Education Business 21.3

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VOLUME 21.3

Business Information for Education Decision Makers IT & COMPUTING

FIRE SAFETY

ART & DESIGN

SCHOOL TRIPS

TAKING THE CURRICULUM FOR A WALK How to best utilise the possibilities outside of the classroom

RECRUITMENT

PROMOTING THE PROFESSION Can making the career more appealing recruit much-needed teachers?

PLUS: ACOUSTICS | DESIGN & BUILD | PUPIL PREMIUM | PLAY | SEN | SCHOOL TRANSPORT

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ART & DESIGN

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TAKING THE CURRICULUM FOR A WALK How to best utilise the possibilities outside of the classroom

RECRUITMENT

PROMOTING THE PROFESSION

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Comment

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How to lose friends and alienate yourself To say that Nicky Morgan has had a stressful few weeks might just be an understatement.

Following the expected announcement in the March Budget that the government plans to convert all primary and secondary schools in England into academies by 2020, the Education Secretary has received the kind of hostility that must be making Michael Gove reminisce with a warm, yet eerie, smile.

Can making the career more appealing recruit much-needed teachers?

PLUS: ACOUSTICS | DESIGN & BUILD | PUPIL PREMIUM | PLAY | SEN | SCHOOL TRANSPORT

Secretary of State for Education is a role that is always likely to be followed by controversy, but the magnitude with which plans for full academisation have been opposed might have caught Morgan and co a tad by surprise.

Back in August 2014 (Education Business 19.4), shortly after Nicky Morgan replaced Gove in the role, we quoted one Tory backbencher as saying that ‘teachers will find it difficult to hate Morgan in the way they did Gove. If I had to list her qualities I would say she is clever, accomplished, principled, diligent, wise and lovely’. I would be interested to hear how many people share that view after the events of the last few weeks.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

As Gove realised when his unpopularity grew, there is no (to use Morgan’s phrasing) reverse gear as Education Secretary. As Cameron’s puppet, the then Education Secretary was removed from his role once the dirty work was done. The incumbent must be hoping that there are brighter days ahead or else history may begin to repeat itself.

Michael Lyons, acting editor

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

www.educationbusinessuk.net PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED

226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Angela Pisanu ACTING EDITOR Michael Lyons PRODUCTION EDITOR Richard Gooding ASSISTANT EDITOR Tommy Newell EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Rachel Brooks PRODUCTION CONTROL Sofie Owen PRODUCTION DESIGN Jacqueline Lawford, Jo Golding WEBSITE PRODUCTION Victoria Leftwich ADVERTISEMENT SALES Patrick Dunne, Jackie Preece, Raj Chohan, Joanne Burns, Harry Harris PUBLISHER Karen Hopps ADMINISTRATION Vickie Hopkins REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

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CONTENTS EDUCATION BUSINESS 21.3 07 EDUCATION BRIEFER

46 PENSIONS

13 RECRUITMENT

48 PUPIL PREMIUM

All schools to become academies under government plans; fairer funding formula set for 2019; and QTS to be replaced The teaching profession is facing an uphill task for recruitment. Hannah Feiner of the REC looks at some of the ways that may make the task easier

31

17 CASHLESS SCHOOLS

In a world of contactless payments, schools are working hard to keep apace.

Education Business explores the benefits

21 CATERING

Healthier lifestyles can create a healthier learning environment. Alison Stafford details the health-attainment link

39

25 DESIGN & BUILD

New buildings often spark a new curiosity among students that can positively translate into their learning

31 ACOUSTICS

Education Business looks at why schools should consider the acoustic quality of their school buildings and teaching areas

51

34 ASBESTOS

Asbestos retains its status as a hidden killer. UKATA’s Craig Evans explains the importance of thorough training

36 HEALTH & SAFETY

It is not always possible to organise building work out of term time.

Dave Garioch of IOSH looks at safety in schools

39 FIRE SAFETY 71 78

When it comes to fire risks, knowing who is accountable and responsible is key, says Catherine Nelms of the FIA

Pensions can be difficult to understand, but it is important you have the right information. Nick Kirby offers an update Sir Kevan Collins of the Education Endowment Foundation looks at the successes of pupil premium and what the future may hold for the programme

51 IT & COMPUTING: MOBILE TECHNOLOGY AND CURRICULUM

Mobile technology is fastly becoming a mainstay in the UK education system.

But what is hindering it’s full adoption?

Also, the new computing curriculum may provide a challenge for schools. Naace examine the changes schools could face and why the subject should be embraced

67 SCIENCE

Looking past the laboratory goggles, science should be seen as a fun, interesting and exciting subject to study

68 ART & DESIGN

The threats to art and creative subjects should not be taken lightly, says Lesley Butterworth who explains its importance

71 SEN

Understanding autism is not an easy thing to grasp. But initial teacher training in the area can have real benefits in the classroom, says Mark Lever of NAS. Plus a look ahead to this year’s nasen Live

75 TRANSPORT SAFETY

Safety on school trips is more than just a risk assessment for the pupils. What about those responsible for travel?

78 SCHOOL TRIPS

42 SECURITY

James Kelly of the BSIA unpacks the complex issue of surveillance in schools and why CCTV is essential to security

School trips come in many shapes and sizes – from the theatre to the hillside.

Globe Education and YHA look at the numerous reasons for why school trips are essential to pupil development

44 FINANCE

85 PLAY

The tight budgets in schools are likely to come under more scrutiny due to restructuring plans, says CIPFA

Education Business

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Mark Hardy of the API looks at why play holds the cards to tackling obesity, inactivity and poor pupil well-being

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ACADEMIES

Government calls for all schools to become academies As part of his Budget speech on 16 March, Chancellor George Osborne called for all schools in England to become academies by 2022.

Further details of the plans were then outlined in Nicky Morgan’s Educational Excellence Everywhere white paper.

The Education Secretary’s white paper reiterates Osborne’s statement that all schools will have to be in the process of becoming an academy by 2020 and clarifies that local authorities will no longer maintain schools by the end of 2022.

The announcement has been met with a fair degree of criticism by several leading figures, with both the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and NASUWT using their March annual conferences to express their displeasure.

Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary

of the National Union of Teachers, said of the announcement: “The government’s ultimate agenda is the privatisation of education with schools run for profit. The most urgent problems in schools are to do with the chronic teacher shortage, real terms funding cuts, the school places crisis, chaotic implementation

of the curriculum, and workload going through the roof. The drive towards total academisation will do absolutely nothing to fix those problems.”

Speaking at the NASUWT annual conference on 26 March, Morgan informed teachers that there will be ‘no reverse gear’ on the proposals, and, amid heckling, warned those present that they should be ‘stepping up, seizing the opportunities and promise offered by the white paper and helping us to shape the future of the education system’.

The academy plans have also faced cross party local government opposition, with Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and independent councillors joining together to oppose the plans.

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CONVERSION

ACADEMIES

Blunkett questions government’s academy plan

Fasna warns of ‘risky’ academisation timescale

Former Education Secretary David Blunkett has questioned the government’s plan to convert every school into an academy by 2022, warning that it is ‘doomed to fail’.

Blunkett was one of the ministers responsible for drawing up initial plans for academies under the Labour government in the 2000s but, writing for The Observer, he said that it is ‘mystifying’ that the government wants to convert already high performing local authority run schools.

According to Blunkett, the original aim of academies was to improve under-performance by providing additional autonomy to school leaders to draw on best practice from outside.

He warned that the current plans have usurped this original objective and are based on a political ideology to take control away from local authorities, instead of a focus on improving results.

The former Education Secretary said that he believes these plans could lead to expensive structural change with no focus on improving what happens in the classroom, while he also questioned how local authorities can be expected

to meet their statutory obligations regarding children’s education if they are stripped of powers relating to school planning and improvement.

He said: “In high-performing localities, we appear to be confronting problems that don’t exist, rather than concentrating on using flexibility and autonomy as weapons to tackle under-performance where standards have to be raised – the original objective of academies.

“Not only are we addressing problems that do not exist in many parts of the country but we are stripping local councils of the means to address the real crisis over school places by removing their remaining powers.”

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The Freedom and Autonomy for Schools National Association (Fasna) has raised concerns over the timescale set by the government to convert all state funded schools to academies by 2022.

According to a report from the BBC, Fasna, a national forum for self-governing primary, secondary and special schools, academies and multi-academy trusts, has said that the plans are ‘risky’ and questions whether there is the capacity to execute the policy effectively.

While Fasna agrees with the general direction of the policy, that creating autonomous schools is the best way to raise educational standards, it believes that the speed

at which the government is planning these changes could be cause for alarm.

Tom Clark, Fasna chairman, told the BBC: “Given that there are 16,000 schools that are not academies, to get them to switch to that new structure on this timescale and for that to be effective is really quite challenging.

“We broadly support the direction of policy and that includes the concept of system leadership by schools, but I am surprised at the speed and timeline. The White Paper depends on system leadership by the schools.

Our question is whether there’s the capacity to execute that policy effectively.”

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FUNDING

Fairer funding formula to come into effect by 2019 A new fairer funding formula for schools is set to come into effect by 2019, with the aim of creating a fairer and more transparent system.

The plans were announced in the government’s Educational Excellence Everywhere white paper, and outlined that all schools’ individual budgets will be set by the new national formula, instead of the current system of 152 localised formulae.

The paper stresses that the change will not mean ‘moving everyone to an average’, clarifying that disadvantaged pupils will get more funding and that schools in disadvantaged areas will receive more per pupil.

The Department for Education (DfE) has set out four ‘building blocks’ for the new formula.

The first is a basic per-pupil formula, which will be weighted by age. The second is funding for additional pupil needs, which includes whether a pupil comes from a disadvantaged background, if their prior attainment is low or if English is not their first language.

The third block is a lump sum payment, which will provide extra funding for small

schools in sparsely populated areas who can struggle to reduce costs. The fourth is an adjustment for geographical location, which will take into account how school’s costs are effected by their location.

To ensure a ‘smooth transition’, there will be a two year period where local authorities will continue to set local formula before the new plans are implemented, with the DfE promising to offer practical support to schools that may require particular help.

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SUPPLY TEACHERS

Supply teachers facing ‘exploitation’

The NASUWT teaching union has warned that supply teachers are facing ’a raft of exploitative employment practices’ and are being denied entitlements on pay, pensions and working conditions.

According to a survey carried out by the union, 65 per cent of supply teachers feel that they are not paid at a level that recognised their experience, 61 per cent said they did not have access to training and professional development opportunities, while 91 per cent said they were not always given appropriate information to support them when they enter the school for the first time.

The NASUWT also found that 43 per cent of supply teachers said there had been a decline in the number of days per week they have been able to secure work over the past year, with 58 per cent saying they had experienced problems getting work.

Additionally, 68 per cent of respondents said they had not been made aware of the 12‑week rule under the Agency Workers’ directive, which states after 12 weeks in a workplace they are entitled to the same pay and conditions as teachers on permanent contracts, with 11 per cent saying that agencies had asked them to waive these rights.

TEACHER TRAINING

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Huw Lewis, the Welsh Education Minister (pictured below), has announced new guidelines which aim to transform teacher training courses in Wales, including a new two-year postgraduate course and greater subject specialism for primary school teachers.

The plans add to Lewis’ proposal to extend education degrees to four years, with all teachers to be educated to Masters level. The announcement follows an independent review of the system in 2015,

by Professor John Furlong, which claimed the quality of the sector had ‘deteriorated’.

Lewis said: “I have been clear that we must do more to accelerate improvement in initial teacher education provision across Wales. This is particularly important as we continue with our programme of radical education reform, focused on driving up standards across the board.

“Our new draft course criteria will signal a new level of expectation on both students and providers of initial teacher education. It will require innovative and creative thinking and will enable us to focus on the requirements of our new ‘made in Wales’ curriculum which is currently under development.”

The teacher training changes are expected to be rolled out across the country from 2021.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: “Supply teachers are a vital resource for schools especially in the light of the current recruitment and retention crisis. Yet the poor treatment of supply teachers is unfortunately entirely representative of the unacceptable employment practices which are found in too many workplaces across the country and which the government fails to address.”

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EXTREMISM

ACCREDITATION

Prevent strategy limits open debate, warns NUT

QTS to be replaced by ‘stronger’ accreditation

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has spoken out against the government’s Prevent strategy to combat extremism, claiming it shuts down open debate in the classroom.

The strategy places a requirement on teachers to report suspected cases of extremism and radicalisation and delegates at the NUT annual conference said it created ‘suspicion and confusion’ among teaching staff.

Teachers voiced concerns that it encouraged a climate of ‘over-reaction’ and stopped teachers from discussing challenging ideas, leading to the NUT to back calls for the strategy to be reviewed, with greater involvement from the teaching profession.

Christine Blower, general secretary of the

NUT, said: “Evidence shows that grooming by extremist groups happens mainly on social media sites, not on school premises.

Schools’ best contribution to countering any behaviour that could be a problem is by encouraging discussion. Some aspects of Prevent inhibit this and it is for this reason that we need a review of the strategy to find the right, and best way to protect children and young people.

“The NUT is calling on the government to involve the profession in developing alternative strategies to safeguard children and identify risks posed to young people.”

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) will be replaced by a ‘stronger, more challenging accreditation’, according to a new Department for Education (DfE) white paper.

The ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’ paper outlines that this stronger accreditation will be based on a teacher’s effectiveness in the classroom and judged by ‘great schools’, claiming that it will help to raise the quality and status of the teaching profession.

The decisions on whether to accredit a new teacher will be made by head teachers themselves, which the DfE says will ‘put the power in the hands of those who know best what makes a great teacher’.

The plans come alongside a renewed drive to increase school led initial teacher training (ITT) in response to ongoing recruitment issues.

The government has failed to meet teacher recruitment targets for four years in a row, and the paper promises that the DfE will ‘ensure that enough talented teachers are recruited, wherever they’re needed’.

It claims that an increasingly school led system will help to recruit enough great teachers in every part of the country, and also outlines plans to introduce a new quality control for ITT providers.

The new criteria aims to give ‘greater certainty’ to the best providers, both school and university led, by allocating training places according to performance and giving allocations over several years.

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SEN

Lack of support for pupils with learning difficulties Ofsted has published a report which found that a number of young people with learning difficulties are unable to reach their potential due to a lack of support, often leaving them poorly prepared for adult life.

The report, entitled Moving Forward?, examines the implementation and impact of the Children and Families Act 2014 on the lives and prospects of learners with increased educational needs.

The report highlighted: nearly half of the providers visited did not have adequate strategies, experience or expertise to support their learners with learning difficulties or disabilities; specialist, impartial careers guidance found to be generally weak; too

many learners on programmes that do not lead to further learning, employment or independent/supported living; slow progress by special needs learners in English and mathematics; and poor recording of learners’ progress, meaning many are not achieving their full potential.

The report suggested: the government produce a national set of data on learners’ destinations to allow for the impact of provision and the Children and Families Act to be measured; local authorities put in place arrangements to enable education, health and care providers to work effectively together to provide support for learners; and providers ensure staff

have the relevant expertise and specialisms to support learners with high needs.

Paul Joyce, Ofsted’s deputy director for further education, explained: “It is imperative that local authorities and providers work together to collect and analyse information on learners’ progress and achievements.

“Only then will they be able to implement necessary improvements and ensure learners get the additional support they need to achieve their potential and prepare them for adult life.”

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SHORTAGES

The source for the teacher shortage crisis currently affecting schools across the country is multifaceted. Hannah Feiner, of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, analyses some of the reasons behind the problem and some of the solutions being put in place When examining the topic of teacher shortages, everything seems so cyclical.

Is the problem recruitment? Are we failing to inspire our people to teach?

But maybe the problem is retention – what’s the point in putting effort into recruiting teachers if we can’t keep them in the profession? So why don’t teachers want to stay?

You could go around in circles for days.

The education sector isn’t on its own when it comes to skills shortages. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) Report on Jobs shows that the availability of both temporary and permanent staff continues to fall. Examples from the REC’s members range widely – from a lack of engineers to a deficit of bricklayers and a scarcity of nurses to a shortage of chefs.

Education isn’t the only sector suffering.

As well as skills shortages within teaching, further challenges are constantly presenting themselves. In 2015, it was reported that over the next five years, schools will be faced with demand for an extra 460,000 pupil places. Another example of a challenge seemingly created out of nowhere is the recent announcement that the government would like all children to study maths until the age of 18. Experts have commented that it is unlikely that the numbers of existing

teachers will be able to fulfil not just this policy announcement, but also the demand of the increasing numbers of pupils studying the English and International Baccalaureates.

So what are the exacerbating factors?

PROMOTING THE PROFESSION Teacher shortages can be broken down into a number of elements, from potential teachers to current workforce. For those still studying, we have to ask what is it that would motivate them to choose teaching. Whilst students may be seeking careers advice from specific outlets and advisors, they are actually in touch with the teaching profession’s biggest ambassador every day: their very own teachers.

In light of the imperative and overall objective of teaching their subject, it is possible that teachers forget, understandably, to promote their own profession as a career choice. We also know from a survey, commissioned by the now retired Training and Development Agency for Schools, that graduates in teaching are one of the professions ‘least bored’ with their job as ‘no two days were the same’.

Seemingly, the

messaging which promotes teaching as a career to aspire to isn’t getting through to students.

There have been concerns voiced that the various routes into teaching have become over-complicated. However, I was impressed by the wealth of information on the snazzy Department for Education (DfE) website.

I was even offered a live chat with an advisor, which allowed me to understand exactly how I could become a teacher. Yes, there are a number of different routes into teacher training and perhaps the advice on the website could be clearer in terms of its audience (questions from GCSE level students will be very different from those in their mid-30s thinking of a career change or example) but I do not think that the multiple means of qualification is the problem.

MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION Branding is also becoming ever more important in the context of the brand savvy and technologically connected children of today. In the last five years there has been a serious shift in the way job seekers search out their roles. In this ever expanding ‘digital age’, the majority of job searching is completed online. When job seekers see an advert for a school they have access to Ofsted reports, good schools guides, league tables, performance rankings, and online forums; many of these will be used to make an informed decision about whether to apply for a particular job.

Stewart McCoy, chair of the REC Education Sector and operations director at Randstad Education, said: “There’s a perception that if an advert is placed somewhere online, the best person for the job will apply. It’s great that so many schools are rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, but how will one outstanding school compete with another outstanding school when trying to attract the most talented staff?”

He also commented that school websites can very often be pupil-focused, difficult to navigate and mobile unfriendly.

As 40 per cent of all jobseekers use a smart phone, this won’t help schools in their fight for talent.

At a time of skills shortages and when E

Written by Hannah Feiner, policy advisor, Recruitment and Employment Confederation

The long and short of teacher shortages

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TEACHER SHORTAGES  everyone, from private to public sector, is fiercely competing for the most talented graduates, it may be time for schools to seriously consider and understand the impact of their digital presence.

THE REASON FOR LEAVING For those who have made it into the teaching profession, why do they then make the decision to leave? There are a number of top lines that spring to mind: workload, stress and low pay. An Education Support Partnership survey asked teachers what factors have led them to consider leaving the profession. Forty per cent stated ‘excessive workload’, which ranked number two out of sixteen factors (‘retirement’ was number one). ‘Unreasonable demands from managers’ ranked in third and ‘pay/pensions’ ranked in fourth.

In line with workload concerns, Nicky Morgan, the Secretary of State for Education, launched the ‘Workload Challenge’.

However, activity around this seems to have significantly waned. The REC has also seen the effect these concerns are having upon the profession. We surveyed education agencies in late 2015 and found that an astonishing 80 per cent of agencies had persuaded a teacher to remain in the profession in the last year. Reflecting upon the most recent announcements (and seemingly, the UK education system will see some of the

biggest changes in years), it’s unfortunately difficult to see workload being prioritised.

However, in the fight to recruit and retain, it is incredibly important that these concerns are tackled and not brushed aside. Agencies have a big role to play in making sure that, whilst schools are looking for the brightest and the best candidates, they are providing the best service they can to teachers and education providers to improve the work-finding process. A recent survey of NASUWT members found that 97 per cent of their supply teachers were not aware of the work of recruitment trade bodies and were unaware of the quality standards that REC member agencies must attain.

A COLLEGE OF TEACHING Work is also underway for a new ‘College of Teaching’, which will act as an independent and voluntary professional body for teaching.

The General Teaching Council for England (GTC) was abolished in 2012 and in its place, the National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) became responsible for administering the training of new and existing teachers in England, and regulating the teaching profession. Whilst education unions and charities have attempted to fill the gap to the best of their ability, there is still need for a stronger, independent and professional voice. Indeed, the College of

Recruitment

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Teaching has just welcomed Nicky Morgan’s announcement of up to £5 million staged seed funding which was outlined in the DfE’s Educational Excellence, Everywhere white paper presented to parliament in mid-March.

Getting this idea off the ground is the big test and it’s never been more important to getting to grips with the challenge of recruiting and retaining those in the teaching profession.

What seems to have been lacking over the last couple of years is a genuine drive from all education stakeholders to improve the morale of the workforce. The lack of morale means that the message that teaching is an exciting, thrilling and challenging occupation seems to be getting lost somewhere in the ether.

Morale is the key to retaining teachers, to recruiting young people into the profession and to providing an excellent education for UK children. Sensationalist headlines may help in catching the attention of politicians but a concerted effort from all education stakeholders (the DfE, education unions, recruitment agencies, think tanks, and charities) is needed in order to rebuild the confidence of the education workforce. In turn, the profession will sell itself to the teachers of the future. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.rec.uk.com

Staying ahead of the recruitment game in 2016 Top tips from Lyndsay Westwood, marketing director for eteach The recruitment of teachers into the education sector is extremely challenging – teacher numbers are dropping, pupil numbers are set to rise and the number of new teachers entering the profession is at a record low. With 2016 set to be a teachers’ market, how can you secure the best talent?

1) Consider a recruitment partner Working with a specialist education recruitment partner is a great investment for any school. A good recruitment provider specialising in education understands your field and has access to a wealth of tools that can help schools with all their recruitment needs, from talent pools and display advertising to job boards and specialist recruiters. They can also review your spend in all channels and help maximise your ROI through a multi-channel recruitment strategy which will ensure you are tapping in to talent across all available platforms and means your job posts are seen by as many potential candidates as possible.

2) Build an Employer Brand

4) Develop a recruitment strategy

Employer branding will be essential in 2016 to stand out from the competition and attract, retain and engage the best candidates. Just think, the first thing the majority of job seekers do when considering any position is to look at the company online, and schools should expect no different. Communicate your employer brand with a dedicated career site for prospective and existing employees that highlights your brand, culture, values, and job opportunities.

A career site allows you to attract candidates 365 days a year even when you aren’t recruiting.

Making the wrong hiring decision or failing to find a suitable candidate is an expensive process.

Schools spent an astonishing £733 million on supply teachers last year.

Careful planning and preparation is key with a 12-month recruitment strategy for the year ahead, including everything from budgeting and competitive benefits packages to open days that show off your school to potential teachers.

3) Social media

In the quest for the top teachers don’t limit yourself to sourcing candidates from within the UK. 2016 will be all about thinking globally, not just locally. Look for overseas talent to fill those hard to fill roles. Indeed, the government is now recruiting teachers from abroad in a bid to tackle the recruitment crisis fuelled by rising pupil numbers and changes in the curriculum. Utilising this relatively unknown talent pool will help you to stay ahead of the game this year.

Social media has revolutionised the way we find information, from buying a house to looking for the best restaurants – the way people look for jobs is no different and this creates a huge opportunity for schools looking for talent. Schools need to be active across a range of social networking platforms to ensure a presence where candidates are looking. Social media can be a fast, efficient and cost effective tool when used for recruiting.

5) Think globally – The world is your oyster

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PAYMENTS

Keeping track of your transactions

Cashless Schools

Sponsored by

The physical exchange of money and face to face planning will soon become a thing of distant memory. Education Business looks at current trends in cashless payments and investigates how parents can be the main beneficiaries of cashless schools The UK is quickly becoming a cashless society. Most school-aged pupils would find the concept of paying a conductor on a bus laughable in the face of Oyster cards and contactless payment. Coin operated parking meters are becoming more difficult to locate and mobile payment apps are becoming commonplace, meaning that less and less physical money is being exchanged.

Therefore, it is no surprise that schools are increasingly becoming cashlessly centred.

Having been at the forefront of embracing digital technology in the classroom – finding an overhead projector in a modern school could be deemed impossible – much of the latest technology has focussed on cashless school meals, with schools eager to introduce pre-paid school lunches, eradicating the need for pupils to carry lunch money, and bringing the relationship between school and parent ever closer.

However, schools are displaying more cutting edge technology than to solely offer catering benefits.

Encouraging efficiency and ensuring that staff, parents and students can interact and operate to the best of their abilities is a change that is gaining momentum. It is a strange concept to get your head around, but could it be possible that the more contactless schools become, the more connected they can be with parents and pupils?

the schools in more beneficial ways.

For parents, the benefits perhaps need to be stronger as it is they that will ultimately decide whether to leave physical money with their children or not. Cashless payments allow them the peace of mind that money is being spent in the way it is intended – on a school dinner, club or trip – rather than a visit to sweet shop at lunchtime for example.

There is also a safety element involved, as cash carried in person can provoke theft.

SPENDING WITH INTENTION There is a belief in retail that shoppers always tend to purchase more in store than they would otherwise do online – tempted by what they physically can see rather than focused on what they intended to buy. The case can be made that the same can be applied to schools. While the food on offer in school kitchens is undoubtedly becoming healthier and more nutritious, children are far more likely to overspend with cash in hand than they are if parents pay digitally. While this may only be the case for catering – and not say, school trips – making financial decisions instantly and with assurance is fundamental for parent‑school relationships.

School trips can be very expensive, and not only the glamorous ski trips to the Alps or sports tours to the Southern Hemisphere.

While many parents are physically unable to pay, many more are put off by sending their child to school with the payment.

Meeting parent expectations is crucial, and ensuring peace of mind is paramount.

Cashless payments can have a positive effect on schools in reducing administration and paper work and removing the security risks involved with keeping money on the school premises, while allowing parents and students more flexibility.

For many people, however, cash and cheques remain their preferred method of payment, and with an increase in free to use ATMs, cash will still be around for years to come. Nonetheless, while apps and

t Could i le ib be poss more that thes schools les contact e, the more becom ed they can t connec th parents be wi upils? and p

WHY CASHLESS? For schools, and those working within them, the benefits are clear to see. Cashless payments reduce the time it takes to handle money in the school building, which saves money and frees up resources to be used in other ways. Many systems will automatically generate emails, texts and letters to remind parents of when balances are due, reducing the task of chasing parents for money. This lessens the burden on admin staff who find themselves with less paperwork to handle, less costs being spent on printing and stationery, and more time assisting

The changing cost of going cashless – winner or loser?

‘Instant Bank Transfer’ was launched last Easter to offer schools a low, fixed rate transaction charge of just 16p per online parent payment.

Based on a typical payment value of £20, this equates to a saving of 10p per payment when pitched against the standard 1.29 per cent (26p) rate for transaction charges offered by many school payment system providers.

Leading technology provider, Schoolcomms, the business who developed Instant Bank Transfer, has now reported that over 55 per cent of payments made via their School Gateway website are via the new low cost method as opposed to credit/debit card. This uptake by parents, driven by ease of use, has substantially reduced the transaction charge bills for schools.

Tim Perkin, managing director of Schoolcomms, said: “The key to encouraging parents to pay via Instant Bank Transfer has been to make it quick and easy. Parents can top up dinner balances on the move via the app or website – in just a couple of clicks.”

Factor this up across the course of a year and you can see the potential positive impact on budgets.

Find out more about how Schoolcomms is leading the way in SIMS integrated parent communication technology for schools at: www.schoolcomms.com websites begin to offer more alternative payment and purchasing options, so should schools. And as parents begin to acclimatise to the payment landscape change around them, the change in schools should be embraced and not feared. L

Volume 21.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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IMMERSIVE LEARNING WITH SPROUT PRO BY HP Sprout Pro transforms the classroom into an immersive educational experience that revolutionises the way teachers and students learn, create, collaborate and share.

Sprout Pro helps to: ● Accelerate engagement and inspire learning at every level with an immersive and intuitive computing experience; ● Maximise classroom IT budgets and close the technology gap by consolidating classroom equipment like document cameras, interactive surfaces and school PCs; ● Enable advanced, multi-screen collaboration, one-to-one or one-to-many; ● Changes the classroom desk space into a true digital and physical workspace.

Louis Kim, global head and general manager of Immersive Computing, HP Inc, said: “Sprout Pro adds tools for creative professionals, students and instructors to the ground breaking Sprout platform. Instant 2D/3D scanning, augmented reality and an immersive dual screen is now boosted by pro-class applications and security - accelerating workflows and safeguarding data.

Sprout Pro is another milestone in expanding HP’s vision of Blended Reality.”

Sprout Pro features Windows 10 Professional, Intel® CoreTM i7 Processor with DDR4 memory, customisable software image, trusted platform module and a three-year limited warranty.

MODERNISING EDUCATION For the modern classroom, Sprout Pro consolidates the PC, document camera, 2D and 3D scanners, and more into a cost effective, all-in-one solution that reinvents the way teachers and students learn, create, collaborate and share.

Gus Schmedlen, vice president of Education, HP Inc, said: “Sprout Pro by HP transforms a classroom desk space

“SPROUT PRO BY HP TRANSFORMS A CLASSROOM DESK SPACE INTO A DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL WORKSPACE THAT ALLOWS TEACHERS TO INSPIRE IN A MORE NATIONAL, INTUITIVE, AND CREATIVE WAY” GUS SCHMEDLEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION, HP. into a digital and physical workspace that allows teachers to inspire in a more natural, intuitive, and creative way.

While students get a hands –on learning experience so they can take ideas from thought to expression like never before.”

By leveraging Sprout’s blend of tactile, visual and audio engagement, educators are offered powerful means of differentiating instruction and personalising learning in a way no other computer can support. It provides the most modern foundation for any curricula and skill development at any level by accelerating remote learning to allow students and classrooms around the globe to collaborate together on projects and assignments in real time.

It also allows for the maximising of classroom IT budgets and closing the technology gap by consolidating the classroom PC, document camera, 2D and 3D scanners, and more into a cost effective, all-in-one solution. Finally, it digitises more classrooms through savings achieved by consolidating multiple technologies into a cost effective all-in-one solution.

Sprout Pro by HP builds on the original all-in-one Sprout PC and ecosystem with several software

and hardware enhancements.

Sprout converts your desk’s surface into a digital-physical workspace and adds new functionality such as: ● The Sprout Companion for Skype for Business, which enables a new level of remote sharing and collaboration including the ability to share a Sprout 2D capture during a Skype meeting, as well as easily annotate on the Skype whiteboard using the Sprout pen and mat; ● HP External Display Mixer, which allows users to share what’s on the Sprout dual screen, video from the webcam, or the downward facing camera - or all at the same time; ● HP Scan, which provides added professional-level document scanning and optical character recognition with features like custom resolution, exposures, colour or grayscale and scan destinations for pro-level results; ● HP Magnifier, which replaces a document camera and allows users to share live physical objects or documents with an audience, including zooming and capture; ● Microsoft Windows 10 Professional, which provides a safer, innovative and updated experience while helping you to

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HIGH PERFORMANCE ALL-IN-ONE At its core, Sprout Pro is a high performance All-In-One computer, with more processing power and graphics performance, so it has plenty of power to handle everything from the office to the studio.

manage your devices, apps, and identities; ● The new generation Intel® CoreTM i7 Processors with DDR4 memory for additional processing power and integrated graphics performance; ● Trusted Platform Module for enhanced security.

create or sculpt anything - creatures, spaceships, vehicles, props and more directly on your device in full 3D before using the 3D print environment of Print Studio.

EXPANDING THE SPROUT ECOSYSTEM

Sprout is a first-of-its-kind Immersive computing platform that redefines the user experience and creates a foundation for future immersive technologies. Part of HP’s Blended Reality ecosystem and vision for the future of computing, Sprout and HP Multi Jet Fusion are designed to break down the barriers between the digital and physical worlds.

Sprout Pro by HP for education and professionals is planned for availability in March and is priced at £1,899.

The Sprout Ecosystem also continues to grow with several new 3D oriented applications from Autodesk-Tinkercad, Sculpt+ and Print Studio, deliver professional-grade tools tuned for Sprout. Tinkercad is an amazingly powerful easy-to-use tool for creating digital designs. Sculpt+ users

ABOUT SPROUT

“INSTANT 2D/3D SCANNING, AUGMENTED REALITY AND AN IMMERSIVE DUAL SCREEN IS NOW BOOSTED

BY PRO-CLASS APPLICATIONS AND SECURITY ACCELERATING WORKFLOWS AND SAFEGUARDING DATA. SPROUT IS ANOTHER MILESTONE IN EXPANDING HP’S VISION OF BLENDED REALITY” LOUIS KIM, GLOBAL HEAD AND GENERAL MANAGER OF IMMERSIVE COMPUTING, HP

GROUNDBREAKING USER INTERFACE Sprout Pro gives you a new way to interact with your content. The two touch surfaces transform your desk’s surface into a digital-physical workspace, giving you a more natural, more intuitive way to work.

EFFORTLESS COLLABORATION Sprout Pro’s dual touch screens and cameras can be flexibly configured to enable a whole new level of remote sharing and collaboration.

ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY AND SECURITY Windows 10 Pro is designed to provide a safer, innovative and updated experience while helping you to manage your devices, apps, and identities on your organisation’s network

THE PROFESSIONAL TOUCH The Sprout Companion for Skype for Business enhances the experience of Skype on Sprout Pro, while HP Scan software offers an enhanced experience for scanning documents.

CONTACT US

Learn more and book a demonstration hp.com/go/sproutpro

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Advertisement Feature

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CATERING

ISS EDUCATION – FEEDING HUNGRY MINDS Producing over 100,000 meals per day, employing more than 3,500 school cooks and cleaners in more than 850 educational establishments across the country, ISS Facilities Services, Education is the largest Food for Life Catering Mark holder in UK

see. I’m eager to see how our cooks and the pupils take forward what they’ve learned and hope that it will play some part in continuing to improve food culture in schools.”

At ISS Education, we love to feed hungry minds. Learners of all ages need refueling during a day in the classroom and we’re here to make sure there’s plenty of delicious, home-cooked food ready for eating when the lunch bell rings. For us, it’s very important that we serve freshly prepared, healthy food which tastes great.

Quality ingredients are a must and the more British and local produce, the better.

FOCUS ON FOOD The company, part of the global ISS Group and headed up by managing director, Mark Davies, has joined with charities Focus on Food and School Food Matters to bring the joys of cooking to school pupils, cooks and teachers across the South East.

Focus on Food is a charity that supports people to develop skills for healthier futures. Their impressive Cooking Buses – state‑of‑the‑art travelling kitchen classrooms – visit schools and come with a specialist team of people to train teachers and teach children essential cooking skills.

In one week the Cooking Bus visited eighteen schools across the London Borough of Redbridge. Sessions were carefully structured to engage with everyone involved in promoting school food culture; from the talented school cooks (ISS Education employees) to teaching staff and pupils.

