project has been extremely positive in committing to its overall objectives,” she confirms. “At the same time, there has been an equally good response in practice, as the monitor has proved so easy to use.”

Pupil power The project has been driven in large part

by Ann-Marie’s established ‘Green Gang’, a team of pupils across the school’s 4-7 age group working with her on a range of environmental initiatives.

At the start of the new school year in September 2010, each member of staff took the device home as part of an initial trial.

Since then, each class in turn has been set a ‘two-week energy challenge’ in which every pupil has been given a monitor to take home and measure electricity usage.

To make sure the programme was given the best possible chance of success, the children and their parents were invited to a launch event, which included a presentation led by Ann-Marie and supported by Richard Palmer from Current Cost on how to make the most of the real time monitoring device. During the first week, with the support of their parents the children’s challenge was to get used to the device, what was happening in their household as regards energy usage, how much energy was used by individual appliances and then consider what savings could be made.

to improve its own energy performance.

“Again, the pupils have managed this,” she says. “As the monitors are so easy to read, the ‘Green Gang’ are taking the results and recording them each week on a central noticeboard for everyone to see.

In the second week, armed with this information the objective was to put into practice simple changes which would reduce energy usage. The results would then be recorded by the children on simple record sheets which were then taken into school and transferred to a central spreadsheet.

Inevitably there has been a broad spread of results. However, most households have found it very easy to achieve reductions in excess of 10 per cent, with the topperforming households benefiting from savings of more than 43 per cent.

The results overall were outstanding, as the children put pressure on parents to identify those appliances that were the worst offenders in terms of unnecessary usage and then change their habits to cut down on energy wastage. “Children throughout the school were already aware of the importance of protecting the environment as a result of other ‘green’ initiatives,” Ann-Marie confirms, “and throughout this project have frequently been described by their parents as the ‘energy police’!”

Parents and staff who have taken part have confirmed that, as a result of this project they are now more aware of how much energy they use, and the potential saving that can easily be achieved. Many are also far more vigilant with their energy use as a household.

“Though the initial impetus was environmental, it was important from the outset that pupils understood that, in saving energy they were also saving money both at home and at school which could then be spent on other things.”

Major savings

And, reinforcing the value which parents have seen as a result of the trial, many have asked if they can borrow the device again in order to drive even greater savings. “As we come to the end of the first phase of the programme,” she says, “we are looking at how we can meet these requests, as well as extending the project to new parents in our early years classes.”

The programme has also contributed to the achievement of South Farnborough Infant School’s Green Flag Eco School status, and they are looking to assist other local schools to achieve the same status.

“Throughout this project, the Current Cost team have played a vital role. By working in partnership with our school from the outset we’ve succeeded in making this project an outstanding success,” she concludes.

At the same time, a parallel programme has continued throughout the school in order 32

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New cool-phase pcm system solves overheating problem for Notre Dame school The Notre Dame Catholic girls’ school in Southwark, Central London has been based on the same site for over 150 years. The existing building, which dates back to the Victorian era, has a number of areas where overheating is a problem for various reasons, including external heat gains, changing usage and additional heat loading within the space due to computers and other equipment.

Split air conditioning (AC) systems were installed to provide cooling for a number of problem areas, but the only ventilation available was via the opening and closing of manually operated windows. Due to concerns with running costs, sustainability and the mounting of external split AC units to the outside of the building, the school was keen to consider an easily-retrofitted, environmentally-friendly solution for its future ventilation and cooling needs.

Monodraught’s new cool-phase ventilation system was recommended by the school’s consultant Tom Cairns, due to its potential to maintain classroom temperatures, and improve air quality whilst minimising energy usage and running costs. A trial was run

to compare Cool-Phase to the AC systems installed elsewhere in the school.

To evaluate the system’s innovative phase change material (PCM) technology, two systems were installed in April 2011 in an IT classroom that experienced high internal heat gains from 30 PCs and an overhead projector, and suffered solar gains created by partly shaded windows.

To ensure an accurate evaluation and provide a performance comparison with the Cool-Phase system, two ‘control’ areas were chosen. The first was also an IT classroom equipped with 30 PCs and an overhead projector. It suffered similar internal heat gains to the classroom in which Cool-Phase systems were installed and, due to solar gains from south-west facing windows, slightly higher external heat loading. A wall mounted split AC system was already providing cooling for the control IT classroom.

The second control area was a Geography classroom equipped with only a single PC and overhead projector, which experienced a much lower internal and external heat loading. This room was chosen because it was located next to the Cool-Phase equipped IT classroom and would provide a baseline with which to compare performance.

To compare the environments before the Cool-Phase trial, data logging equipment was installed in each classroom to monitor temperature and CO2 levels every minute during the spring term; and confirmed that the rooms did indeed have similar internal heat loadings.

The results show that Cool-Phase achieved an impressive reduction in average temperatures before and after the installation. The percentage of hours between 8am and 4pm when temperature or CO2 levels were above a set point, confirm that the Cool-Phase system achieved better performance than both control rooms even with the air conditioning installed. The Geography classroom, despite its lower heat loading, experienced temperatures above 25°C for 59% of the time, while Cool-Phase reduced the time in its IT classroom to just 2%.

With the AC system turned on in the second control room some areas were overcooled and the AC was turned off as a result, predictably temperatures then rose until the AC needed to be turned on again!

Also, since opening windows provided the only ventilation source, they contributed to higher temperatures because the AC’s

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improvement. CO2 levels above 1500ppm correlate with studies indicating poor concentration levels and tiredness.

The deputy head-teacher Jocelyn Lewis who regularly teaches in the classroom says “The installation of the Cool-Phase system has had a profound effect on the students. They settle more quickly and there is a much more focused start to the lesson. Now the pupils can concentrate on their learning. ”

cooling effect was lost, explaining why so many hours above 25ºC and 28ºC were recorded even with AC installed.