The visit, funded by ISS Education and administered by London-based charity, School

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

Food Matters, was an initiative designed to help local people, particularly children, learn more about food preparation and cooking.

As well as getting kids cooking first hand, the Cooking Bus visits are also designed to provide adults with the skills and knowledge required to teach pupils about food. Across two days, eleven ISS Education school cooks took part in sessions which gave them the skills required to set up and run afterschool cooking clubs in their schools.

Teaching staff were also invited aboard; several teachers, who run cooking or after‑school clubs joined the fun, eager to pick up useful tips to take back to their classrooms to enable them to deliver on the government’s direction for schools to increase cooking in the curriculum. As well as technical, skill‑based support, such as preparing ingredients, the Cooking Bus team also shared tips on engagement and suggestions on how to better manage groups of children when providing learning in a kitchen environment.

Lynda Townend, ISS Education’s operation’s manager, said: “We were delighted to have the Cooking Bus in Redbridge for a whole week. It has been a fantastic experience for us and our cooks and we really hope that the pupils and teachers who joined us during the Bus’ visit thought so too. The sessions were incredibly insightful and were delivered in a very engaging and inspiring way. The excitement evident throughout the visits is extremely encouraging and wonderful to

WORKING TOGETHER ISS Education and School Food Matters already work together with client schools to deliver gardening grants. ISS Education has offered each school a sum of £250 per year over the next two years to spend on gardening equipment to teach children the joys of gardening. In 2015, TV gardener Chris Collins visited primary schools to deliver specialist gardening training for teachers in support of the ISS initiative.

Such enthusiasm is infectious within ISS Education teams, who believe in involving as many of its employees as possible in helping to enthuse and encourage all students to explore and develop a love of food. This can be a bit of challenge when they have schools as far apart as York and Torquay but this doesn’t put off the team. Just before the start of the new school year the company invites everyone to the ISS Education’s Cooks’ Conference, designed to share the company’s vision for the future whilst helping showcase some of the great things happening around the country, such as the Cooking Bus. ISS is a leading global provider of facility services for public agencies and private sector companies, employing approximately 510,000 people worldwide. In the UK alone, we employ approximately 48,500 employees who are dedicated to delivering high quality support services. ISS UK provides organisations in both the public and private sectors with every facility solution they might require to support their own core activities.

Our services include facilities management, technical services including engineering and energy management, catering, cleaning, food and hospitality, front of house, security, consultancy and landscaping.

For the last three years we have achieved the highest possible ratings by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) acknowledging ISS as one of the world’s greatest service organisations. L FURTHER INFORMATION isseducation.commercial@uk.issworld.com or visit www.uk.issworld.com

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Catering

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Written by Alison Stafford, healthy schools manager, Healthy Schools London

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

Working for a healthier school education Healthy Schools London is an Awards Programme that will reach out to every London child, working with schools to improve children and young people’s well‑being. Here, Alison Stafford gives an insight to the work being done Healthy Schools London is an awards scheme funded by the Mayor of London that supports and recognises school achievements in pupil health and wellbeing. Healthy Schools London focuses on the whole child and gives schools a framework for their activity with pupils, staff and the wider community.

Healthy Schools London promotes a whole school approach across five themes: healthy eating; physical activity; emotional health and well-being; personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE); and environment.

The programme builds on the success of the National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP). 97 per cent of all London schools were involved in NHSP but since its demise

in 2011, many local Boroughs ended their investment despite its popularity. Healthy Schools London has stimulated re-investment. There are three levels of Awards: Bronze, Silver and Gold.

WHY DO WE NEED A HEALTHY SCHOOLS LONDON PROGRAMME? The links between pupil health and well‑being and attainment are increasingly recognised and backed up by robust evidence. A recent paper

published by Public Health England, ‘The link between pupil health and well‑being and attainment: A briefing for head teachers, governors and staff in education settings’ (November 2014) presented the following evidence: pupils with better health and well‑being are likely to achieve better academically; effective social and emotional competencies are associated with greater health and well‑being, and better E

Links n betwee being ell‑ health,wtainment and at easingly are incrised and recogn by robust up backed vidence e

Volume 21.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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HEALTHY LIFESTYLES  achievement; the culture, ethos and environment of a school influences the health and well-being of pupils and their readiness to learn; and a positive association exists between academic attainment and physical activity levels of pupils.

Childhood obesity is a critical issue especially for London children.

More than a third of London’s 11 year olds are overweight and more than one in five are obese. Prevention begins in childhood where it is proven that schools have a fundamental influence.

Healthy Schools London rewards schools that are creating environments conducive to the health and well‑being of pupils, with a particular focus on encouraging a healthy weight.

OFSTED Personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), citizenship education and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development have been given greater profile in the Ofsted Framework that was launched in September 2015.

By strengthening these areas, schools are more likely to obtain good overall outcomes under the Common Inspection Framework from September 2015. Healthy Schools London supports key areas of the new framework primarily through the HSL Bronze Award in relation to: PSHE; personal development, behaviour and welfare; safeguarding; SMSC; primary PE/ sport premium; impact on pupil outcomes; and School Food Standards.

BENEFITS Examples of work that is being undertaken across London schools includes: welcoming dining room environment; increased uptake in healthy school meals; improved cooking skills; road safety and bike sheds; increased walking and cycling to school; more school sport clubs and physical activities; and increased participation in physical activity.

We are also beginning to see a growth in re‑designed playgrounds; more active playtimes; playtime buddies; anti-bullying and pupil voice; and mindfulness and positive relationships.

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in consultation with pupils, servery lowered so all pupils can now see food on offer and all pupils must have a meal that includes vegetables.

These activities have resulted in an increase in school meal uptake to 77 per cent of all pupils (280 pupils). This has been matched by improved packed lunches, with the school implementing a packed lunch policy via parental consultation, assemblies and displays so that 76 per cent now meet the Food Based Standards. Consequently, an increase in the consumption of healthy snacks eaten at break time has grown through the selling of fruit pots. The school implemented ‘Worcester’s Way’ where pupils have a ‘Plan A’ and a ‘Plan B’ for their future lives based on their aspirations, interests and abilities, which helps to promote the policy of ‘Be the Best you can Be’.

The impact of these Healthy Schools activities means that: pupils are more engaged in P.E; literacy has improved; pupils have better relationships with one another and are more physically active at break and lunch times; attendance is in line with national averages; there are very low incidences of bad behaviour recorded after lunch time; all pupils that attended swing high club showed improved handwriting as a result of this intervention; 55 fruit pots are sold each day to pupils in KS2; and 40 pupils attend breakfast club.

Karen is confident in crediting the whole school approach to health and wellbeing as promoted by the Healthy Schools model for the success of the school and its staff and pupils. Karen continues her work as dead of Worcesters Primary School but also supports other schools in Enfield as part of her role as a National Leader of Education (NLE). Karen is a member of the Healthy Schools London Strategic Advisory group. L A film of Worcesters Primary School is available to view at: youtu.be/cx9jLn0JWSE FURTHER INFORMATION www.healthyschoolslondon.org.uk

INVESTMENT The Mayor’s investment has already levered in support from London Boroughs for HSL. 25 London Boroughs now have a local Healthy Schools Programme or equivalent local support for schools. The Healthy Schools London programme is delivered via a Network of Borough Leads who work directly with schools. We now have 1,673 (72 per cent) London schools registered. Of these, 804 schools have already achieved a Bronze Award, 205 have achieved a Silver Award and 18 a Gold Award.

HEAD TEACHER FOCUS/CASE STUDY: Karen Jaeggi has been head teacher at Worcesters Primary School, in the London Borough of Enfield, since February 2011. When she arrived, the school had been given ‘Notice to improve’ by Ofsted. Within two years, by the end of 2013, the school was deemed ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Karen approached her tenure as head at Worcesters by adopting the Healthy Schools model and using it as an improvement tool across the whole school. This model has helped with pupil behaviour, attendance and achievement throughout the school. Some of the activities that she implemented include a swing high club where pupils in early years have structured timetabled activities using the climbing frame to improve their gross motor skills. The handwriting of pupils in Early Years have improved as a result.

Karen also initiated playground zones for different activities whereby pupils are led by their peers and by lunchtime supervisors in a range of playground activities at break and lunchtime including: ball games, pogo sticks, climbing frames, bikes/trikes and skipping. Pupils are now more active at break and lunch times and less playground incidents are now recorded.

There is now a healthy breakfast club with activities for pupils.

Attendance has increased since the introduction of the breakfast club.

In addition, the school now has a team points system across the school to reward good behaviour, effort and achievement. Karen has overseen the re-design of the school dining room with more light and bright colours and 3D models of fruit and vegetables, menu options added

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Case Study

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

A library consultancy delivering technical solutions, helping you to improve services and cut costs Libraries are changing dramatically and in every sector, particularly the academic environment, the challenge is to do more with less. Technology can help to overcome the shortfall in human resources but making the wrong investment can damage a service irreparably. It is not only the technology that changes; suppliers can move their focus leaving customers without maintenance or product support.

2CQR has worked exclusively with libraries in the UK and Eire for over two decades. It understands the challenges faced. Perhaps even more importantly 2CQR understands how technology can help. In a confusing technological landscape – where competing solutions have often promised far more than they can deliver, 2CQR will help you find the path to appropriate solutions that will benefit your library now and into the future.

Self-service solutions allow readers to borrow and return books for themselves, or borrow books even when the library is closed, security solutions integrate with library management system to prevent theft and some applications that will tell you everything you need to know – without having to take

items off of the shelf. Your stock can even speak for itself using our intelligent displays.

Although self-service, security and stock management are the basics of the library offering, 2CQR has also developed products that have been hugely successful in

advancing the scope of RFID in academic libraries across the UK and Eire.

2CQR is able to provide the best in vending for library collateral, enabling library services to extend their reach with the company’s Smallest Branch or adding to a library’s service provision with its Open Library solution.

Complimenting 2CQR’s state-of-theart products it is constantly adding refinements and new features to Lucid, its dedicated library software.

Whether working with, IT or library professionals, architects or contractors 2CQR aims to deliver innovative solutions with products, software and service that will work hard in any library environment.

A library collection – virtual or real – is the greatest knowledge asset. How you deliver its potential is only limited by your imagination. 2CQR is ready to help you build the library you want today that will be fit for operation in tomorrow’s world.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01400 283850 info@2cqr.com www.2cqr.com

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

2CQR House, Long Bennington Business Park, Long Bennington, Lincolnshire NG23 5JR Tel: 01400 283850 e.mail: info@2cqr.com

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Design & Build

Sponsored by

FUNDING

Learning in the best buildings available The learning environment can have a big impact on how pupils respond in lessons. Education Business takes a look at the recent successes of the Priority School Building Programme Initially launched in 2011 with a focus on rebuilding and refurbishing the schools in most urgent need of repair, the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) is managed centrally by the Department for Education’s (DfE) Education Funding Agency (EFA), rather than by local project teams.

In the first wave of the programme, 260 schools received capital funding of £2.4bn.

A list of the 277 schools to benefit from the second phase of the PSBP was published on 9 February 2015. Therefore, a total of 537 schools will benefit from construction through the two phases of the PSBP. Pupils across the country have enjoyed a fresh start for 2016 as they returned to state‑of‑the‑art new school buildings funded through the government’s flagship rebuilding programme at the start of January. Thirteen of the most run-down schools across the length and breadth of the UK are using the new settings to help young people unlock their potential and deliver on the government’s commitment to educational excellence everywhere.

The latest schools will open following over £100 million of construction, with features including bright new classrooms, inspiring libraries and specialist arts facilities.

BUILDING A VISION Camberwell Park School, a special support school in Manchester, is one of those to reopen through the programme following £7 million of construction. The school, which previously suffered regular leaks and was persistently in need of repair, now has bigger, brighter classrooms, a modern music and drama room and a library which looks onto the school’s rainforest garden.

Mary Isherwood, Camberwell Park School head teacher, said: “Since we heard news of our new building, we have been fully involved in the planning and preparation of

“This funding the building to ensure that it meets the opening means w holistic needs of our pupils who all have was held e c an provide special educational needs. Throughout with a school to inspi the process staff, pupils, parents and school re our f carers, governors and members of the governors u g t u e re neratio multi‑agency team have shared their past and one in w ns and hopes, wishes, dreams for the new present, building, helping us to shape the vision.” staff, commu hich the nity can The Grove School, a primary in Devon, Ipswich be prou received its new building following £4 borough d of” million of work, giving it not only outstanding council new facilities but also the capability to increase its capacity from 210 to 315 pupils.

Hilary Priest, head teacher of The Grove School, said: “Everything is different about our new school building. Previously, we had a building which was falling apart, with leaking roofs and buckets everywhere to collect the water. Now we have a beautiful new facility designed for education today, with lovely large classrooms and state‑of‑the‑art technology. Best of all, although the new building is completely different, it still feels like our old school.

The staff and pupils love the new building - we have had so many ‘wows’ and many amazingly positive comments from parents.”

FROM ENGLAND TO AFRICA Chantry Academy in Suffolk is one of seven schools across the East of England to be rebuilt as a result of the PSBP. As a result of a £14.3 million investment, the academy’s existing buildings have been replaced with a new three-storey building which provides light, bright classrooms, a superb hall, a drama space and excellent sports facilities.

Ahead of its move into the new building, the school, previously known as Suffolk New College, and Chantry High School before that, donated its old furniture, including desks, chairs, filing cabinets and bookshelves, to Sanchaba School in Gambia. The official grand

leader David Ellesmere, Baroness Rosalind Scott of Needham Market and MP Ben Gummer, all celebrating the occasion.

Craig D’Cunha, Principal of the Chantry Academy, said: “Over the course of the last nine months we have seen some exceptional progress take place at the academy. Student attainment has improved, and there is a new sense of purpose at the school.

“The new building represents the importance the community places on the futures of the children of Chantry, not only for those who attend the school now, but for the thousands who will pass through its doors in the future. It’s an outstanding building which has already inspired our students to exceed their own aspirations.

It will help us ensure the children of Chantry stand out amongst their peers.”

A COMMUNITY PROJECT Ridgeway School in Plymouth is planning to use its government funding to create a new performing arts centre complete with music classrooms, practice rooms, a recording studio, drama studios and a new performance space.

While the space will primarily be used for students, plans have been revealed to open the two-storey centre to the public, following the success of the schools community sports centre. E

Volume 21.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

25

The S+B Stemline System

Creating a stimulating learning environment to integrate STEM skills across the curriculum S+B Stemline is a new multi-use learning environment which combines fully serviced fitted benching required for science, smart contemporary semi or un-serviced mobile workstations for IT, design and academic study, with the heavy duty build quality essential for Technology and Engineering.

Science, technology, engineering & math’s The recognition of the importance of improving the uptake, education and qualification in these core subjects and the need to remove the traditional gender bias is resulting in new STEM Centre’s appearing in colleges and universities, whilst many schools are developing plans with greater integration and cohesion between the subjects as the objective.

British made Designed and Manufactured at our factory in Manchester.

Creating a flexible learning environment Serviced perimeter benching and fume cupboards can facilitate biology and chemistry, teaching walls can double up as resource bases and focal points for discussion and full class address. Moveable workstations can be reconfigured to facilitate different student groups working on different project elements at the same time but within the same space and the clean but heavy duty semi serviced workstations are equally suited to design, planning, evaluation and work with machine tools and resistant materials.

Building STEM skills to provide a better future Economies need well trained scientists, technologist, engineers and mathematicians and to that end pedagogy is changing with emphasis being placed on collaborative group work, research, project and context based integration between the related subjects.

S+B design and build innovative, ergonomic and inspiring educational environments to stimulate both students and teachers.

For more information please visit our website or to receive a free brochure join our mailing list.

0161 793 9333 | www.splusb.co.uk | sales@splusb.co.uk Labtec Street, Swinton Manchester M27 8SE

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FUNDING

“Now we have a beautiful new facility designed for education today, with lovely large classrooms and state-of-the-art technology ”

Design & Build

Sponsored by

 Other plans for the funding include the resurfacing of the outdoor PE area and new fencing and lighting infrastructure.

School principal Lisa Boorman said: “This funding means we can provide a school to inspire our future generations and one in which the community can be proud of.”

EXPANSION Two schools in Canterbury, Aylesham Primary School and Chatham Primary School, are due to expand their buildings in June. Aylesham Primary School will demolish its life‑expired buildings and build a new teaching block while Chartham Primary School will convert existing spaces to provide new computer and music rooms.

There are two buildings at the Aylesham Primary School – an Infant Block dating from 1956 and a Junior Block dating from 1972 which are now in ‘an especially poor and deteriorating condition’.

Although the buildings are subject to planning permission, the changes would see the school capacity increase from 412 to 420.

Meanwhile, Chatham Primary School will also increase its capacity from 45 pupils in each year group to 60. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk/government/collections/ priority‑school-building-programme-psbp

Volume 21.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

27

Case Study

CLEARER LEARNING WITH LED LIGHTING The JCC product offering provided retrofit solutions for each of the areas within the brief and used a portfolio of functional, reliable lighting solutions that reduced UEL’s energy costs by 64%.

The University of East London (UEL) is a dynamic university set in the heart of East London. Based across three campus sites in

The lighting programme looked at the following areas:

Stratford and Docklands it caters for 19,000 students who come

AVA BUILDING

from 120 countries worldwide, making UEL an internationally

Schools of Arts and Digital Industries and Architecture,

diverse place to study.

Computing and Engineering.

UEL have invested millions of pounds in developing their campus

The school houses lecture rooms, art and photographic studios,

and student facilities to help improve the learning environment.

computer rooms, academic offices and a gallery.