A similar pattern emerged with CO2 levels, where data showed that the control IT classroom fitted with AC was not as wellventilated as the Cool-Phase IT classroom. To some extent this was expected because the control IT classroom had windows only on one side, whereas the Cool-Phase classroom had windows on opposite sides of the room,

allowing cross ventilation. An improvement in the background air quality between spring and summer terms can be explained by windows being opened more frequently.

However, despite the opening of windows the Cool-Phase system resulted in a marked reduction in the number of hours when high CO2 levels were recorded. In fact, the 44% of hours recorded above 1500ppm in the control IT classroom was reduced to just 2% in the Cool-Phase IT classroom – a major

The head teacher Sr. Anne Marie Niblock commented “I think this is a really positive story for the school and the students.” adding: “Cool-Phase has proved effective, sustainable and economically viable and ideally we would like the system fitted throughout the school.”

Cool-Phase is a registered trademark owned

by Monodraught Limited.

For further information contact: Monodraught Limited 01494 897700 Email: info@monodraught.com Web: www.monodraught.com

BE THE VERY BEST Want to be recognised as an educational establishment that cares about its pupils/students and staff?

Reply No.

Many nurseries, schools and colleges enter their toilets in the Loo of the Year Awards. They recognise the annual LOO OF THE YEAR AWARDS as a proven, cost effective and independent annual assessment of the standard of their toilet provision management and receive proper recognition through our annual grading scheme. “Good loos are proven to be good for educating”.

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ENTER TODAY Email information@loo.co.uk or phone 01403 258779 for an entry form Enter online @ www.loo.co.uk

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Reply No.

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‘Too cool’ students put health in jeopardy by failing to prepare for allergic reaction STUDENTS with potentially deadly allergies are putting themselves in danger by failing to carry life saving adrenaline injectors.

Among the reasons why students do not always carry their EpiPens is because they are not deemed to ‘be cool’.

Moira Austin of The Anaphylaxis Campaign says: ‘Studies show that teenagers and young people with allergies are at a greater risk of anaphylaxis shock because they are living away from home often for the first time.

‘They are more likely to take risks and are also, perhaps for hormonal reasons, more prone to severe reactions. Where there are fatalities, they tend to be in the teens or early 20s – they are a high risk category.

‘It’s easier for a girl to carry her adrenaline device with her as she can tuck it discreetly in her handbag. But teenage boys don’t want to carry a bulky auto-injector in their jeans pocket or on a belt carrier. It’s just not cool.

‘As a result, boys of that age often leave their injectors at home. But it is vital that they keep one with them at all times.’

The charity has issued advice to students, it includes tips on everything from asking a friend to carry extra medication in case of an emergency and teaching them with a practice device to registering their adrenaline injectors so they are never out of date and how to deal with staff at a nightclub who may refuse entry to people carrying a device with a needle.

Nut allergies are on the rise, with up to one in 50 children in the UK allergic to peanuts. This makes it the most common serious allergy. Reactions can range from mild itching and rashes to life-threatening breathing problems which kill an average of 7 young people a year.

The most common food triggers for students are nuts and peanuts but dairy products such as milk and eggs, fish and shellfish and fruit can also be a trigger.

For more information and advice on living with severe allergy visit www.anaphylaxis.org.uk.

Helpline 01252 542029.

How to stay safe at university Tips to students about to set off for University and College for the first time.

• See your GP before you go to college and make sure you’re carrying enough medication, particularly EpiPens.

• Be upfront and matter-of-fact about the risk of anaphylaxis. Make sure most of your friends know how – and when – to use the EpiPen. Teach them with a dummy training device.

• Ask the friend you spend most time with, and your partner, to carry spare EpiPens.

• Make sure the college or hall of residence porter’s lodge or reception has a spare

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clearly-marked emergency kit, including another EpiPen, and that instructions for its use are inside.

• Talk to the head of catering. Awareness is now good and many colleges have policies for identifying allergens, especially nuts.

• Contact your college’s disability officer or special needs officer. They will be responsible for implementing policies in regard to anaphylaxis and need to know how many people are at risk.

• During Fresher’s Week, visit the local restaurants at a slack time and find out which ones have a good allergy policy. Then when your friends decide to have a meal out, you can suggest somewhere you are happy with.

• Avoid Chinese and Indian food as they tend to use a lot of nuts. They are the highest risk foods for allergy sufferers.

• Take your EpiPen when you go to a pub or nightclub. Some clubs ban students carrying a device which contains a needle, such as an EpiPen. Contact them before you go to make them aware and say it’s vital that you have it on you at all times. Don’t give it to management. If they refuse entry, choose another club.

• Don’t eat nibbles at parties. Nothing is identified and they are prime for crosscontamination.

• Get a fridge for your room to avoid cross-

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contamination. The disability officer may be able to arrange this without charge.

• Carry nut-free snacks to sports matches.

Teas are often unsupervised, so there’s no one around to ask about ingredients.

• Tell everyone on your floor – or in your house – about your allergy and ask that no one keeps peanut butter in common areas.

• Always wash common utensils before using them, even if they appear to have been put away clean. Peanut butter sticks.

• Register your adrenaline auto-injector online so you know when you need to replace it. Check out sites such as http:// epipen.co.uk/patient/registration.aspx Case study Performing arts student Danny Patterson, 19, from North Shields was out for a meal with his actor friends when he mistakenly ate a Peshwari naan bread. It was only thanks to his quick thinking friends that his life was saved.

Danny, who has suffered with asthma and a nut allergy since he was a baby, said: ‘I was out celebrating with a group of friends and we decided to go for a curry. I’m normally very careful about what I eat when I go out to a restaurant and make a point of telling the staff that I’m allergic to nuts.