As the university grows so does their energy and maintenance

• JCC’s leading Skytile® range of LED flat panels, was used to

costs. UEL needed to look at how they can manage the cost of

provide consistent light levels in the work environment. The

their growth and looked at savings on their lighting as this is a

Skytile® range far exceeded the fittings already installed and

leading contributor of energy consumption across their three

has the added benefit of lasting four times longer.

campus sites.

• RadiaLED® Style, JCC’s innovative wall and ceiling light,

The UEL secured Salix financing, an interest-free loan for the

was used throughout the corridors and stairwells providing

public sector, to help get started with energy savings and

greater levels of light uniformity.

reduce their carbon emissions. Working with JCC Lighting, UK leaders in innovative LED technology, UEL became proactive in adopting an efficient lighting programme.

Overall the conversion to LED for the AVA building saved the UEL 68% on their energy bills and reduced their carbon emissions by 66%.

The JCC product offering provided retrofit solutions for each

STUDENT VILLAGE

of the areas within the brief and used a portfolio of functional,

The student village houses 1,200 students and consist of both

reliable lighting solutions that reduced UEL’s energy costs

studio and shared flats.

by 64%.

Arts studio fitted with Skytile® Surface

Stairwell fitted with RadiaLED® Style

• Over 800 student flats were retrofitted with RadiaLED® Style which significantly outperforms the previously installed traditional 2D fluorescent fittings. RadiaLED® doesn’t flicker like traditional fluorescent fittings and starts instantly giving students a sense of security.

• Skytile® Surface replaced the 2 x 58W twin fluorescent

• 848 units x 21W RadiaLED® Style • 850 units x 14W Utility microwave

Total energy savings = £24,945.75 – 60% JCC’s RadiaLED® Style was used to provide a stylish solution.

RadiaLED’s patented LED array allows light to flow evenly across

fittings in the communal areas and corridors saving the UEL

the reflector and out through the diffuser eliminating any

62% on energy costs for converting to LED.

hotspots or unsightly lamps. RadiaLED’s outstanding technology

• RadiaLED® Utility, JCC’s durable amenity light range, was used throughout the showerpods. Designed to be robust, the IP65 fitting was installed with microwave sensors allowing for an additional 30% of energy to be saved in these areas.

lasts up to four times longer than traditional fluorescents, meaning additional cost savings are achieved from reduced maintenance.

In total the project saved the university over £76,000 a year on energy costs and reduced their carbon emission by 317

SPORTS DOCK

tonnes. With the LED technology lasting up to four times longer

A £21 million state of the art sports facility, UEL’s Sports Dock is

than traditional fluorescents the university is also able to save

one of London’s largest indoor high performance training centres

money on replacement lamp fittings and maintenance costs.

and sports venues.

JCC’s lighting products come with a 5 year commercial warranty

• The Sports Dock lighting is being converted in stages with the 24 hour gymnasium and studios chosen as part of the first phase.

• JCC’s lighting solution saved the Sports Dock 63% in its energy bills by switching to the JCC’s Skytile® range. As the Sports Dock is open 24 hours a day it was important to ensure the installation didn’t disrupt visitors to the centre.

The improved light quality provides consistent flicker free lighting with zero maintenance costs.

providing UEL with assurance their investment will make a difference to their savings as they continue to grow.

ABOUT JCC Established in 1989, JCC are the market leaders in the development of cutting edge LED lighting technology.

We are driven by our passion to create innovative LED lighting solutions. This ensures that our customers can take advantage of the benefits that the latest LED technology can provide for both domestic and commercial applications.

WHAT WAS USED? Skytile® Market leading LED flat panel.

• 368 units x 34W Skytile

®

• 590 units x 61W Skytile® Surface

To find out how JCC can help your school, college or university visit jcc.co.uk or contact our customer services team on 01243 838999 who can put you in

Total energy savings = £51,706.14 – 66%

touch with a lighting

Choosing Skytile has provided UEL with an enhanced lighting

specialist.

®

effect which creates near perfect daylight conditions with 4700k colour temperature. Skytile® solves the problem of unsightly and inefficient lighting failures, costly maintenance and workplace disruptions associated with traditional fluorescent technologies.

RadiaLED® The fit and forget 2D replacement

a company

REDEFINE YOUR ENVIRONMENT Autex Acoustics understand the importance of great learning environments and are experts in providing sound advice and products to achieve acoustic excellence in schools.

Innovating environmentally-friendly polyester products, Autex Acoustics lead the way in acoustic design and performance. Creating a functioning aesthetic that reduces noise and background chatter has never been easier than Autex Interior Acoustics.

FOR ADVICE ON IMPROVING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND TO REQUEST SAMPLES, CONTACT AUTEX ACOUSTICS

0151 294 3236

www.autexacoustics.co.uk

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PLANNING

Acoustics

Sponsored by

Acoustics of schools: a design guide Education Business discusses the importance of acoustic considerations in the design of classrooms, as well as noise control and sound insulation. Highlighting the key factors in the planning of such rooms, we detail why schools benefit from proper, well designed acoustic classrooms and how attention to acoustic detail has the potential to enhance learning For children who have impaired hearing or have more generic difficulties with hearing, school halls and classrooms can be a difficult space to navigate. However, the problem is not only an issue for the hard of hearing. Classrooms with poor acoustics can also leave children with normal hearing unable to properly determine what is being said by a teacher, which can be detrimental to their education.

With schools becoming continuously busier, with larger school grounds, more students and an array of extra curricular activities, controlling external noise and the resulting acoustics is becoming more important. This problem is exemplified by the current trend

in the 2003 edition of Building With Bulletin 93: Acoustic Design of schools Schools, and aims to instruct becomi and encourage the belief that n g busy, co more the design and construction of school buildings provide externa ntrolling l acoustic conditions n o ise the resu that enable effective lting ac and teaching and learning. o u stics is becom i n g increas NOISE CONTROL ingly m Noise surveys are typically importa ore carried out quite early in the nt

of designing open spaces in which to learn, which in turn contributes to a louder environment.

In November 2015, the Institute of Acoustics and the Association of Noise Consultants produced Acoustics of Schools: a design guide, providing revised guidance and recommendations on the acoustic design of new and refurbished schools. The guide replaced the guidance previously published

process of designing a new school or assessing a site’s suitability to have a school erected upon it. E

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31

Acoustics

Sponsored by

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/ schoolbanking

PLANNING

Music rooms require particular acoustic attention, as they can strongly vary in size and purpose – being used for anything from small practice rooms for one musician to large rooms for rehearsals and performances  But there is usually a conflict of interests.

Schools need to be near to accessible transport links, which increase the noise levels. Likewise, space for open fields is often deemed beneficial for recreation and sport, but they can provide their own issues.

Playgrounds, outdoor recreation areas and playing fields are generally considered to be of relatively low sensitivity to noise.

Indeed, playing fields may be used as buffer zones to separate school buildings from busy roads where necessary. However, where used for teaching, for example sports lessons, outdoor ambient noise levels have a significant impact on communication in an environment which is already acoustically less favourable than most classrooms.

The external noise level can be established by carrying out a noise measurement survey.

The measurements should be taken during school hours over a suitable time period to be able to quantify the representative sound pressure level, likely to occur during teaching hours and should include noisy events – such as peak time road traffic, but should exclude rare, intermittent events, such as the mowing of school lawns.

If the noise measurement survey shows that the ambient external noise levels on the site are below 45 dB and prediction work shows that they will remain below 45 dB in the future, no special measures are likely to be necessary to protect the buildings or playing fields from external noise.

However, consideration should be given

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

to any potential increases in noise levels due to future developments – such as increases in traffic flow or new transport schemes. Where road traffic noise levels are likely to increase, it is reasonable to base the sound insulation requirements on the best estimate of noise levels in 15 years’ time. The situation intensifies if a school is located near to a railway or airport, where noise control will be far more of an issue.

While the immediate thought on how to combat such problems is to increase the distance between the source and the school, basic noise barriers are often more beneficial.

In its simplest form a noise barrier can be a continuous close-boarded wooden fence, with a mass of not less than 16 kg/m2. There is relatively little point in increasing the weight of the barrier beyond this because a significant proportion of the noise passes over the top, or round the ends, of the barrier.

The attenuation of a barrier is a function of the path difference, that is, the extra distance that the sound has to travel to pass over the top of the barrier, relative to the direct sound path from the source to the receiver.

The issue of noise control is double ended and schools should also be aware of local and residential developments and how noise from the school can disturb those areas. Playgrounds, playing fields, music rooms and halls used for events outside normal school hours, such as concerts and discos, can all create problematic noise for those places nearby.

THE SOUND OF SPEECH The basic dynamics of a school environment require the clear facilitation of clear communication between teacher and student. Ignoring for a moment the use of audio-visual aids and other classroom technologies, without good design for speech, teaching, at its most basic form, becomes redundant. The teacher’s voice needs to be clearly heard above all background noise.

According to the Acoustics of Schools: a design guide, the standard sound power output created by speech is 10 microwatts, which amounts to a sound pressure level of 60 dBA at one metre in front of the speaker.

This then increases to 100 microwatts (70 dBA) when spoken in a raised voice, and 1,000 microwatts (80 dBA) when shouting.

A well designed classroom should remove the necessity for such measures, partly for the teacher’s health and partly for the delivery of the lesson. Take the study of drama for example – the importance of conveying nuances and emotion are integral to the delivery of speech, and could be lost by changing the level of voice. The report claims that ‘the intelligibility of speech depends upon its audibility as well as its clarity. Audibility is affected by the loudness of the speech (signal) relative to the background noise level and is often expressed as a ‘signal to noise ratio’ (SNR)’.

Background noise can have a major effect on speech, and can be a combination of many factors, including ingress noise from external activities (e.g. road traffic), building services, classroom equipment (e.g. projectors, whiteboards etc.), noise from adjacent spaces and general occupancy noise. Another factor that interrupts the intelligibility of speech is the reverberation time caused, as this can cause prolonged syllables. This means that large amounts of fixed acoustic absorption are often required.

Reverberation (the amount of echo in a

room) affects how well speech is understood.

Basic classroom furniture – desks, chairs, benches – can be beneficial in scattering sound and deflecting it onto other absorbent surfaces. Such fixtures should be evenly distributed around the room so as to ensure a reliable reverberation time equation.

In classrooms, the two main approaches to locating the acoustic absorption is to make the soffit predominantly absorbent, or to leave the ceiling acoustically reflective and add acoustic absorption to the walls.

This is perhaps more difficult to manage in school halls that are frequently used for assemblies and meetings, and, when crowded concede high noise levels and poor speech intelligibility due to excessive reverberation.

With an acoustically well designed room it is possible for speakers to achieve good speech intelligibility, even with large audiences.

Quieter and untrained speakers, however, may not be able to do this and a speech reinforcement system is likely to be required for some functions. The key aim of such a system is to increase the loudness of the direct sound, particularly for more distant listeners, whilst keeping the sound as natural as possible. The distribution of loudspeakers and their directional characteristics is a key issue in achieving high speech intelligibility.

In school halls, column loudspeakers can be located on side walls, or in a central cluster.

learning space must be accessible and for those with special hearing requirements.

A survey by the British Association of Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD) indicated that 67 per cent of pupils with hearing impairments were using an auditory-oral approach and a further 26 per cent used an approach which combined sign with auditory-oral components. For these groups in particular a poor acoustic environment can be a significant barrier to inclusion.

OPEN PLAN TEACHING Schools are expanding, not only in size, but also in the ways in which they construct a classroom and deliver lessons. While you will regularly still find thirty seats in a square room facing the same direction, the aesthetics of the classroom have moved beyond their previous dimensions. In that small, square room the capacity to achieve good speech intelligibility

Acoustics

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is relatively straight forward. However, open plan spaces require additional specification as they are significantly more complex acoustic spaces. Noise arriving from adjacent learning spaces and circulation spaces increases background noise levels, making speech intelligibility lower.

Open plan spaces, which can either be fully open plan layout, semi-open plan layout or flexible open plan layout, are generally designed for flexibility of use in the short term and adaptability in the long term, yet the need for flexibility should be balanced with the need for good acoustics, to ensure effective learning. Research has shown that in many large open plan ‘flexible’ areas certain activities are severely restricted, or have to be dropped, because of noise interference. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.ioa.org.uk

Open plan spaces, which can either be fully open plan layout, semi‑open plan layout or flexible open plan layout, are generally designed for flexibility of use in the short term and adaptability in the long term

THE HALLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC Music rooms require particular acoustic attention, as they can strongly vary in size and purpose – being used for anything from small practice rooms for one musician to large performance rooms for rehearsals and performances. As the loudness and sound of the instruments changes, so will the sound insulation requirement, making flexibility desirable. Flexibility, however, can prove expensive, and a more desirable option, designating particular rooms for particular instruments, involves earlier planning.

More so than drama studios, music rooms will have a more recognisable impact on the whole school building. Rooms for percussion and brass instruments will generate higher noise levels and should be located on the ground floor to limit the transmission of impact vibration into the building structure.

Higher ceilings are preferential to allow for higher volume levels without damage to those inside the room. Smaller rooms with high volumes can cause noise-induced hearing loss.

SPECIAL HEARING REQUIREMENTS Due to the inclusive nature of modern day schools, children with special hearing requirements are quite likely to be taught within a mainstream school setting (85 per cent according to a recent survey). This means that schools must be accommodating, especially when it comes to acoustics and school design – meaning that every

Volume 21.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

33

Asbestos Written by Craig Evans, UK Asbestos Training Association

Sponsored by

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/ schoolbanking

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Providing asbestos training for tradesmen Craig Evans, general manager of the UK Asbestos Training Association explains how the Association’s latest training initiative is promoting the need for essential asbestos training for all tradesmen, and in particular those who could encounter the substance in school buildings The issue of asbestos in schools is going to remain an ongoing concern for the foreseeable future. For the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) and our members, we remain committed to promoting a culture of safety, respect and risk management when it comes to asbestos. Asbestos is present in the fabric of so many public buildings, including schools that in many cases, removing it all would be unlikely to be a viable option, let alone a cost-effective one.

Yet, with the correct advice and training it is possible to keep staff and students safe from the dangers posed by asbestos.

As asbestos can generally be managed safely if left undisturbed, the people most at risk of coming into contact with asbestos in schools by unwittingly disturbing it are tradesmen. While posing a risk to the tradesmen themselves, the danger to staff and students becomes amplified should asbestos dust be unwittingly released in to the atmosphere. The best defence against such a threat is to ensure that any and all people who may be tasked on working on the fabric of the school building have the appropriate asbestos training.

Asbestos was widely used as a building material in the ‘60s and ‘70s and therefore many so-called ‘system’ schools built during this period almost certainly contain it. Official estimates of the problem have varied widely, but in March this year; reports by the BBC

suggested the figure could be as high as nine out of ten schools. System schools have many features in common, one of them being the structural columns being fire proofed with asbestos containing material (ACM) which was then usually encased or cladded.

MESOTHELIOMA EXPOSURE The debate rages as to just how many former pupils and teachers may have contracted mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos.

Given the long latency period of the illness, it can be over 20 years before symptoms manifest themselves, by which time tracing, proving and establishing the source of the asbestos exposure after so many years can be difficult.

Mesothelioma is a terrible illness and there is no cure.

Asbestos remains the single biggest cause of workplace deaths in the UK, which has earned it the title of the silent killer. Estimates of how many teachers and pupils have been affected varies, but figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show a total of 228 school teachers have died from mesothelioma since 1980. The HSE acknowledge the true figure is likely to be higher and that the numbers have increased year on year since records began in 1980.

Undoubtedly these cases are being caused by asbestos dust being released and the solution is either to remove all the asbestos safely, or manage it effectively. In either case, it is essential that those tasked with doing so have the appropriate training – to at the very least recognise asbestos should they come across it and if tasked with removal,

s Asbestostatus its retains dden killer i as the h ains hidden and rem ols. UKATA in scho mitted to is com the issue g draggino plain int sight

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

be fully qualified to do so. The effective management of asbestos in schools is an ongoing requirement and for schools to comply with their legal obligations, several actions need to be in place as apart of effective asbestos management arrangements.

Public buildings should maintain an asbestos survey and an asbestos management plan, so everyone, but particularly so tradesmen or workers called in know what they are dealing with. It is also vital information for the emergency services, should there be a fire. The irony is, extreme cases can usually be tackled. It is those small jobs that can unwittingly see asbestos released.

TRAIN SAFE, WORK SAFE, KEEP SAFE It is also the case that small businesses and tradesmen may not have the resources to finance asbestos training to protect themselves and others. To tackle this issue head on, UKATA has launched our ‘Train Safe, Work Safe, Keep Safe’ campaign.

The scheme provides free training aimed at individual tradespeople and small companies who may not otherwise have previously known about, or received training for working with a substance like asbestos.

So far, UKATA members have offered over 3,500 hours of free asbestos training this year as a means of highlighting the dangers of asbestos and the need for essential training for those who may encounter the substance.

While this scheme aims to tackle a lack of awareness and training at source, it is very clear from the Control of Asbestos Regulations (2012) and the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) that ignorance cannot be used as an excuse. Regulation 4 states clearly that all risks from asbestos must be properly managed and the local authority

and individual school between them must decide who is ultimately responsible and who the legally responsible duty holder is.

This duty holder is required to undertake an assessment if asbestos is present and this (plus any work undertaken) must be completed by a technically competent person.

On site, anyone responsible for managing asbestos must be competent to do so, must be properly trained and fully aware of their responsibilities.

HSE inspectors have found a range of staff in schools nominated to undertake asbestos management in schools in the past – from the head teacher, to bursars, caretakers and others.

Who is the duty holder is less important than the fact they must be suitably trained. The point being that just ‘nominating’ someone and leaving it at that is not an option.