New UK schools competition encourages study of life in South Africa Junior classes are being invited to learn about life in South Africa and support schools in the country in the process - as part of a nationwide competition launched in the UK this month.

The Help a South African School Competition is encouraging UK schoolchildren to find out about the lives of children in South Africa; while donating unwanted books to schools on farms and in other rural locations.

To enter, classes must produce and submit a project book that covers four aspects of South African culture. These are: - ‘The Rainbow Nation’ - ‘A day in the life of a South African farm child’ - ‘New South Africa: learning from political history’ - ‘Growing our fruit’ The project book can include anything from drawings to poems, letters or photographs – the more creative the better.

‘We ordered plain naans but I didn’t realise that someone else had asked for Pehswari naan, which is cooked with almonds.

To complete their entry, schools are being asked to make a donation of unwanted maths, science or English text books, or reading books, to farm and rural schools in South Africa, who often have extremely limited access to educational resources. The books will be collected from participating schools on Friday, May 11th.

‘Within five minutes of eating one mouthful there was a rash on my body, my eyes were bloodshot, my head started to ache and swell like a balloon, I couldn’t stop coughing and then my tongue swelled and I couldn’t breathe. I ran outside gasping for breath.

The competition is open to all junior school children in years 5 and 6 in England and the equivalent school years in the rest of the UK. There are three prizes – the first placed entry will receive £2,000, second place £1,000 and third place £500. Every school that enters will also receive a certificate from the UK’s South African High Commissioner.

‘I didn’t think it was very cool to carry my Epipen with me and had left it at home that night. It’s thanks to a friend who drove me home very quickly that I’m still alive today. As soon as I got home, my mum slammed the device into my leg and called an ambulance.

The South African fruit industry and its growers’ association, Hortgro Services, is supporting the competition. Jacques Du Preez, Product Manager at Hortgro said: “For every fruit farm worker in a South African farm there are, on average, four dependents that rely on them. The industry provides education, housing, health and social care and we hope that this competition will increase awareness and provide further support for our employees and their families.

‘The doctor told me I should in future have two EpiPens and carry one with me at all times.’

For more information visit http://www. anaphylaxis.org.uk/information/Schools/ information-for-schools.aspx Written by Lucy Shakeshaft, a freelance journalist. lucy@masonmedia.co.uk

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“We are delighted that UK schoolchildren will learn about South Africa and South African culture, helping children and families in our country at the same time.”

Schools that wish to enter the competition must sign up online at www.helpasouthafricanschool.co.uk. The first 100 schools to register will receive an entry pack.

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Fundraising fever hits All Saints Catholic school and feels good!

Fundraising fever has certainly hit All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, Dagenham, London, as students begin the challenging task of raising funds for a three week educational expedition to Cambodia and Thailand in July 2012.

On completing their A-Levels, 15 students will embark on the trip which has been carefully explored and tailored to teach them valuable life skills such as leadership, communication, team-work, responsibility, money-management and, most importantly, compassion for others. The trip will involve a taxing six day trek after which the students will help to repair and redecorate a large school in the local community and also work with orphans in the area.

Each student needs to raise approximately £3,600 to cover the costs of the trip itself as well as all the materials required for the work they plan to do when they arrive.

With such a significant amount to be raised in a relatively small window, students have become both unwavering and creative in their efforts.

Teacher and trip organiser, Funmi Adenaike, was keen to stress the importance of the trip: “Taking part in this expedition is the opportunity of a lifetime for many of the students; however, it is not an average school trip and is certainly not a holiday! It is a challenging expedition that will significantly benefit the local community and the team alike.” The students have been busy researching new ways in which to fundraise, and are eager to ensure that the activities are of real benefit to those who donate. “We have done some traditional fundraising; over the weekend we went bag packing which was a great start. But with Christmas fast approaching the students have scheduled much bigger events including a relaxing pampering evening, luxury silent auction, fun quiz night and candlelit carol concert” added Funmi.

Another exciting fundraising idea which students are working on is the ‘Become a friend of All Saints’ project where local businesses are invited to become a friend of the school through sponsorship or by making a donation. In return, sponsors details and an image are included on a

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special ‘friends’ page on the school’s website. They will also be presented with a school logo highlighting their support and involvement which they can proudly display.

The benefits of the trip are numerous; not only do students have an amazing opportunity to help those less fortunate but they also receive 70 UCAS points on completion of a portfolio documenting their fundraising and the trip. Students are in full control of their budget while on the trip, an important element of money-management which will undoubtedly serve them well when they enter university or the workforce. They are also completely in charge of booking accommodation, transport, buying and cooking food and organising any additional activities on the trip, which are important lessons in responsibility, organisation and team-building.

For any local businesses interested in sponsoring a prize for the silent auction or making a cash donation please contact Funmi on fadenaike@all-saints.bardaglea. org.uk or call +44 (0) 208 270 4242 – your support is hugely appreciated.

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The future care and education professionals awarded Four Hampshire care and early years students have been recognised during City College Southampton’s annual awards ceremony for their dedication and commitment to learning.

Among those awarded was Emma Russell, who received a special recognition for being an outstanding student and achieving a triple distinction in her course. Emma has been a role model for her fellow learners during her time as a student ambassador and her performance as has been described by teaching staff at the college as “exemplary”.

Emma has completed the health and social care Level 3 qualification at City College and is now looking forward to further her education as she has been accepted on the Children’s Nursing programme at the University of Southampton.

City College, located in the heart of Southampton, has recently invested heavily in its facilities and has undergone a £48 million campus redevelopment.

City College, located in the centre of Southampton, has recently invested heavily in its facilities and has undergone a £48 million campus redevelopment, which includes state-of-the-art construction facilities.

Principal and CEO of City College, Lindsey Noble, said: “It really has been a fantastic

year with so many successes, both on an individual level from students and staff and on a college-wide level. We now have the top success rates for 16-18 years old in the area and have received a record breaking Ofsted report.

Other care and early years courses’ students awarded on the night were: Nicola Dugdale, Gemma Krings and Toni Grundy.

The glittering ceremony was hosted by Paul Ainsworth, the master chef and one of City College’s former star students.

A robust school canopy that increases the space at your disposal

Reply No.

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Provide an area where parents can wait for their children at the end of school, or shelter when they drop children off in the morning – sending the message that your school is committed to health and wellbeing.

Outdoor space needs to be robust, flexible and safe.

After all, with the weather we experience in Britain, you never know whether you’re going to need protection from the sun or the rain.

Reply No.

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Our school canopy structures offer a permanent solution and are ideal for covering school play areas, walkways, entrances and catering areas.

As curriculum demands change, space in schools is at a premium.

Either way, we put the needs of your school and children first, whilst at the same time improving the environment for children and staff alike, ensuring a happier place to work and play.

Then we can help for more details contact us on:

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H.B.C DESIGNS CANOPIES-AWNINGS-SECURITY SHUTTERS

Making the most of the outdoors in London, the Home Counties and East Anglia

info@hbcdesigns.co.uk or 0845 0520964

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News Trust unveils new social enterprise The School Food Trust has confirmed its move into social enterprise with the launch of a new community interest company to grow its work.

The charity, which used to be a non-departmental public body for the Department for Education, is now working with the Children’s Food Trust - a social enterprise created to share the School Food Trust’s vision that all children have the balanced diet, cooking skills and food education they need to reach their full potential.

The Children’s Food Trust will have its formal launch at an inaugural Children’s Food Conference on 7th March 2012, where speakers including Sir Michael Marmot and Dame Clare Tickell will join delegates to consider key issues facing families, food manufacturers and Government when it comes to helping children to eat well.

Chairman Rob Rees said: “Growing demand for our work has led to the creation of the Children’s Food Trust and the need to widen our reach. Our years of experience of improving school lunchtimes for children, setting up the country’s largest network of healthy school cooking clubs and of leading internationally-recognised research all mean that our support is now in demand on other children’s food issues.

“What children learn about food as they grow up - right from their very early years through their school career and beyond - has a huge impact for their health, wellbeing and achievement as adults, and so for all of us as taxpayers. There are still far too many ways in which good food is not being used to help children reach their potential, and that’s where we know we can help.”

The Trust’s new venture coincides with office moves for the charity in both Sheffield and London, and new contact details for all staff. To reach any member of the team in future, visit the Trust’s Contact Us page or email firstname.surname@ childrensfoodtrust.org.uk. A new website for both organisations is set to launch in the spring.

Pupils bring organic, local food to the playground Last October, three London schools held farmers markets as part of an exciting new two year project for the capital. [1].

Over the coming year and a half, the Soil Association will be working with 10 schools across London in the Farm Academy Programme, which helps teach pupils about where their food comes from through farm visits and the establishment of school farmers markets – organized entirely by pupils.

Over the summer, Jubilee Primary and Sebright Primary in Hackney and Poplar Primary in Merton spent four days on an organic farm, taking part in a variety of activities – from cheese-making to henkeeping and growing and harvesting vegetables.

Back in the classroom, pupils have applied what they learnt to establishing termly farmers markets beginning in October – selling their own school-grown produce as well as that from local and sometimes organic producers [2].

As well as providing opportunities for pupils to learn about food and farming, the Farm Academy Programme helps support small, local producers through the school markets and provides the opportunity for members of the school and wider community to buy local, fresh and seasonal produce and meet the farmers behind the food.

Pupils are involved in running the markets from start to finish. They take responsibility for what happens and the decisions are theirs – enabling schools to communicate the importance of sustainably-produced local food and providing a context for looking at food chain issues and understanding where food comes from.

Money raised from producer stall fees and the sale of produce made/grown by the school will go towards further farm visits or food education in their school.

At the moment all schools enrolled on the scheme are primary but the success of the programme means it is now being extended to secondary as well.

Rupert Aker, Head of Learning at the Soil Association commented on the project: “The Farm Academy Programme is a fantastic scheme because everyone involved benefits.

You see a real difference in pupils as they learn ‘on-the-job’ about farming, animal welfare, food growing and cooking – but it also helps provide a new market for local producers and micro- food enterprises; and it also gives the local community the opportunity to buy affordable and fresh local produce, and meet the farmers who are producing the food.”

Millfield Primary are another London school taking part in the programme. Roz Wilson, a teacher there added: “The scheme is really important to help London pupils realise where their food comes from. The Food for Life Partnership and our school garden have already helped pupils at our school learn more about food and food production. The Farm Academy Programme will allow us to build on this success. Through the farm visits and the running of school farmers markets, the pupils become champions for helping promote healthy eating in the wider community.” [3] For more information visit www. soilassociation.org/schoolfarmersmarkets

Vivo Rewards wins ‘use of technology’ EducationInvestor award 2011 Vivo Rewards, provider of the web-based rewards system, Vivo Miles, was delighted to win the EducationInvestor award for ‘use of educational technology’ on Thursday 17th November at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.

The award was judged by an independent panel of industry experts, including Ray Barker, Director of BESA, and Jack Salter from The Department of Education, and recognises the company whose technology has a direct positive impact on learning and teaching.

Adrian Burt, Managing Director of Vivo Rewards, picked up the trophy at the black-tie award ceremony. He said “it is an honour to be recognised amongst such strong finalists for this category. For further information about Vivo Rewards and its range of solutions and applications, please visit the web site at: www.vivomiles.com, Tel: 08000438486 or e-mail: corporate@vivomiles.com.