The duty holder will have a key role in briefing tradesmen and contractors who arrive on the school premises to carry out any kind of work and it is vital they are competent to do so and have the knowledge to recognise when tradesmen have the necessary qualifications and are not being sent to do a task unaware of any potential asbestos risk.

Exposure to asbestos is estimated to kill 20 tradespeople in the UK every week – including plumbers, electricians and joiners.

The duty holder can help themselves by choosing a contractor that has been suitably

Asbestos

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The effective management of asbestos in schools is an ongoing requirement and for schools to comply with their legal obligations, several actions need to be in place as apart of effective asbestos management arrangements trained by a UKATA approved training provider. Such a contractor should have the appropriate documentation and if in any doubt as regards to its authenticity, this can be quickly verified with UKATA direct.

A contractor who holds a current UKATA certificate will have passed a rigorous training programme to a high standard of competence and gives the school duty holder the confidence that the job will be carried out with an appreciation of the risks posed by asbestos and will undertake the work accordingly.

Any duty holders new to role will need asbestos training of their own and once again, UKATA makes a sensible first port of call. For the Train Safe, Work Safe, Keep Safe initiative, a list of training dates by region is available for those wishing to attend on the UKATA website.

When it comes to asbestos, a duty holder can never have too much awareness of the issues and in addition to the UKATA website, the HSE website contains sections dedicated

to providing information and advice for the effective management of asbestos in schools.

Asbestos retains its status as the hidden killer and remains hidden in schools, but organisations like UKATA is committed to dragging the issue into plain sight and ensure everyone has the awareness, tools and training to keep themselves and others safe. We must start the process of cutting the number of deaths from asbestos related diseases which remains unacceptably high for something easily and safely manageable with the right awareness and training in place. L

UKATA sets standards in asbestos training and ensures that its members meet those standards. A full list of approved asbestos training providers can be found on the UKATA website.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.ukata.org.uk

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Health & Safety Written by Dave Garioch, Chair of the Education Group, IOSH

Sponsored by

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/ schoolbanking

HAZARD PREVENTION

Can we fix it?

More like, can we risk it?

Dave Garioch, Chair of the Education Group at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and health and safety manager at London Borough of Sutton, examines how staff and students can be kept safe and healthy during school refurbishment projects Refurbishment and building work is regularly required in schools. The ideal time to do this work is during school holidays. However often there are situations when it must be done during term time. This brings with it some significant safety and health. But having hundreds of students and staff moving around a school building at the same time that contractors are on site need not cause hazards, as long as the right procedures are in place.

So how do you manage these risks? Before starting off on a project to refurbish school property it is important to understand where the responsibilities lie.

Clients, who in this situation are the schools, need to meet the requirements of Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc.

Act 1974. This stipulates that clients must keep others, not in their employment but who may be affected by their undertaking, safe. As the work is commissioned by the client this accountability cannot be delegated to anyone.

It is therefore essential for the client to be able to demonstrate they have done all that is reasonably practicable to fulfil this legal requirement. As the enforcing authority, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) may visit a site where there has been a significant failure, which may lead to prosecution. The HSE Fee for Intervention Protocol has given the HSE another lever to challenge the client into showing they met this requirement to select and monitor

suitable contractors to carry out the work.

Where they deem there is a material breach of a legislative duty, they can then charge for all of their time at £124 + VAT per hour. It is not unusual to have a fee of over £1,000. There are many cases of Section 3 prosecutions of clients which you can find on the www.hse.gov.uk/prosecutions database, including for poor management of asbestos during refurbishment work.

So how can the client show they have done all that is reasonably practicable? Firstly they should ensure there is a clear specification for the work to be undertaken, including providing details on known hazards, for example asbestos and the location of electrical, gas and sewer services where necessary.

Where the client does not have the knowledge skills and competence in any high hazard area, it is essential to get help from someone with the necessary skills, knowledge and competence to provide suitable and sufficient support for work to be undertaken safely.

Where e v they ha ap, g a skills hould s schools vide staff ro either ptraining or with te support ria approp competent from isers adv

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

UNSAFE SUBCONTRACTOR An area that requires close scrutiny and oversight is the main contractor’s use of subcontractors. Schools should get details from the main contractor of how they select competent subcontractors and what their monitoring arrangements are.

In one case, a children’s centre was being added to the school. The area was effectively segregated and meetings were held with the main contractor about the work and

safety arrangements. Everything was going to plan and the work was progressing safely.

Once the walls were constructed the main contractor brought in a roofing company.

The roofing contractor had their own risk assessments, which identified there was no requirement for the wearing of hard hats when working on the roof, as nothing could fall on the heads of workers, however they would be worn when at ground level.

However the roofing contractor’s employees were seen not wearing hard hats when at ground level and this was brought to the attention of the principal contractor. Meetings were held and the roofing contractor was warned about their lack of adhering to safe systems of work.

This led on to the principal contractor having to send their clerk of works to the site on a more regular basis than had been planned to monitor the situation. The roofing contractor stated in their tender for the work that suitable edge protection would be provided to prevent staff from falling from height along with appropriately-sited crash bags inside the building to minimise the impact of anyone falling into the building from the roof.

The school had concerns when seeing the contractor working and contacted their health and safety adviser, who went on site and stopped the work from continuing due to the poor safety standards of the subcontractor and not following their own safe system of work. The principal contractor was contacted and also came down to site to enforce the contractor to install the safe systems of work identified in their risk assessments and method statements.

No-one was injured during the work, but the potential for a serious accident was high and the school, as client, took positive

It is essential to get help from someone with the necessary skills, knowledge and competence to provide suitable and sufficient support for work to be undertaken safely action to ensure safe systems of work were employed through the good communication between them and the principal contractor.

This case study shows how the client, understanding their accountability for the work being undertaken, followed up significant issues they identified and helped to prevent a serious accident from occurring.

GETTING IT RIGHT The following list should help schools plan for and achieve safe refurbishment works.

Firstly, specify in sufficient detail the work to be carried out, including details of health and safety requirements (for example no large vehicle movements at times students arrive/leave school). Know your limits and when to get help and competent advice. You should be able to identify, at this stage, if the work is notifiable under the Construction Design and Management Regulations.

Secondly, identify the known significant hazards and find out about the foreseeable hazards not already known about, such as

asbestos. Provide specification and details of hazards to those invited to tender, ensuring they provide details of how the tasks will be done safely, including their selection and monitoring of any subcontractors.

Furthermore, review submissions to identify the best value quotation, not necessarily the cheapest, and have a meeting pre‑start date to set out the expectations and monitoring arrangements.

Carry out monitoring as agreed. Have regular meetings with the contractor to discuss issues and resolutions put in place.

The frequency will be determined by the pre-start meeting and also by the number of problems being identified. Once the work is complete, review the process to identify what went well and what needed further action.

Use this learning for subsequent work.

If the refurbishment is taking place during term time, it could be a good opportunity for the pupils and students to learn about workplace risks and how they are adequately controlled. It will depend on

the willingness of the contractor, the time available and the safety of the location.

Issues for discussion can include: the development of the specification and the tender process; the separation of the refurbishment area from the remainder of the school; the use of low voltage/battery pack hand tools; COSHH assessments and why they are required when using hazardous substances; hazard spotting and the need for good housekeeping; safeguarding and use of mobile phones on site; working at height as the largest cause of workplace accidental death; noise and the potential for hearing loss, methods of communication; and any other relevant hazard and risk control.

Schools should also remember to look at the skill set of the staff they are asking to manage the project. Where they have a skills gap, schools should either provide them with training and/or appropriate support from competent advisers. We believe that all workers in all industries should be covered by a culture of care. In situations such as school refurbishments, the client, namely the school, is responsible for ensuring this culture is in place. They should plan to succeed and ensure they provide adequate resources for the project to be completed safely. L

Health & Safety

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

FURTHER INFORMATION www.iosh.co.uk

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Volume 21.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Fire safety in schools should be a major consideration for teachers, parents and pupils.

Catherine Nelms of the Fire Industry Association discusses the complexities that fire safety can pose, including accountability, false alarms and risk assessments The issue of fire safety within schools is a sensitive one; there are many factors to consider, especially in a place where parents place their trust in the school to safeguard their children from harm.

A school that makes inadequate provisions towards their fire safety could suffer from routine disorganisation and disarray when practising a regular fire drill, or worse, actual fatalities in the event of a real fire.

Thankfully, government statistics for 2013‑2014 show that schools have the lowest rate of non‑fatal casualties in the UK, with only four in 1,000 fires creating casualties. However, in a place where potentially hundreds of both staff and children are present, the case for minimising the risk is still strong.

It is a sad fact that the Fire Industry Association (FIA) noted that in 2011/12 there were 700 fires in schools in the UK. The effects on schools can be devastating – loss of educational buildings, a drop in teacher and pupil morale, perhaps even disruption to those all-important exams and a real and actual loss to valuable teaching time.

But who is accountable for ensuring pupil safety, and maintaining a robust fire safety management strategy?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 clearly outlines that all non-residential buildings, such as schools and hospitals have a ‘duty to take general fire precautions’ in order to minimise the risk of fire.

A ‘responsible person’ must be named in order and have the duty to ensure the safety of employees and ‘all relevant persons who are not employees’, i.e. the children, any contractors or agency staff, or other general visitors on site.

NOMINATED PERSONS In the case of a school, the ‘responsible person’ could be someone within the local authority for state maintained schools, the person who has control of the premises (e.g. a caretaker or health and safety manager), the head teacher, or a nominated deputy. It would be their duty to ensure that all fire risk assessments are carried out, regularly reviewed (and up‑to‑date), that the maintenance of the fire safety equipment and alarm system is routinely carried out, and to schedule routine testing of all equipment pertaining to fire safety.

A paper produced by the government entitled Fire Safety Risk Assessment – Educational Premises highlights the need to identify high-risk individuals, and to ‘inform students of the relevant risks to them’, as well as provide them with ‘information about who are the nominated competent persons’ and the fire safety procedures. Whilst many schools are highly efficient at ensuring their pupils understand what to do in the event of an alarm, they perhaps may not highlight to staff and children the cost of false alarms.

The Chief Fire Officer’s Association (CFOA), in combination with the FIA, highlighted the impact of unwanted fire signals. The publication, ‘Reduction of Unwanted False Alarms 2010’, states that unwanted fire signals divert ‘essential services from emergencies, putting life and property at risk’, are ‘a drain on public finances’, and are a ‘disruption to training

Written by Catherine Nelms, the Fire Industry Association

Fire safety in schools: more complex than you think of operational personnel’. In the period between December 2014 and March of 2015, Fire and Rescue Services in Glasgow attended premises with false alarms 1,908 times – an outstanding average of 119 times per week. Figures for other cities across the UK are the same or even worse than this.

Additionally, on a more school‑based level, there are further impacts for false alarms. The FIA spoke with a number of teachers to gain further insight into the consequences of false alarms. Jason Pickett, a Year 6 teacher from Berkshire noted that false alarms ‘cause disruption to lessons’ and can also cause teachers to ‘lose preparation time’.

When it comes to false alarms, it’s all a matter of education. If the bright young ones of the school discover that pressing a fire alarm button (technically known as a manual call point or MCP) equals ‘out of lessons excitement’ as Pickett put it, then there are two strategies you can try. First, educate everyone about the dangers of false alarms. Second, install covers over the manual call point to avoid damage or deliberate activation in the case of a non-fire. A localised ‘squawk alarm’ can also be put in place as a second deterrent, so that when the cover is lifted, a sound is created specific to that call point.

In that instance, teachers can react, preventing the fire alarm from being activated and give appropriate discipline to the child activating the alarm for the fun of getting out of class. E

A robust risk ass fire should essment fire haz identify help to ards and mini the fire mise risk

Volume 21.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

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HEALTH & SAFETY  CORRECT INSTALLATION However, false alarms are not just a result of deliberate or malicious activation.

New research from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in conjunction with the FIA has shown that detectors can activate from faults if they are not correctly installed or maintained, or even from dust or steam.

At this precise moment in time, it is unclear as to whether the age of the detector is a factor in the creation of false alarms from malfunctions, but some European Union countries such as Austria and Germany recommend replacing smoke detectors every eight years.

Certainly a study by Kings College London reported that old detectors were responsible for 4.9 per cent of false alarms. Additionally, government statistics for 2013‑14 reported that the alarm failed to operate altogether in 13 per cent of fires in the United Kingdom (equating to an actual figure of 2,600 fires nationwide), and this could also be a result of poorly maintained equipment.

Therefore it is the FIA’s recommendation that all equipment pertaining to fire safety be routinely checked for faults in order to safeguard everyone in the building. Certainly the CFOA has stated that ‘a fire alarm and fire detection system is unlikely to be reliable or effective if it has not been designed, installed, commissioned and maintained by trained and competent person(s). Many fire detection systems are complex and [the school] should ensure that the company they employ to carry out the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of their fire alarm system can demonstrate competency.’

Ideally this should be through third party certification. Fortunately there is a simple way to check: look for the FIA symbol on the company’s literature and website. This is a recognised quality standard within the industry

and ensures that the company’s training is up-to-date and they will have the requisite knowledge to service the fire safety equipment and advise as necessary, as all members of the FIA have third party certification.

ROBUST RISK ASSESSMENTS However, it must also be stressed that the risk of fire can be minimised by the use of a robust risk assessment. In line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a risk assessment ‘must be reviewed by the responsible person so as to keep it up to date’ and particularly if ‘there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid’ or ‘there has been significant change in the matters to which it relates including when the premises, special, technical

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be kept closed, so remind children and staff not to prop them open. If doors must be kept open, use a fire door retainer. Dorgard is a device that keeps doors open, but closes the fire door on the sound of the alarm, helping to stop the spread of the fire. As these are sound activated, they can be highly effective, but they will only close the door after the sound of the alarm has rung for 14 seconds or more, so there shouldn’t be a problem with the door closing when the school bell rings after each lesson or at break time.

Again, these should ideally be supplied and fitted by a competent individual or company, so do check for third party certification where possible via the FIA symbol.

There are many other ways to minimise fire risk through passive fire protection, such as

New research from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in conjunction with the FIA has shown that detectors can activate from faults if they are not correctly installed or maintained, or even from dust or steam and organisational measures, or organisation of work undergo significant changes, extensions, or conversions’. Essentially a risk assessment is a legal requirement and must be reviewed on a regular schedule, and additionally when changes around the school building occur – such as when new school buildings are erected, repaired, or converted – for example if classrooms are changed into IT suites or given any other purpose.

A robust fire risk assessment should identify fire hazards and help to minimise the fire risk. However, there are a number of things to remember around schools: fire doors must

reconsidering the use of (highly flammable!) paper display boards in corridors; the use of multi‑sensor detectors; fire-proof paint (layer upon layer of paint in the corridors of old school buildings can actually be extremely flammable – consider this carefully when redecorating the school); fire-proof fabrics and carpets; and ensuring that fire doors contain an intumescent smoke seal to prevent smoke escaping through the cracks around the door. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.fia.uk.com

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Security Written by James Kelly, British Security Industry Association

Well Educated Banking www.lloydstsb.com/ schoolbanking

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SURVEILLANCE

Monitoring the importance of school CCTV

With the use of CCTV in schools a hot topic, James Kelly, chief executive of the British Security Industry Association, explores how new smarter security systems are making schools safer As funding becomes more scarce, the utilisation of funding to protect schools is extremely important, and those in education must look towards using smarter technology to achieve more for less money.

The importance of having a watchful eye over all areas of a campus cannot be understated in these turbulent times. Making sure that your CCTV system is up to date and integrated with the rest of your security equipment is extremely important, not only to the security of the school but also for general day to day operations.

The London borough of Barnet is one the latest to introduce CCTV cameras to its schools. The reasoning behind it is not vandalism or violence but rather parking. Barnet has placed the camera in and around the schools to prevent traffic congestion and increase road safety.

The cameras include automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and an analytics function to spot cars that spend far too long in a spot where they cause an obstacle, raising an alert that is then recorded into the system.

The evidence is then transmitted back to the council. The system is intended as a warning to people driving carelessly or parking on yellow zig-zag markings while dropping off or picking up their children from the schools.

The cameras will be situated at points where they can also spot cars making illegal U-turns, blocking yellow box junctions, and defying ‘no entry’ signs. This simple but effective use of CCTV is proof that it can play many roles in benefiting schools.

nal Traditio tems s CCTV syxibility lack fle to restrict d and ten nsumer to the co le product g one sin ufacturer man

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ACKNOWLEDGING THE BENEFITS While the move to internet protocol systems may have been sluggish, given the recognition of the practical and financial benefits, it has become very much the norm for surveillance, with the roll‑out of even more ambitious, intelligent and powerful solutions. One of the crucial real‑world advances that IP CCTV offers is the capability for locations, whatever their size, to see the ‘bigger picture’ for the security and safety of their operations, by incorporating different CCTV elements across a school or even from numerous campuses.

But the benefits to be gained through moving to IP video are not just those of scalability; HD (high definition) video, could not be attained traditionally through the use of analogue cameras, and in many cases, typical definition IP video systems did not offer a adequately strong tangible advantage over their more successful, low light sensitive CCD (charged coupled device) based analogue counterparts – in order to encourage a shift in technology.

The responsibility to manage the strain placed on the networks have been brought into focus, even more so with the advent of HD CCTV, which is offering a better level of detail in high risk areas and by its very nature, if not managed correctly may inflict challenging burdens on a networked solution. This may look to

call for investment in greater bandwidth capacity. Thankfully, this is not necessarily the case and this issue can be readily addressed by taking a look at where high resolution evidential quality images are stored, and then using methods such as transcoding to distribute lower resolution footage on demand. The above‑mentioned situation is becoming a reality today, as open platform network electronic systems develop to the point of exceeding outdated individual proprietary electronic security devices.

Freed from the restrictions of old-fashioned CCTV technology, a network‑based system can be customised with a variety of devices from different manufacturers and can be expanded or upgraded either system‑wide or one camera at a time.

There are IP CCTV products suitable for installations of all scopes. The versatile technological mix of the most up‑to‑date and robust components, with no need for hardwiring, provides a very economical solution.

IP CCTV systems enable installations that are flexible and scalable with the ability for growth, changes and additions.

IP CCTV can ensure maximum security and a future‑proof investment.

IP CCTV gives a big increase to upgraded CCTV system functions and operations, offering an increased level of identity verification, encryption and credentialing. Smart card and biometric technologies in conjunction with CCTV strengthen the verification factors.

Security

With impressive advances in technology it is imperative that schools utilise this technology to their benefit, as keeping a school safe through CCTV is extremely beneficial and cost saving Traditional proprietary CCTV systems come with limitations, require costly cabling and restrict system incorporation. Using open interface IP CCTV, the common and uniform digital environment has the potential to create numerous opportunities to integrate not only video but intrusion detection and a host of other systems such as building management, HR systems, perimeter control, fire detection, etc.

SHARING DATA In addition to system interoperability, what most consumers are asking for is simple database data exchange.

There is the huge demand for connection of data from intrusion alarms, video surveillance, card access, visitor administration, asset tracking and other systems to share data and intelligence across an existing network infrastructure.

Driving bigger business and revenue is proof that the industry is no longer being held back by the history of a CCTV system that is reliant on having each device hardwired into one central unit.

An IP CCTV system streamlines the entire

process. Using IP, one controller for each camera is connected to the local network through a regular network switch. The PoE (Power over Ethernet) supported link at each camera eliminates the need for separate power cables for the cameras.

The cost of additional IP-based CCTV systems on the network is far less than the several serial networks required when cabling back to a central unit. In addition, support for uninterruptible power supply makes it possible to avoid needing a battery back-up for camera equipment. Traditional CCTV systems lack flexibility and tend to restrict the consumer to one single product manufacturer. When expanding traditional CCTV systems, the process is complicated and expensive. An IP CCTV system can be a mix of the best equipment available from a variety of vendors. Overall, an IP CCTV system is easier to install.

The joint technologies efficiently stream live video to multiple users at once and enable operators to monitor entry of personnel to schools in real time. Improved functions such as facial recognition are accessible and controllable

from anywhere with an internet connection and include advanced deployment tools such as auto‑discovery and provisioning.

Audio/visual identification and remote entry control is possible for both small installations and demanding enterprise systems.

Additional features are that an IP CCTV system amplifies security and capability to respond to cases while leveraging the existing network for integrated security functionalities and support for third-party devices.

Having standard network topology that aligns with the IT industry is really beneficial in the new network security world. A united solution that looks and feels the same across all security devices and hardware contributes significantly to ease system administration. System management is made from any computer in the network, and the structure allows for the remote control of system devices and remote interactive monitoring of facilities.

Looking ahead, there is little doubt that IP video surveillance is now very much at the front when it comes to the delivery of CCTV, with its growth prompting a much better consideration of the best practice measures that need to be adopted in order to continue broadening the scope and the potential of this technology. With these impressive advances in technology it is imperative that schools utilise this technology to their benefit. Keeping a school safe through CCTV is extremely beneficial and cost saving.

Relying on the expertise and advice of quality security providers is essential to ensure the longevity and reliability of a system and provides a better long-term return on investment. Members of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) meet strict quality criteria and have a wealth of experience in the planning, design, installation, operation and maintenance of CCTV solutions. L

The British Security Industry Association is the trade association for the private security industry in the UK. Our members provide over 70 per cent of UK security products and services and adhere to strict quality standards.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.bsia.co.uk

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SCHOOL RESTRUCTURING

Written by CIPFA

Finance

Sponsored by

Restructuring in schools Following the recent Budget focus on academy conversions, CIPFA explore the benefits that can accrue from schools restructuring together with some key factors for ensuring a successful outcome Schools are experiencing turbulent times.

They are balancing tight finances with pressures to deliver improved educational outcomes whilst often having difficulties in recruiting teachers. At the same time, the overall structure of the sector is changing.

The government has set out its intention to phase out the role of local government in running schools as all remaining maintained schools will convert to academy status and anticipates that the majority will be in multi‑academy trusts (MATs).

As a result, many maintained schools and academies will be, or are already, looking at ways to reposition themselves by restructuring in order to address current and future challenges. Some examples of restructuring include mergers between single academy trusts, a single academy trust joining an existing MAT or through a maintained school converting to a new MAT. However, in looking at options, academy trusts and maintained schools must

always discharge their public sector equality duty – a proposed change must be in the best interests of children and young people.

SPOTTING POTENTIAL SAVINGS A motivation to restructure might be strategic. It may be possible to increase money allocated to educational provision by taking advantage of economies of scale – to merge back office functions and reduce costs accordingly. Examples of areas for potential savings include leadership, governance, finance systems and function and the costs of supplies and services.

Schools’ costs are rising owing to increases in pension and national insurance contributions and the apprenticeship levy. There is also continued pressure on teacher recruitment.

A MAT might be able to provide greater opportunities for its staff – enhanced career progression as well as having an improved ability to attract and retain well qualified and experienced teachers. A MAT might therefore have more scope to improve its outcomes for a greater number of pupils and to maintain or enhance its schools’ position in league tables. A MAT might be able to employ important non – teaching staff such as a finance director or HR professional thereby improving its financial and HR management.

’ Schoolsising er costs ar increases o owing tnsion and in pe insurance l nationa utions and contrib renticeship the applevy

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

A MAT could be structured around secondary and primary feeder schools in which case an improved, smoother, transition from primary to secondary level may assist educational attainment. It may also help in building capacity for growth opportunities through economies of scale which could assist in further protecting and enhancing the educational provision of the trust.

A MAT might be able to help in enhancing educational provision through other means. For example, good practice can be shared more easily.

A MAT may be able to maintain course provision or deliver greater educational opportunities through providing a wider range of subject areas and having greater access to specialist teaching skills. The pupils may have greater access to better or different facilities at another site.

A further motivation for restructuring might be economic. For example, the costs associated with maintaining a single academy might be too high and a merger might be a sensible course of action.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS There are major factors that are critical to achieving a successful restructure and some key considerations are summarised below.

It is essential that academy trusts and maintained schools are clear about the vision for the MAT and how it fits with their

objectives. Outcomes focussing on pupils should be defined and agreed. A clear strategy setting out how those outcomes will be achieved will also be required.

Strong leadership and good governance is paramount. Senior staff leading the proposed restructure will need to ensure that requirements set out by the DfE are adhered to and that there is the capacity to manage and implement changes.

Stakeholders will need to be informed regarding how the process is to be supported and reassured that staff will be able to continue to focus on teaching.

Legal advice regarding the proposed structure for the MAT may be required. This should be considered early in the timetable.

How the proposed change will affect the governing documents of the trust should also be considered well in advance. Early consideration for the construction and membership of the trust board and local governing body, where appropriate, in order to provide for effective oversight and accountability is key. Senior management roles should also be considered.

Appropriate training should be provided for trustees and local governing body members to ensure that they understand how the governance structure has changed and the requirements of their new role.

The right partner will have compatible ethos and values. It is essential that the right partners are sought. Being in close proximity makes it easier to share teaching resources, facilities and build on strengths.

However, shared values and a similar approach to learning will help ensure that the MAT can operate effectively.

Due diligence is a process by which a party enquires into the activities of its prospective partner in order to ascertain as much as possible about its strengths and weaknesses prior to the proposal taking effect. It should identify material issues – financial, educational and otherwise – which the partner should be aware of.

It could result in the process not proceeding where weaknesses are so significant that they represent a major deal breaker. It is therefore helpful if, early on in negotiations, each partner identifies all its own weaknesses and strengths for its prospective partner so time is not wasted later on.

The process will look in detail at specific areas, for example educational performance, attendance record, financial health and the condition of the estate.

It will also identify issues which will need to be resolved such as the potential for duplication of roles.

Effective, clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders is crucial. This includes staff, parents, learners, trustees and the wider community. Where a consultation process is required, all stakeholder groups should be consulted within a reasonable timescale to maximise feedback

and to gauge support for the proposal. A feedback mechanism will be required to show how views are to be taken into account KEEPING ACCOUNT Decision makers will require clear recommendations regarding the way forward and should be allowed sufficient time to consider and debate the advantages and disadvantages of the proposal, together with the actions required if it does not go ahead. Decisions should be clearly recorded. Once approval for the restructure has been given, operational planning for implementation can commence.

A clear project plan should be established, setting out a timeline for deliverables, and adhered to.

Risks associated with the change need to be identified and managed effectively.

Business and support systems will need to be carefully planned and developed ensuring that they focus on the needs of the new MAT and its information requirements. How the accounting systems/chart of accounts

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will operate together with a realistic plan for implementation will need to be taken into account. There will be a need for consistent and coherent management reporting. A joint financial forecast will need to be drawn up.

Any funding mechanism implications will need to be considered. MATs are able to pool a proportion of the budget from each of their academies in order to fund back office functions such as finance and HR (top‑slicing). MATs can also choose to vary the budget they devolve to each school in order to address specific needs. Arrangements for managing any top-sliced elements or cost shares should be agreed in advance.

It is also good practice for the trustees to consider the impact of the change at regular intervals to ensure that the defined outcomes have been achieved or are proceeding satisfactorily. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.cipfa.org

Academy trusts and maintained schools must always discharge their public sector equality duty – a proposed change must be in the best interests of children and young people

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Finance Written by Dr Nick Kirby, Pensions Officer, National Union of Teachers

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TEACHER PENSIONS

Knowing where you stand with your pension Planning for retirement can be stressful, so understanding your pension scheme should be far from a worry. Dr Nick Kirby, NUT pensions officer, outlines the current pensions landscape for teachers It’s been a hectic few years for the National Union of Teachers (NUT) on pensions.

There was significant industrial action over the government’s changes to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS). However, the government’s changes to the TPS came into force in April 2015. Around 70 per cent of teachers were immediately transferred into the new career average arrangements.

The new scheme is based on a career average arrangement with teachers getting 1/57 of their pensionable earnings each year, revalued to retirement at CPI + 1.6 per cent while they remain in service.

Out-of service teachers who do not return within five years just get CPI indexation.

The new scheme links normal pension age (NPA) – the age at which teachers can get their pension rights in full – to state pension age. Teachers born on or after 6 April 1978 face a pension age of 68. If the state pension age goes up in future then the NPA goes up too. The state pension age has to be reviewed every six years, with the first review due by May 2017. The NUT believes that young teachers now could easily have to work into their seventies.

Average employee contributions increased from 6.4 per cent before April 2012 to 9.6 per cent in April 2014. The government amended the contribution structure in April 2015 to a six-tier system, but with the average contribution still at 9.6 per cent.

This structure (excepting index-linking for the bands) should remain the same until April 2019. Contributions are now paid on a member’s actual salary (rather than FTE).

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This is a gain for part-time employees, the majority of whom are women. The NUT argued for this change in discussions with the Department for Education (DfE).

The NUT continues to oppose these changes as they will lead to our members paying more, working longer and getting less in retirement. But we also oppose the changes because of the way they were carried out. The 2006 agreement with the government contained a cost sharing mechanism with an employer cost ceiling of 14 per cent. It was agreed that if costs rose due to demographic pressures then teachers would pay more. However the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition broke that agreement and did not conduct the 2008 TPS actuarial valuation. Our actuarial work indicates the numbers would not have justified the changes made. In our view it was a tax on public sector workers to pay for the costs of the recession.

The NUT is extremely concerned that the increase in teachers’ pension contributions and public sector pay restraint will feed through into an increasing number of opt outs. Opt-outs have increased in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, we think because of the increase in employee contribution rates between 2012 and 2014. The vast majority of teachers (including those in academies) are automatically enrolled into the TPS. The NUT supports automatic enrolment as it is ‘soft compulsion’ for teachers to save for their future.

But there are clear pressures on teachers to opt out, especially young teachers looking to get on the housing ladder. On each extra pound a newly qualified teacher earns they have to pay income tax (20 per cent), National Insurance (12 per cent), student loan repayments (nine per cent) and pension contributions (either 7.4 or 8.6 per cent). Their marginal ‘tax’ rate is almost 50 per cent, and the only aspect that can be avoided is the pension contribution. The NUT’s clear advice is to stay in the scheme but we understand the concerns of those who opt out.

s Opt‑out have n ed i increas and 2014‑15ue to the ,d 2015‑16 in employee e increas ibution rates contr 12 and in 20 4 201

TRANSITIONAL PROTECTION Around 20 per cent of members (those who were within 10 years of their scheme’s normal pension age on 1 April 2012) have full transitional protection and 70 per cent stay in the final salary scheme until retirement.

The remaining 10 per cent have some transitional protection but will be shifted into career average over the next six years.

PENSION INCREASES Teacher pensioners face a pension freeze this year. The pension increase for April is based on last September’s CPI increase,

which was minus 0.1 per cent. Under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 there can’t be a cut to pensions in payment.

The career average section revalues pension rights for serving at CPI plus 1.6 per cent a year. Unlike the position for pensioners, Public Service Pensions Act 2013 means that a negative inflation figure can be used for indexation of accrued rights. This means in-service members will get their career average rights increased by 1.5 per cent.

Career average pension increases in the Civil Service and Local Government Pension Scheme are linked directly to CPI, so face a cut to their accrued pension rights in April.

END OF PAPER BENEFIT STATEMENTS Amidst the upheaval, Teachers’ Pensions have chosen to stop issuing paper benefit statements in 2016. A career average pension scheme is built on clear record keeping.

The growing fragmentation of the school system means a growing number of small employers, and more changes of employer for teachers over their careers. These are perfect conditions for mistakes to be made.

The NUT believes that it would have been sensible to allow the new career average system time to bed in.

Teachers’ Pensions and the DfE think that the absence of paper statements will act as a driver for members to register with TP’s ‘MyPensionsOnline’ service. This is a ‘heroic’ assumption, which presumes a higher level of member engagement with pensions than is in fact the case.

Unfortunately just 400,000 of the 1.8 million members of the TPS (roughly equally split between active members, deferred members and pensioners) currently have a ‘MyPensionOnline’ account.

While we recognise the advantages of online in terms of efficiency and cost, this is far too low a percentage to base a move away from paper statements.

Many members will simply not notice that they aren’t receiving their annual benefit statement and will let matters slide. The NUT is encouraging members to keep their P60s for future reference – they may need them.

(and everyone else for that matter) don’t know what’s going on. Publicity has been lacking for such a fundamental reform.

PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT Planning for retirement will become a more complex issue in the future. In the past, teachers had a normal pension age of 60 and strategies were geared towards this date. Some teachers even bought Past Added Years (remember them) to make sure they had a full pension.

Things have changed. Most teachers retiring now still have a pension age of 60. The question is whether they can work to 60. Teachers are now working almost 60 hours a week on average. In the NUT’s view much of this excess workload is pointless data-gathering to cover senior management in the event of an Ofsted inspection. Anecdotally, older teachers are targeted by senior management for capability proceedings because they are more expensive and don’t meekly accept that current praxis is the only way to teach.

Many teachers are leaving between 55 and 60 on actuarially reduced terms.

The 2015 pension reforms don’t change the pension constraints in the short-term because of transitional protection. As time passes, and

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teachers have less final salary service and more career average scheme membership (with a normal pension age equal to state pension age) then there will be a need for teachers to work longer. The increase in the state pension age means teachers will increasingly not be able to retire earlier.

Teachers may have to work longer, they may want to work longer, the question is whether they will be allowed to work longer.

Employers and the government will have to recognise the value of older teachers. In some cases, especially early years settings, teaching is a profession with significant physical demands. If older teachers are being targeted now in their 50s what will the situation be like when teachers are looking to routinely work well into their 60s.

We fear the future is one where older teachers are watching the clock, balancing the actuarial reduction on their occupational pension (linked to a rapidly-increasing state pension age) and working out when they can afford to retire. We see few signs that in practice the government and employers are prepared to manage an ageing workforce. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.teachers.org.uk/ pay‑pensions-conditions

Planning for retirement will become a more complex issue in the future. Most teachers retiring now still have a pension age of 60.

The question is whether they can work to 60...

NEW STATE PENSION The new state pension is being introduced from April 2016. Part of the problem is that the new state pension was sold by the last government and parts of the media as the nearest thing to free money. This of course isn’t correct – it was always designed to be revenue neutral.

Teachers are among the likely gainers from the new state pension as they were previously contracted out. This is despite the 1.4 per cent increase in employee National Insurance Contributions from this April. The transitional arrangements for the new pension – to start people on the higher of their rights under the old and new systems – are fair. But bluntly most teachers

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Pupil Premium Written by Sir Kevan Collins, chief executive, Education Endowment Foundation

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SPENDING

Remaining accountable for what you spend Amid the controversy of the new ‘Excellence Everywhere’ white paper, Sir Kevan Collins, chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, looks at the success and potential of pupil premium and the need for collaboration and accountability Since I started teaching in the 1980s, 15 education ministers ago, one of the biggest changes has been the increase in the autonomy of schools. Heads today have much more freedom to decide what is taught in their school and how their budgets are spent than they did back then, a move that has proved popular with teachers, parents and policymakers alike. Rightly so: no one is better placed to decide what will work in a particular classroom and for particular pupils than teachers and school leaders.

Pupil premium funding, introduced by the Coalition government in 2011 to improve the academic performance of the poorest pupils, is an important example of this increased autonomy. Compared to previous funding for disadvantaged pupils, it is unique in that it is linked to individual students. Primaries, secondaries and now early years settings all receive additional funding for every one of their pupils eligible for free schools meals. Crucially, it is up to them to decide how best to use it.