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Website gives direction to youngsters

opportunities, they can begin to build a network of experience and contacts that will help them to enhance their job prospects.

With unemployment at record levels among 16 to 24 year olds, and a recent survey stating that many young people don’t feel they will ever land their dream job, a groundbreaking initiative launched on 5th October 2011.

Companies including HSBC, Aviva, Barclays, Nationwide and PricewaterhouseCoopers have signed up to Directions, giving input and advice from some of the major players in the industry.

The Financial Skills Partnership (FSP) launched “Directions” a free online careers destination for young people to gain an insight into the financial sector and pursue career opportunities with leading organisations. Directions enables ambitious young people to link to employers and work opportunities, and introduce them to a career in finance - one of the 21st century’s most popular sectors.

Directions was launched on behalf of FSP by HSBC “the world’s local bank” at World Skills London on 5th to 8th October. World Skills is a high profile event where 1,000 young people will compete in 46 skill areas. And with 150,000 visitors, it provided the perfect opportunity to learn about the exciting prospects the portal will deliver.

With growing numbers of people choosing not to go to university because of rising tuition fees, the portal has been created to inform young people about the alternative routes into a career. It will help them find out about opportunities in the sector, which includes everything from one day work experience through to full placements, apprenticeships, and school and college programmes. By taking part in these

Guardian Teacher Network: new poll shows that teachers blame poor parenting for badly-behaved pupils The Guardian Teacher Network recently released findings of a poll revealing what teachers think about working in the UK education system.

The network, a free online resource centre and community for teachers that is part of the Guardian’s Professional Networks, conducted the survey between 25 August and 22 September 2011 and 1,922 teachers responded.

Liz Field, CEO of the Financial Skills Partnership, said, “We know from first-hand experience and our strong relationships with careers advisers and teachers, that young people are confused as to where to start to find out about opportunities. Directions enables young people to obtain first-hand experience of the world of work in financial services, accountancy and finance. They get to access the opportunities that our sector can offer, understand the skills and behaviours that our industry wants, and

49 per cent felt parents had become less supportive of them during their teaching careers with teachers in the South-West of England and in Scotland most likely to take this view.

Of the 49 per cent:

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82 per cent cited declining parenting skills

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65 per cent said that parents’ perceived value of education had diminished

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59 per cent said that unemployment or long hours had affected the time parents spent with their children

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60 per cent of respondents from the South-West of England and 60 per cent of respondents from Scotland felt that parents had become less supportive

Key findings of the survey are: 59 per cent of the teachers polled said that student behaviour had got worse during their teaching career. Of these:

85 per cent of teachers felt they lacked the respect of society in the UK that teachers have in some other countries.

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86 per cent blamed the decline of the nuclear family and weaker parenting skills

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75 per cent cited the growing influence of dubious and negative role models for young people

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62 per cent stated the reason for doing so was excessive government interference

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68 per cent blamed worsening student behaviour on lack of support in imposing discipline from senior staff

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50 per cent cited student behaviour as a reason

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44 per cent cited workload or exhaustion

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52 per cent of the teachers that responded had considered leaving the profession.

Of these:

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build crucial relationships with their future employers.”

News

New media and interaction will be used to engage and inspire the users, with video case studies and content relevant to each stage of an individual’s career planning process.

Directions provides expert job profiles for 70 careers in the financial sector, a showcase of work experience, school leaver and apprenticeship programmes, and a proactive interface where the portal keeps in contact with the user.

Liz continued, “We challenged our industry to open their doors wider, to provide access and entry points for a broader cohort of young people. Employers are responding with innovative vocational alternatives to university and experience of work initiatives.

Directions provides them with an industrywide mechanism to change the way that young people find out about, evaluate and access these opportunities and can revolutionise the way that young talent identifies opportunities.’

She also added that a small business version will be developed over the forthcoming months.

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30 per cent cited parent behaviour

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25 per cent cited lack of progression prospects

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22 per cent had considered leaving to earn more money

89 per cent of teachers polled complained of teacher bullying. Of these:

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64 per cent cited bullying from senior leaders

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53 per cent cited bullying from parents

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42 per cent cited bullying from students

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35 per cent cited bullying from colleagues

22 per cent of teachers thought their career progression is good but only 14 per cent aspire to be head teachers.

Commenting on the survey, Wendy Berliner, Head of Education, Business and Professional at Guardian News & Media, said: “The inaugural Guardian Teacher Network survey provides an valuable insight into the thoughts of teachers working in the UK education system today. The findings of the survey are revealing and there is a clear picture that, while teachers love their profession, they are struggling under the weight of external pressures from parents and the government.”

For more information on the Guardian Teacher Network visit: www.teachers. guardian.co.uk

News

Thousands of schools take part in Road Safety Week to help save young lives As survey of 8,000 young people shows need for action on young driver risk-taking Thousands of schools, colleges and nurseries took part in Road Safety Week, coordinated by the charity Brake, to spread life-saving awareness and tackle tragedies among children and young people. More than 4,600 educators have registered to take part, by running road safety lessons, teaming up with authorities and emergency services to set up talks and training, and running local campaigns.

feared for their lives when a passenger with a young driver and most (57%) have been endangered by risk-taking peers speeding or drink driving. The vast majority also support a tougher regime for novice drivers: 82% are in favour of at least one type of licence restriction, such as a zero-tolerance alcohol limit and tougher penalties.

Casualty statistics revealed by Brake show that every 18 hours a young person (age 15-25) is killed on UK roads, leaving behind devastated family and friends. Every hourand-a-half, another young person suffers a serious injury on UK roads, in many cases life-changing injuries such as brain damage, paralysis or limb loss.

The theme of Road Safety Week 2011 was ‘Too young to die’, highlighting that more young people are killed in road crashes than from any other cause, and appealing for action to prevent these violent events.