Not only has the pupil premium enabled a much-needed focus on improving results for the poorest pupils, it has also allowed schools to spend money addressing the specific needs of individual pupils, whether they might be struggling to read, need extra help with maths or to stretch them well above the expected standard. Giving schools the freedom to

decide how they spend their pupil premium has allowed innovation to flourish in English schools, something that is absolutely essential if we are to find ways to improve the quality of education on offer at a time of decreased budgets and tightened belts.

THE COST OF INDEPENDENCE At the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), the organisation I lead, we are lucky enough to see first-hand how heads and teachers across the country are responding to the freedom the pupil premium has given them: some by integrating technology into their lessons, others by adopting new ways of engaging parents or adapting the curriculum in extraordinarily diverse ways. But increased independence has its costs: yes, it can drive innovation and enable schools to respond to the precise needs of their students and their families, but it can also lead to isolation, and a patchy system where quality of provision varies dramatically from school to school. Many schools are using their pupil premium funding in evidenced-based ways that improve results and the life chances for their poorest pupils; but some are not as successful and too much spending goes on approaches that are unlikely to shift the dial in terms of better outcomes.

Inconsistency means it can be difficult to judge whether the pupil premium policy has been a success at a national level. For its detractors, it is all too easy to point to GCSE results, where the attainment gap between pupils eligible for free school meals and

stency Inconsi it can means to judge cult be diffi er the pupil wheth policy has m premiu success at been a tional a na l leve

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their better-off peers has been stubbornly difficult to shift. But there are many signs of promise. The latest figures from the Department for Education shows that at primary level, the gap is closing and more and more disadvantaged children are starting secondary school with good levels in English and maths. In the North East last year, for instance, there were over a hundred primary schools (about 1-in-8) where the attainment of pupils eligible for free school meals exceeded the national average for all pupils.

EXCELLENCE EVERYWHERE So how can we achieve ‘Excellence Everywhere’ (to borrow the title of the new White Paper) across an increasingly autonomous system?

It is important that schools are transparent about how they are spending their pupil premium funding and accountable for doing so in ways that improve results. The government recognises this and there is an expectation from Ofsted that schools develop clear policies for their disadvantaged pupils. School inspections, quite rightly, now look closely at the results for these pupils and failure to do enough for pupil premium pupils in an otherwise high-attaining school has led to some losing their ‘outstanding’ status. And the way schools are asked to report on their pupil premium spend is also being revised, to encourage schools to more critically analyse the problems they are aiming to address with their spending decisions.

At the EEF, we believe that evidence of ‘what works’ is the key to unlocking autonomy’s potential and creating a consistently excellent, school-led system. For school leaders, one of the responsibilities that comes with

increased independence is judging different programmes and teaching strategies to decide what will work best in their context.

How can we know for sure which will have the biggest impact on pupil outcomes? We can’t, of course, but using evidence of what has worked in the past can certainly help in deciding what is likely to work in the future.

Since 2011, the EEF has funded rigorous evaluations of over 100 different programmes involving one in four schools in the country, all with the aim of building the evidence base of what works. All our findings are reported in full and in public so that schools, governors and policymakers can make use of the findings as they plan their own activity.

And of course identifying which programmes don’t work is as valuable as finding out those which do – particularly when ineffective interventions are widespread in schools and the money would be better spent elsewhere.

All these feed into our Teaching and Learning Toolkit, an accessible guide summarising international evidence on the most cost effective programmes and practices, that is now used by two thirds of all school leaders. For those who feel overwhelmed by competing claims on what is and is not

effective, the Toolkit should be their first port of call on the evidence journey.

A SHARED PURPOSE Of course it would be foolish to try and look for a one-size-fits-all solution, but it is perhaps too easy to forget that every school in the country works with the same shared purpose: improving educational opportunities for all. When schools implement changes that are successful, there needs to be a continuing effort to secure and spread change through collaboration.

After all, effective innovation doesn’t start from a blank page, it starts from looking at how others have attempted to tackle similar problems before.

This is why we launched the ‘Families of Schools’ database last year. Covering primary and secondary schools in England, it groups similar schools together on factors including prior attainment, percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals and the number of children who speak English as an additional language.

For the first time, it has allowed schools to understand the size and nature of their attainment gap in relation to

Not only has the pupil premium enabled a much-needed focus on improving results for the poorest pupils, it has also allowed schools to spend money addressing the specific needs of individual pupils

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other similar institutions and to learn from the best-performing schools in their family that have similar challenges.

There should be incentives for collaboration too. Last year the government awarded Pupil Premium Awards to over 600 schools, including prizes of £250,000 for national winners and £100,000 for regional winners.

We would like to see further incentives for the most effective schools to spread their support and guidance to others who need it.

As every school moves towards academy status by 2020, the principles of successful autonomy will become even more pertinent.

In multi-academy trusts and chains, you have ready-made ‘families’ with existing mechanisms for sharing best-practice.

And to help make sure that all academies within a network are providing great opportunities for their disadvantaged pupils, leaders can develop clear, evidence‑based policies on how the pupil premium should be spent and professional development opportunities for their staff to support those decisions.

Spending your way to success is never simple. Although we are some way from breaking the shameful link between family income and educational attainment, embedding evidence in school decision‑making and sharing best practice are valuable allies in ensuring pupil premium funding gives all young people the opportunities they deserve. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.educationendowment foundation.org.uk

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MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

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Plugging in to the potential of mobile technology

Despite some conflicting opinions, technology seems destined to play an increasingly prominent role in the classroom. Education Business examines the role of mobile technology and how schools can fully harness its potential A recent Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report deemed that schools across the developed world have failed to ‘take advantage’ of the potential of technology in the classroom. The report, entitled ‘Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection’, was the first of its kind to provide an internationally comparative analysis of the digital skills that students have acquired and of the learning environments designed to develop these skills.

According to the OECD’s analysis, 96 per cent of 15 year-olds in OECD countries had a computer at home as of 2012, while only 72 per cent reported to use a desktop, laptop or tablet at school.

The report found that students who use computers moderately at school tended to have better learning outcomes than students who rarely used them, but the worrying discovery was that students who use computers ‘very frequently’ at school do much worse, even after accounting for social background and student demographics.

While this could be seen as damning proof that technology does not have the capability

to improve educational outcomes, and instead provides a platform for students to be become distracted from learning, Andreas Schleicher, OECD director for education and skills, concluded that schools systems ‘need to find more effective ways to integrate technology into teaching and learning’.

According to Schleicher, educators need to be provided with learning environments that ‘support 21st century pedagogies’ and can provide children with the skills they need to succeed in ‘tomorrow’s world’.

While the OECD’s research highlights failings in the implementation of technology, the social shift towards an increasingly connected world means that it can not simply be discredited as ‘not suitable’ for the classroom and must instead be better utilised to support students’ learning, while simultaneously developing their digital skills.

Schleicher commented: “Technology is the only way to dramatically expand access to knowledge. To deliver on the

Studen who us ts comput e ers modera t e l y at tended to have school learning be outcom tter than s es who rartudents ely u them sed

promises technology holds, countries need to invest more effectively and ensure that teachers are at the forefront of designing and implementing this change.”

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY Techknowledge for Schools, formerly ‘Tablets for Schools’, was set up in 2011 to monitor the adoption of mobile technology in UK schools. Techknowledge for Schools believes that technology can be used as a tool to encourage children to take a more active approach to their education allowing them to personalise their experience and equipping them for a ‘digital future’. It has conducted extensive research into the barriers to adoption and implementation of technology in schools, with a specific focus on mobile technology and 1:1 provision.

The OECD report highlighted that, while desktop computers remained the most common form of computers in schools in 2012, the share of students with access to mobile devices is increasing, with 43 per cent of students, on average, having access to laptops at school, and 11 per cent having access to tablets.

The report notes that laptop and tablet computers offer ‘greater flexibility’ to teachers and students, and Techknowledge for Schools E

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MOBILE TECHNOLOGY  suggests that mobile technology can hold the key to creating equal opportunities for all pupils, giving them access to the best teaching the world, no matter their background.

Techknowledge for Schools acknowledges that the adoption of mobile technology can be ‘risky for schools’, but, when implemented effectively, can facilitate a bespoke learning experience to enhance students’ learning.

1:1 PROVISION A large portion of Techknowledge for Schools’ research has been based on the provision of 1:1 mobile devices in the classroom.

A research summary covering findings from the last four years argues that 1:1 technology enables pupils to be more creative, independent and collaborative.

Pupils interviewed by Techknowledge for Schools displayed greater motivation and interest in schoolwork when using 1:1 mobile technology, with pupils expressing satisfaction with learning and taking pleasure in the interactive nature of tablets.

Honywood was Techknowledge for Schools’ original research school, being one of the first in the UK to introduce 1:1 mobile devices.

Research from 2013 showed that 87 per cent of students at Honywood found learning easier because of their tablets, while 72 per cent felt that their work had improved as a result of using 1:1 mobile technology.

Pupils felt that using tablets would have a direct impact on their academic achievement, with 68 per cent believing their grades would be improved.

Tablets were also found to greatly improve independent learning, with 100 per cent of pupils reporting that their tablets helped them to do research for school work, and 88 per cent reporting that tablets enabled them to work at their own pace and not worry if others are working faster or slower than them in lessons.

Additionally, 92 per cent also felt that working on tablets helped them to share their work with others in lessons.

Techknowledge for Schools stresses the importance of extra freedom granted to pupils by the use of personal mobile technology, as it allows them to conduct their own individual research.

This is a benefit for teachers as they do not have to book resources in advance, and also facilitates more opportunities for pupil-led learning.

There are also benefits for children with behavioural problems, as Techknowledge for Schools has found the use of mobile technology made them more motivated to work.

Additionally, tablets have been found to benefit pupils with special educational needs (SEN). The intuitive nature of a touch screen interface helps SEN pupils to engage better with learning, and a wide range of applications are available specifically designed to support SEN pupils, which can

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Schools must ensure they have sufficient Wi-Fi coverage at the planning stage to avoid technical issues and costly improvements after mobile devices have already been rolled out be used on a more regular basis when a pupil has their own personal device.

SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION Techknowledge for Schools has outlined a number requirements to successfully implement mobile technology in the classroom. The first is support. The educational charity highlights that the adoption of tablets is not always an easy process, and so the drive and determination of school leaders is important to facilitate the change needed for support staff to

successfully implement the technology.

Following on from this, it is important to engage teachers in the process from the start. The research has shown that teachers become more enthusiastic about the adoption of mobile technology as they begin to understand the full potential, so supporting this understanding from an early stage is vital. The majority of schools interviewed by Techknowledge for Schools stressed that the need for teacher training cannot be overstated.

Another important consideration is IT infrastructure. Schools must ensure they have E

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MOBILE TECHNOLOGY

The adoption of mobile technology can be ‘risky for schools’, but, when implemented effectively, can facilitate a bespoke learning experience to enhance students’ learning

 sufficient Wi-Fi coverage at the planning stage to avoid technical issues and costly improvements after mobile devices have already been rolled out. Each school involved in Techknowledge for Schools’ research had to invest in improvements to technology infrastructure to ensure that the bandwidth could cope with the increased demand.

Schools should also consider breakages to the technology. Robust covers can be a good way of extended the lifetime of mobile technology and protecting it for accidental damage. Techknowledge for Schools also suggests that schools consider the possibility of having a repair centre close at hand, possibly within the school.

Schools may also consider insurance plans, although these can prove to be costly and many schools do manage without.

Involving parents from an early stage can also be essential to successful implementation.

Parents were involved in over 60 focus groups organised by Techknowledge for Schools and voiced concerns over costs and security.

Some felt that if their children had their own tablets to work on, it would mean they never get a chance to switch off of school work. The charity takes these concerns seriously and advised that schools should encourage parents to impose limitations on their children’s mobile technology use at home, to ensure they have suitable ‘down time’. Providing training and information can also help to engage parents with the process, making the introduction of mobile technology a much smoother process

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BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION Online safety has been highlighted as a key concern for parents. The roll out of personal devices gives pupils more time in contact with the internet and makes it harder for teachers and parents to monitor this activity, which could result in pupils being more vulnerable online and more likely to view content that isn’t age appropriate.

Interviews with over 7,000 children and young people aged between seven and 18 in 2015 found that 50 per cent of primary pupils and 70 per cent of secondary pupils are taking internet enabled devices to bed with them. In addition to this, 34 per cent of primary and 40 per cent of secondary pupils admitted to sometimes feeling ‘addicted’ to the Internet.

Additionally, 48 per cent of 11-12 year olds admitted to feeling distracted by other things on their mobile device while doing their homework. This increased with age, with 67 per cent of 16-18 years olds saying they felt distracted.

This gives further credence to the advice that parents should set limits on the time children can spend on connected devices. While increased use of mobile devices in schools could further compound these issues, Techknowledge for Schools’ research did find that 87 per cent of secondary E

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MOBILE TECHNOLOGY  and 81 per cent of primary students said that their schools had blocks on certain websites, including domains or apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

93 per cent of secondary and 89 per cent of primary students also said that their schools talk to them about being safe online. In fact, 51 per cent of secondary pupils and 60 per cent of primary pupils felt that using a tablet or other device at schools every day made them more aware of using the internet safely.

Besides safety, the other biggest barrier to adoption is financial concerns. Having questioned 21 schools that had adopted 1:1 mobile devices, the research found that 80 per cent had incurred additional IT costs, which covered things such as additional IT staff, upgrades to wireless access, storage and charging facilities and mobile device management systems. In addition to this, 53 per cent of schools felt that they required external help with Wi-FI. While research has shown that the increased roll out of 1:1 mobile devices could have the potential to improve learning outcomes and help schools to better take advantage of the connected world we now live in, the successful implementation does face a number of barriers. Cost is always a key consideration for schools, and until mobile technology can more clearly demonstrate tangible results, it is likely many will be put off

Cost is always a key consideration for schools, and until mobile technology can more clearly demonstrate tangible results, it is likely many will be put off the implementation of 1:1 personal devices the implementation of 1:1 personal devices.

For those that do wish to move towards such a programme, it is clear that guidance for schools is essential to ensure that the proper infrastructure and safety measures are in place, as well as ensuring that

school leaders understand how to properly engage all relevant parties in the process, from teachers to pupils to parents. L FURTHER INFORMATION techknowledge.org.uk

School ICT support services that are flexibly tailored to suit your technological needs at competitive costs Technology is changing the world and will inevitably have a huge impact on the world our children grow up in. But as it becomes an increasingly integral part of education, so does the challenge for schools to save money, spend wisely and use ICT more effectively.

RM frequently encounter schools whose ICT investment plans are driven by the latest technology trends, where ICT investment hasn’t been steered as to how the technology could and would support their pedagogy.

Conversely, some schools have always had an ICT suite of 30 computers and as they get older they begin to slow down, the school simply goes out and buys the same again because that’s what they’ve always done.

But what if you don’t even need these computers? What if your pupils are only really using them to write a few documents or do some brief research on the internet?

In that case, you would probably be better with something like a Chromebook, which is half the cost of a PC so you’re immediately reducing your spend as well as using a

more collaborative tool which will help give your students future career skills.

If you move towards internet-based devices, rather than having a large capital outlay on hardware and associated maintenance and support costs, you could become a ‘serverless school’ where services and systems are delivered to staff and

students through the internet.

This can be a really effective way to reduce your ICT spend as it allows the costs to be spread through a friendlier revenue model, and means you can opt for more cost-effective internet‑optimised devices for your teachers and students. This model not only makes financial planning easier but reduces the need for schools to build up a capital fund for future ICT purchases.

Adopting this model also reduces the need for a large on-site technical team; RM’s research has indicated that having remote support in place can be infinitely more cost-effective for schools, with on average 60 per cent of issues resolved remotely, reducing the need for a large on-site technical team and allowing schools to concentrate on physical tasks.

These cost-effective technological trends place ICT back under the control of your senior leadership team, meaning precious budgets can be spent in a manner that provides the maximum return for your school.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.rm.com

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INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Crystal-clear visibility and vibrant images enliven lessons. Combining multi-user collaboration with sophisticated touch interactivity creates an engaging, active learning experience for every student.

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ICT

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In light of the transformation the teaching process in undergoing as a Obit, eum doloriatur sam reprae voluptatur?

Qui officiis cum resultelit of progressing technology, Promethean discusses the process of escipicipsam hit exerferi quibus, omnis sinctatem. La procuring technology within the exceaqui modern classroom non non nossi ute dis rest dolupta acescipsant everum que nis Over the past 20 years we have seen the classroom evolve from learning environments housing a single desktop computer, to the modern classrooms of today equipped with a range of high-tech technology to support collaborative learning. Interactive Flat Panel Displays (IFPDs), tablets, laptops and even smartphones are commonly used teaching aids, meeting the expectations of the digital native generation who expect technology to be a regular part of daily lessons. However, as the modern classroom continues to develop, the role of ICT managers and teachers in helping to make purchasing decisions is becoming increasingly prominent.

With annual purchase decisions often driven by the need to upgrade old and tired technology or even a change in the ICT strategy altogether, school business managers need to ensure that the cost of upgrades or introducing brand new technology delivers an effective return on investment – but also satisfies the technical and pedagogical needs of the school.

BALANCING TECHNOLOGY WITH PEDAGOGY When investing in new classroom tech, ultimately there’s a responsibility to invest in the right solutions to suit the requirements of the school. Every penny spent must offer pedagogical value and support teachers and students in achieving learning objectives. For this reason, it’s important for school business managers to engage with teachers prior to making purchasing decisions. Keep in mind that it will be the teachers who will be using the technology daily, so it’s essential that their needs are met. Teachers must be comfortable that both the proposed new hardware and software solutions meet their requirements and will enable them to enhance lesson planning and delivery for their students.