Young drivers are also involved in a disproportionately high number of crashes that kill and injure road users of all ages.

Young drivers (age 17-24) are involved in crashes that result in one in four road deaths and serious injuries (24%) – 17 deaths and serious injuries every day – despite only making up one in eight (12%) licence holders.

Young people around the UK, together with people bereaved and injured in young driver crashes, educators, emergency services and local authorities, launched Road Safety Week through events showing the horror of road crashes. They spoke out about the horrendous aftermath of road crashes, and calling on young drivers – and drivers of all ages – to ‘have a heart’ at the wheel.

Brake and young people whose lives have been devastated by young driver crashes are demanding action from government to tackle these needless casualties. They are highlighting evidence that ‘graduated driver licensing’, including a minimum learning to drive period, and restrictions for novice drivers, would prevent 200 deaths and thousands of injuries each year.

A UK-wide survey of 8,110 young people

by Brake and QBE Insurance, published 22 Nov, shows more than half (56%) have

Julie Townsend, campaigns director at Brake, says: “It is unacceptable that more young people die in preventable road crashes than

were not eating their recommended five portions of fruit and veg every day.

‘Real five-a-day’ survey highlights role of schools and early years The School Food Trust has responded to a new British Heart Foundation Survey showing that nearly one in three UK children eats sweets, chocolate and crisps three or more times a day, while almost nine in ten children surveyed (88%)

School Food Trust Nutritionist, Jo Nicholas, said: “This is another reminder of why the National School Food Standards and our forthcoming national, voluntary guidelines on healthy food and drink for early years settings have never been so important.

Schools using the national standards don’t offer crisps, chocolate or sweets to children, and have well-balanced lunch menus where the average meal gives children the energy and essential nutrients they need. Their menus encourage children to try different foods rather than having the same thing every single day – another important part of a good diet for children”.

“But packed lunches are also part of this picture – and all the evidence shows that the average lunchbox is still far less healthy than a typical school meal. Research suggests that only 1% of packed lunches would meet the same standards as school meals, while our own national study found that primary school children having packed lunches eat less fruit and veg and often have foods in their lunchboxes which can’t be served on school menus any more, like 42

from any other cause. Every day, more families face the unbearable news that a loved one has been killed suddenly and violently, or suffered a horrific injury, in young driver crashes. We are calling for urgent action to tackle this needless suffering and the huge costs to society. We need young drivers – and drivers of all ages – to show compassion at the wheel, to realise they have lives in their hands, and pledge to drive safely and legally. And we need the government to help young drivers to be safer by implementing graduated driver licensing: an evidenced, life-saving policy.”

“We are delighted so many schools and colleges are getting involved in Road Safety Week this year, spreading life-saving education and awareness. Schools can play such an important role in encouraging safe road use – not just among pupils but the wider community too. We look forward to seeing even more educators getting involved next year and taking advantage of this annual event to help save young lives.”

Road Safety Week is an annual event coordinated by Brake, now in its 15th year, which involves thousands of schools, communities and organisations taking actio n on road safety. It is supported by headline sponsor QBE Insurance, additional sponsor FedEx, and regional sponsors.

See www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk.

crisps and chocolate bars.”

Chairman, Rob Rees, said: “There are simple things which can make a huge difference.

We have to start early – support nurseries, children’s centres and other providers of childcare to offer balanced menus, encouraging children to try lots of different foods and to eat together. We have to help families with young children to develop the skills they need to cook healthy meals, from scratch, at home.

“We also need to encourage more children to choose healthy school meals – which on average are much healthier than a typical packed lunch – and keep up the great work in schools to make nutritious menus tasty, varied and fun.

“Finally, we have to make sure that all children have the chance to learn to cook.

We know from our work in thousands of schools all over the country that cooking skills improve diets. It’s a life skill which will help children to grow into healthier adults.”

For more information, visit www. schoolfoodtrust.org.uk, follow the Trust on Twitter, @schoolfoodtrust or on Facebook www.facebook.com/schoolfoodtrust PIR Education

Press Releases 45 Student Bedrooms in 7 days – London Universities A Cambridgeshire based Joinery Company have installed contract bedroom furniture in 45 student rooms at Herbal Hill, London in just 7 days.

Working with John Strand (MK) Ltd, Strata Panels designed individual bedroom sets from 18mm thick melamine faced MDF panels. All units were finished with Reply 2mm PVC edging to all exposed edges and good quality No. runners and hinges.

35 The result is free standing sturdy furniture, lower value but made to withstand the rigours of student life.

Calvin Reeves commented on behalf of John Strand (MK) Ltd; ‘We were extremely pleased with the quality of the furniture, the scheduling and installation. The personal service was very much appreciated.’

A wide range of furniture can be tailor made to a client’s requirement. Panels can also be powder coated allowing for a variety of colours or mix and match.

Strata Panels UK manufacture everything from bespoke retail displays to contract furniture. With over 30 years experience in the woodwork trade a fast and professional service is guaranteed.

The Strata Panels team can be contacted on 01487 825040 www.stratapanels.co.uk.

KI – Torsion Air Torsion Air designed by Giancarlo Piretti, has a fabric, upholstered over foam seat that is applied to a moulded polypropylene liner. The back is a frame of Reply moulded glass-reinforced nylon with a captured mesh No. fabric. The patented Torsion flex mechanism provides 38 extraordinary comfort by gradually increasing resistance over the full 12 degrees of back flex. The collection includes task chairs, nesting chairs, stools and 4 leg stacking chairs.The range includes the large nesting tablet featured on the Torsion range (not shown). Torsion Air is GREENGUARD certified for LEED accreditation.

KI manufactures innovative furniture and solutions for education, healthcare, government and corporate markets. KI tailors products and service solutions to the specific needs of each customer through its unique design and manufacturing philosophy.

Please visit the KI website on www.kieurope.com or telephone 020 7404 7441 for more information.

Bulldog Tools

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Randstad’s workpocket 2011/12 proves to be essential guide for education sector Randstad’s 9th annual workpocket has already established itself as a valuable resource for HR departments and in conjunction with the start of the new academic year, it is being launched to the education sector.

Written by leading employment professionals, workpocket gives practical advice and actionable answers to give schools guidance and support regarding key issues. Crucial topics addressed include understanding and managing the impact of the forthcoming Agency Workers Regulations (AWR), which come into force on 1st October this year.

Copies of the 2011/12 workpocket are available at www.randstad.co.uk

• Gluten free flours and bulk baking requisites

• Gluten free premium pasta

• Gluten free mixes for batter, sponge and custard

British and proud of it - Bulldog Tools has a reputation for Using skilled craftsman with generations of experience, Bulldog Tools has maintained its ability to create garden tools to the highest standards.

The Bulldog Tools factory is the only full time working forge still making spades and forks within the UK, producing over 2000 garden and contractors tools every day.

These tools will stand the test of time. Bulldog, the name you can trust.

For more information tel: 01279 401572, fax: 01279 401 579, email: info@bulldogtools. co.uk or visit www.bulldogtools.co.uk

PIR Education

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in bulk cases and twin packs

• Fairtrade organic flapjacks and cereal bars

Doves Farm Foods Salisbury Road, Hungerford, Berkshire RG17 0RF Tel: 01488 684 880 Fax: 01488 685 235 www.dovesfarm.co.uk

Link Lockers launches new range of In Charge Laptop Units for schools

Isles of Scilly’s Five Islands School chooses Monodraught natural ventilation and daylight strategy

A £15m ‘through’ school on St Mary’s island creates a single base for teaching the Isles of Scilly’s 280 pupils and provides recreational facilities for communities on the five inhabited islands.

The design of the building itself needed to be simple to ensure that maintenance of services such as ventilation and lighting could be managed by islanders. With this in mind, a Monodraught strategy was installed comprising Windcatcher natural ventilation systems, Sunpipe natural daylighting systems and Suncatchers, which combine the principles of both.

For more information Tel: 01494 897700 Fax: 01494 532465 E: info@monodraught.com Reply or visit www.monodraught.com No.

Students and teaching staff need never suffer a flat laptop battery again: a new style of storage facility that safely charges electrical equipment has been launched by Link Lockers, the UK’s largest manufacturer and supplier of lockers to schools.

The new multi-purpose In Charge Laptop Unit provides schools, colleges and universities with not only top-ofthe-range storage for expensive IT equipment, but also Reply No. safe charging facilities. Simply pop the laptop, netbook or 40 PC tablet into the locker, plug it in and lock it.

Andy Millward, Sales Director of Midlands-based Link Lockers, said: “This new charging unit meets the demands of those who not only need secure storage, but multi-purpose facilities that save space and charge frequently used equipment overnight or when not being used. We are sure that teachers will be pleased by the ability to securely store and charge IT equipment in one central location.”

For further information about Link Lockers and its range of innovative BioCote® protected storage solutions, visit www.linklockers.co.uk or call the free helpline on 0800 733 300.

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This year the panel was made up of 35 education professionals and ICT experts. A rigorous judging process took place over four days and trade association, British Education Suppliers Association (BESA) acted as the chair of judges, overseeing the impartiality and fairness. Of Groupcall the judges commented: “Feedback/Comments to be added here.”

Lawrence Royston, managing director, Groupcall, added: “For over a decade Groupcall has worked hard to affirm its position as an industry specialist and market leader in providing communication and data solutions to UK and international schools. We have listened to our customers – teachers, schools, and parents – and

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• Cookies and biscuits

Groupcall was last night awarded the prestigious title of ICT Company of the Year at the hugely anticipated BETT 2012 Awards gala dinner which took place at the London Hilton, Park Lane. The BETT Awards recognise outstanding educational products and learning solutions, and with a huge number of entries, are seen as the most respected in the sector. All category finalists were selected from a very competitive pool of entrants.

41 outstanding quality going back over 230 years.

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Order online at www.dovesfarm.co.uk or call our sales team on 01488 684 880 to discuss your requirements.

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Groupcall named ICT Company of the Year

Doves Farm Foods are specialist millers, bakers and suppliers of high-quality vegan and gluten free foods perfect for special diet and food allergy catering.

developed and enhanced our products in line with their needs, and a rapidly advancing technology driven world.

Our initial aim was to improve general and emergency communication between a school and its parents; we have achieved this as well as improving parental engagement and lowering school costs. To receive any BETT Award is an honour, but to be awarded the ICT Company of the Year title is a testament to work we have put into all of our products. We are so proud, honoured and thrilled with the announcement”.

Product Showcase ‘Groundbreaking’ approach provides springboard to independence

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New Play Unit Ties In With EYFS Review A new play unit for children aged 1-4 could help achieve many of the benchmarks set out in the recently reviewed Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, according to UK play equipment specialists Sutcliffe Play.

Minizone, a new modular play structure developed by Reply Sutcliffe Play and Dutch play firm Nijha, is designed No. to encourage physical and creative play. Its launch coincides with the recommendation from Dame Clare Tickell, Chief Executive of 43 Action for Children, which states that the EYFS should be made simpler and more focused on key areas such as physical development and communication and language.

“Dame Clare has recommended that the EYFS focuses on children’s ability to develop and learn healthily, ensuring they have the basic communication skills they need to thrive when they start school,” explains Dave Brady, Design Director at Sutcliffe Play.

Minizone can also be made available for indoor environments and with no need for safety surfacing, it is perfect for smaller spaces or adding to an existing outside play area.

Anyone wishing to see firsthand the consistency of the deck material is welcome to contact Sutcliffe Play for a sample on 01977 653200.

For more information visit www.sutcliffeplay.co.uk

A ‘groundbreaking’ approach to education is helping disabled students develop their full learning potentialright through to personal hygiene.

Sefton Council has invested £2.5+m in refurbishing and adapting a former primary school into an innovative college for students with special needs, run by the management team from nearby Hugh Baird College, to ease and assist their transition from school to mainstream further education.

The two-storey Thornton College will be able to accommodate up to 60 pupils, who would otherwise have had to travel outside of the borough for supported learning. In addition to appropriate adaptation of the classrooms, the Council has had two hygiene rooms installed, one on each floor, to enable pupils to undertake personal ablutions with as much dignity as possible, whether they do so independently or supported.

Supplied by Total Hygiene and installed by James Mercer Group for main contractor Conlon Construction, each of the hygiene rooms features a changing bench, height adjustable washbasin, wetroom shower facilities and Clos-o-Mat ‘wash and dry’ toilet.

For more information call Total Hygiene on 0161 969 1199; E: info@clos-o-mat.com or visit www.clos-o-mat.com

‘Total’ approach helps obese people live independently

Badgemaster Throws Down Lower Price Challenge

Latest research* shows Britain is now the ‘fat capital’ of Europe, with some 13m people being obese, the rate of adult obesity growing at 1% of the population a year, and cost to the NHS over £2.5billion a year.

As a consequence, Occupational Therapists are discovering new ways of helping overweight people cope with day to day living: installation of Total Reply Hygiene’s Clos-o-Mat Palma ‘wash and dry’ toilet, often with accessories such as lifters, No. ‘one-touch’TM operating switch and Clos-o-Mat benches.

45 Explains Mark Sadler, Total Hygiene national sales manager, “There is a noticeable increase in the number of Clos-o-Mats being supplied for bariatric use, as health practitioners realise that as well as helping obese people address their weight, there is a corresponding need to help them cope with day to day life.

“We all visit the toilet on average eight times a day. A typical side effect of obesity is Type 2 diabetes, a symptom of which is increased urination. Because of their size, obese people find it hard to undertake personal hygiene: in basic terms, they physically cannot reach the appropriate parts of their body!

For more information call Total Hygiene on 0161 969 1199; E: info@clos-o-mat.com or visit www.clos-o-mat.com

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The Classroom Lofts team have provided an innovative solution to tightly packed learning areas, especially within key stage 1 classrooms, by enhancing the space available.

These five new standard concepts start at just £1,600 and allow most classrooms, regardless of size or height restrictions, to have the choice of having a classroom loft installed. Amongst these new designs is The Den Reply (pictured), specifically for classrooms with lower No. ceilings. Alternatively there is the option of a bespoke 46 design ensuring you receive a loft that is perfectly fitting to your classroom or communal area. All 1st floor areas are fitted with a soft floor to provide a childfriendly surface and the full structure is built using the highest quality birch plywood and redwood timber.

Seeing is believing so take a trip to Stand E98 at The Education Show, Birmingham NEC, March 15th – 17th where Educational Play will be displaying the design pictured above as the exclusive distributors of Classroom Lofts.

Educational Play, Little Orchard Farm, Eardisland, Herefordshire, HR6 9AS Tel: 01544 387103 Email: info@educationalplay.co.uk

Leading international supplier of name badges, Badgemaster, is citing technological advances as the reason behind its new, lower prices.

For over 20 years the company has placed keen emphasis on investing in the most up to date manufacturing and order processing systems which coupled with consistent volume growth, has always enabled economies to be passed on to customers.

“We’re now in a position to complete even the shortest runs extremely cost-effectively”, says John Bancroft, MD, “so we’re overhauled our price list to make lower quantities of badges accessible at the same discounted rate previously reserved for higher volumes and are able to offer further significant savings for larger users-and the product quality is better than ever !”

John believes competitors will be hard pushed to match Badgemaster’s combination of product quality and pricing and invites buyers to check out their current deal against his company’s offer. “Every order is backed by our best price guarantee, and we never compromise on quality. We are confident of providing the best value and the best service in the marketplace, because we’ve invested in the resources which support competitive pricing long term.”

Put safety first when working at heights introducing the unique ESCA mobile access platform ESCA UK has been providing leading mobile access solutions to UK Schools and Colleges since 2000. Fully compliant to European safety standards and the new Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Working at Height regulations, the ESCA 3000 enables your maintenance team to easily reach difficult areas.

Reply The unique design includes its triangular footprint, stable No. construction and built-in steering mechanism which gives the ability to be 47 moved safely by the operator whilst working at height up to 7 metres without having to climb down to reposition. This saves time and there is no need for assistance or power. It is easy to assemble and folds to fit a small van or estate car. The ESCA 3000 can be used almost anywhere, indoors and out, even or uneven and soft surfaces.

ESCA 3000 is the most cost-effective and time-saving solution to working at heights.

Customers include, Huddersfield New College, Northumberland County Council, Strode Theatre, Dartington College of Arts, Birkbeck College, Kingston University and St Mary’s University College to name just a few.

For more information: Tel: 01869 321 996 or email info@escauk.co.uk or visit www.escauk.co.uk

As an example John points to Badgemaster’s most recent innovation designed to improve efficiency for the benefit of customers, a unique online reordering facility either custom made via the Badgemaster website. “We’ve saved both time and cost by removing the need for operator input as well as the possibility of supplier generated spelling errors, as all text is entered by the customer and downloaded directly to our computerized systems, “ he explains. “It all contributes to low operating costs, low prices and faster service even for customers wanting just one badge !”

For more information or to put Badgemaster to the challenge, contact the sales office on 01623 723112. Website at www. badgemaster.co.uk 44

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