Given the nature of edtech investments, ICT managers must also be consulted on purchasing decisions as they are best placed to advise whether the current IT infrastructure can support any new technologies e.g. Wi-Fi strength. They are also the experts when it comes to understanding how existing technologies will integrate or interface

with any new investments. Best practice is to engage their opinions as early on in the decision making process as possible.

ACCESSING ADVICE Product demonstrations are an essential part of the process when considering which new technology to invest in. While attending education trade shows is one option, most companies will deliver demonstrations at your own school – at a time to suit you. This makes it much easier and more convenient to assemble the key stakeholders all at once.

At Promethean, Modern Classroom sessions are facilitated by a nationwide team of ‘show and tell’ professionals. At your request they will tailor a demonstration to suit the specific needs of the audience – whether that is school business manager, ICT manager, teacher – or all of these.

Promethean’s aim is to help future proof your investment in technology and provide the latest requirements for the modern classroom environment. For example, our latest generation ActivPanel has focused on creating an advanced display solution which keeps pace with the rate of development in the computing world. This is achieved by incorporating an external and fully upgradeable Android device. In doing so, the ActivPanel addresses the demand for Android functionality devices

in classroom environments but also allows for future increases in computing power.

Supplied as standard with ActivInspire Professional Edition software, the collaborative experience of the ActivPanel can be further enhanced by the use of ClassFlow – Promethean’s flagship cloud-based learning platform. Teachers and students can register for a free ClassFlow account (www.ClassFlow.co.uk) to open up a new world of opportunity for lesson preparation, delivery, assessment and evaluation.

Once a decision has been made in terms of the technology specification, the final stage in the process is to identify the most appropriate financing strategy. School budget and cash flow are constant challenges and in the absence of any additional capital expenditure, more innovative financing options may need to be considered to facilitate investment in new technologies. This is where specialist edtech resellers can provide guidance on the options available, whether that is finance, leasing or another solution. Promethean has a long established partner base, experienced in working with schools and academy trusts to define a cost effective procurement plan – to identify your local Promethean partner please visit the website. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.prometheanworld.com

Promethean’s aim is to help future proof your investment in technology and provide the latest requirements for the Modern Classroom environment

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ICT

SMOOTHWALL LAUNCH NEW SAFEGUARDING INITIATIVES Smoothwall, the UK’s number one web filter provider for schools and colleges, is launching brand new safeguarding features which will be showcased as part of a national eSafety roadshow, helping educators make sense of new government legislation and implement eSafety tools that comply with Ofsted regulations

The new Safeguarding feature from Smoothwall introduces alert-based reports that notifies school safeguarding teams when students in their care are engaged in activity online that places them at risk.

This functionality adds another dimension to the web filter’s previous capability by enabling system administrators and safeguarding officers to work collaboratively, share safeguarding information, and identify threats to student safety.

Smoothwall already goes a long way towards supporting schools with online safety; their content aware web filter is favoured by schools and colleges in the UK because of it’s real time analysis, ensuring children can still access material that aids academic learning whilst blocking information that would be considered harmful for children and young people.

ENHANCING EXISTING E–SAFETY Head of Product at Smoothwall, Phil Smith, explains the decision to enhance the existing eSafety functionality, and how improvements to the web filter will help schools fulfil their new safeguarding responsibilities: “The requirement for schools to have meaningful information on what students and staff are searching for online is now a legal necessity, with safeguarding standards measurable in Ofsted inspections like teaching and learning.

We worked with school safeguarding teams, asking them what would help them most to meet new legislation like the Prevent Duty: unanimously the answer was improved visibility. Visibility that went beyond outright blocking of words and phrases (like most web filters) that also have negative

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

connotations, and instead switching to an intent-driven approach to web control that recognises that blocking words and phrases with double meanings is restrictive and limits educational possibilities.”

Smoothwall found that studying and reporting on intent in relation to online behaviour is essential in schools, because students need access to terms that most web filters working off an event-based methodology would block. As an example, if a student typed the term ‘ISIS’ into a Google search, this is classed as an event (they could be carrying out research for a project), and it would be short-sighted to assume the student has a genuine interest in being recruited by ISIS based on this one search instance. Instead of blocking the term, Smoothwall examines the context of ‘ISIS’ alongside other searches and web requests. If there is a pattern of consistent behaviour indicating an ‘intent’ then the system will increase the severity of the behaviour in the reports to the safeguarding officer. By using this approach, schools can allow students access to information that they need for educational purposes, and at the same time identify the students at risk.

BREACHES Customers of Smoothwall will be able to view users who have breached one or more of 7 category rulesets: radicalisation, suicide, abuse, substance abuse, bullying, criminal activity and adult content, including when the breach occurred and the frequency. Breaches are then weighted intelligently according to the level of intent and the severity of the breach. This enables staff responsible for the day-to-day management of safeguarding

to identify problems, and generate evidence that can be used to demonstrate effective management of incidents.

Attendees to the eSafety Masterclass Roadshow, which launced on the 16th March in Leeds, can expect to learn more about Smoothwall’s new reporting system, where Phil Smith will demo it alongside additional safeguarding enhancements including reporting on social media activity and instant messaging. In addition, Mark Donkersley from e-Safe Systems will demonstrate the importance of monitoring student devices when they are taken offline, whilst Abi Clay, an independent Prevent and safeguarding consultant, will clarify Ofsted’s e-safety expectations, and how to make sure you have appropriate processes for effectively handling safeguarding incidents.

ROADSHOW The e-Safety Roadshow launched in Leeds on 16th March and is set to visit another 6 confirmed locations, including Basingstoke (26 April), Manchester (24 May), Birmingham (22 June), Oxford (20 September), Bristol (27 September) and London (12 October) and launch into Scotland later in the year.

Claire Stead, Head of Marketing at Smoothwall, explains the decision to take e-Safety on tour: “Now more than ever schools and colleges need to have a clear understanding of how their students are using the internet, and have visibility over their activities.

They also need confidence to tackle any safeguarding issues no matter how complex and challenging. The masterclass series will provide support in all of these areas, and we wanted to be proactive and show how passionate we are about helping schools protect children when using the internet. I would encourage schools to sign up early for their free place to avoid disappointment.”

Masterclasses are suitable for anyone in schools with an interest in safeguarding.

Secure your free place, sign up today. L FURTHER INFORMATION visit: www.smoothwall.com

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IT & Computing

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CURRICULUM

Written by Dave Whyley and Brett Laniosh, Naace

Bridging the digital divide: the changes to computing in schools A new programme of computing study will be introduced this year as part of the national curriculum. Dave Whyley and Brett Laniosh, experts at Naace, analyse the current situation in schools and discuss the benefits, progress and challenges that the changes may pose Computing has been part of the national curriculum since 2014, with the changes gaining a mixed reception from both primary and secondary schools across the country. For 2016, a ‘new and more challenging’ programme of study has been announced, featuring a number of key changes and additions which have been met with widespread uncertainty.

There is a very clear divide between schools when it comes to computing.

In some schools, teachers are meeting the challenge head-on and adapting incredibly well. When computing is delivered effectively, it can be a highly-structured learning experience and holistically very beneficial, as the subject itself develops problem solving capability; something which is relevant in every subject.

In her speech at Bett this year, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said: “I want our next generation to have the skills to compete in the global jobs market.

That’s why we have put in place a computing curriculum that gives them the basic building blocks but also seeks to give them specialist knowledge, too.”

She also goes on to say that the government is committed to delivering ‘world-class’ qualifications.

The UK used to be a world leader in computing, however today we are seeing other nations, especially the likes of North America and Canada, forging streets ahead.

The main issue is that there is no clear strategy for what we are trying to achieve with the teaching of computing. Other

nations have clear-cut objectives, including the cultivation of positive digital footprints, and understanding how to use technology effectively. In the UK however, we are continually hearing claims of our need to be ‘preparing young children for the digital world’, but how many jobs truly exist in the UK technology and computing industries? Technology is fast becoming one of our greatest assets, and the establishment of Tech City is a testament to this, but is the current narrow interpretation of computing as coding really preparing our students for the future workplace?

In reality, it’s not so much about the languages that students learn.

Many secondary pupils will now learn to code in more than one language, including Javascript, Python and HTML. It is the process of learning these languages that will teach students more about how to use technology and to solve problems through perseverance.

Computing is also a highly collaborative subject, as working in teams will often provide multiple solutions to the same problem, allowing all students to work out the logic of the language.

Those students who may have struggled to engage with traditional subjects, often find computing far easier to engage with.

This is particularly true of students for whom English is an additional language

(EAL), as the logical structure of coding languages has helped them to demonstrate their intellect and give their teachers a real insight into their abilities.

LITERACY, ETHICS AND LEGALITY There is a great deal more to computing than just learning how to code and the recent changes to the curriculum reflect this. Our world is increasingly becoming more and more digital, and understanding the ethical and legal aspects of technology, as well as having a strong understanding of online safety, are crucial to any lesson based around the study of digital practices.

We must teach pupils how their use of technology can affect those around them, and how to act safely and legally online, both inside and out of the classroom.

Accessing and evaluating digital content is one of the skills that will definitely be of significant benefit to students in the future.

It used to be that all pupil work was done using books and paper, however today students often use the internet to research their topic, so the ability (or lack thereof) to discern the validity and legality of a source can have serious implications for their work.

In this sense, working with the wider community can be incredibly valuable, E

Whe it comen comput s to technol ing and o the clasgy within there a sroom, nervousre a lot of tea out the chers re

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Unique School App

A fully integrated communications & resources ecosystem Your School is a community. At the heart of this community are the Students, their Parents & Guardians and the Teachers. School life is a hive of activity with class work, exams, study, extra curricular activities, sports events, concerts, fundraisers, outings, competitions, to name but a few. Keeping everyone connected and communicating in a meaningful and relevant way is critical.

Providing information in this ever-changing environment is a challenge for all schools. Our School App has been specifically developed to provide schools with a new platform with instant, targeted communications and important information and resources at the fingertips, including School Calendar, School Rules, Extra Curricular Activities, Payments Function, Social Media, Canteen Menu, Bullying, Healthy Lifestyles and User Profiling.

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CURRICULUM  and making sure that parents also have a solid understanding of online safety issues and the legal implications of technology can help reinforce this learning massively. Digital literacy is incredibly important in today’s society after all.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE Contrary to what you might expect, it is often the older teachers who excel in the teaching of coding, simply because they initially learnt to use computers on systems which required commands to function. Modern computers now execute most of these commands autonomously, thus the knowledge of manual operation has slowly faded away. Teachers who have never worked with computers in this way often struggle with the concepts of computational thinking and there is still a great deal of confusion in the classroom around certain terminology, such as ‘algorithm’ for example, particularly at Key Stage One. When it comes to computing and technology within the classroom, there are a lot of nervous teachers out there. The annual Bett show is a great platform to demonstrate what technology has to offer but it’s important to remember that those who visit make up a small percentage of the total number of UK teachers, and many of them are ‘evangelist

teachers’, who are already incorporating technology well in the classroom. There are many others who are feeling lost and have only two sides of A4 in the curriculum programme of study to work from; these are the people we must support and reach out to.

One of the things we must focus on in the next two years is ensuring that teachers have

the subject and run with it, whereas others will employ a single teacher or support assistant to teach the subject. Some will even focus on computing over a period of a week to ‘get it out of the way’ so to speak.

Computing is not yet being delivered in a consistently effective manner and the level of support offered to teachers has not been

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When computing is delivered effectively, it can be a highly-structured learning experience and holistically very beneficial, as the subject itself develops problem solving capability; something which is relevant in every subject the resources and support frameworks in place to deliver a rich and exciting curriculum.

Although there are some very high-quality resources for computing available, there still aren’t enough to support teachers effectively.

Schools are struggling with the allocation of budgets and where to focus their continuing professional development (CPD). Indeed, there is a great demand for computing training courses in schools. Some schools will have an enthusiastic ICT teacher who will pick up

sufficient, despite the injection of funding to organisations, such as Computing at School.

There simply aren’t enough professionals to support schools in developing the full range of their computing programme.

APPROPRIATE INFRASTRUCTURE, RELEVANT TEACHING Although the digital divide is partly due to a lack of teacher confidence in using and teaching technology, there is a far more E

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www.ultimaker.com

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CURRICULUM  fundamental issue at hand in that some schools simply don’t have the capacity to implement new technologies. The BESA Leadership Briefing report showed that 38 per cent of primary school pupils and 20 per cent of secondary-level students will continue to suffer from poor internet access in 2016, meaning that a great deal of superb and helpful resources for computing, such as Espresso Coding, 2Simple’s 2Code and J2e’s J2Code will remain out of reach no matter what they cost.

We have made a positive start, but we still have a long way to go before all schools are delivering computing appropriately and effectively. All schools are finding it a challenge as it is still a relatively foreign concept to teachers, so they have to get to grips with the terminology and practice of programming.

It used to be that the Department for Education (DfE) and the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) published reports on the efficacy of

Although the digital divide is partly due to a lack of teacher confidence in using and teaching technology, there is a far more fundamental issue at hand – some schools simply don’t have the capacity to implement new technologies the computing curriculum, but this has recently dwindled, and thus, we have no authoritative research on how well we’re doing, how effective the government sponsored support mechanisms have been or how teaching computing really benefits our students.

Many teachers understand the need for the subject, and enthusiastic IT specialists have been keen to pick it up, but from experience, it seems that most are still very daunted by the task. Schools are told by conferences and suppliers what they should be doing,

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but very few explain how to go about it, and it is this crucial element that has led to the piecemeal adaptation of computing.

If we can lay out clear objectives for our pursuit of coding excellence, as well as establishing a strong support network for teachers and schools, we will be able to begin teaching computing in a way that truly benefits young people. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.naace.co.uk

About Naace Naace is an ICT association, comprising of a community of educators, technologists and policy makers who share a vision for the role of technology in advancing education. Members include teachers, school leaders, advisors and consultants working within and across all phases of UK education.

As a professional association, Naace represents the voice of the UK education technology community in the schools sector at a national and international level, as well as supporting one another across the sector through conferences, courses and the dissemination of resources, research and reflection. Naace plays a key role in both members’ professional development, through the challenge and support of a community of practice, and the development of the profession as a whole, through the sharing of innovation and expertise.

Naace aims to promote the appropriate use of ICT, not just as a specialist subject but across all curriculum areas and to assist with whole school improvement.

By joining Naace you demonstrate your commitment to this aim and become part of a strong body of ICT professionals. You also join a passionate community of interest that provides peer to peer support, enables strong networking opportunities and which acts as a catalyst to improve educational benefits for all learners.

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Exciting… Practical…

Fun…

You don’t need to be sitting at a desk to engage in STEM subjects.

Use practical and interactive activities to bring science experiments to life; have a change of scenery and see how your students benefit.

Combine STEM with the Arts for a fresh approach to learning.

Help promote the Arts with STEM subjects and encourage the next generation of Designers & Engineers.

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STEM

Science

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Opening up a world of scientific possibilities Science often and unfortunately has a negative label that it is too difficult to do, a bit nerdy, and boring in the classroom. The British Science Association talks about changing the perception Practical work is at the heart of science, with experimental discoveries having proved vital in shaping Britain’s science community, industry and heritage. I think there’s truth in the proverb ‘Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand’, and it really captures the key value of participatory teaching and learning methodologies.

That is why we strongly questioned the proposed changes to the science curriculum relating to the assessment of practical science, since changes were being hastily implemented without the opportunity for reviewing the potential implications with experts or piloting approaches. The BSA believes that practical science is an essential component in enabling young people to engage with, and gain a greater understanding, of science.

Since then, the changes have been confirmed, so we now need to make the most of the new system. Acknowledging the previous ‘jumping through hoops’ approach wasn’t fit for purpose, there is the potential to look for ways to emphasise the principles and values of practical science at this time of review, whilst teachers look to apply the new assessment requirements.

But it’s not just about assessment. Science demonstrations, particularly ones that have a bit of a ‘wow’ factor or get people thinking about how on Earth something works, are an important part of showing the wonder of science and capturing students’ imaginations. You can all probably remember some of the demonstrations from your school days (including the impressive ones and those that went wrong) which is why they are a fundamental part of learning science.

NOT JUST FOR SCIENTISTS Science subject teachers play a huge role in helping students acknowledge their own abilities in STEM. We offer as much support and advice to STEM teachers as we can, whether that be through activity packs, project ideas or connections with local business and industry. But we also believe that engaging young people in STEM needs to happen beyond just the science classroom.

We believe that investigation is the key to getting young people engaged in STEM – investigation being a skills area relevant to all subjects. If they have a problem to solve, and find their own solution, not only do they get a chance to take ownership of that investigative work, it also gives it some meaning. Subjects don’t appear in silos in the real world which is why we advocate the value of project-based learning applying the scientific process.

ENCOURAGING STUDENTS We are not forgetting the importance of STEM skills for the future regarding the UK’s economy. In fact we are creatively encouraging this to be addressed through STEM project work in schools. One example is our work with MP Futures where CREST resources bring to life scenarios associated with the quarrying, mineral products and mining sector. Topics challenge students to design a modern day pyramid, or to design a modular hospital building that will be able to withstand specific extreme weather and environmental conditions.

What CREST gives teachers, educators and other learning providers, is a framework they can use with their students to encourage them to make their own project. It’s designed to be something extracurricular, but recognises some of the real world context of the students’ work.

Ultimately, our aim is to give students from any background, at any age, the opportunity to engage with science and STEM subjects.

We want students to feel confident in their understanding of science and comfortable enough to question it, and have views on its direction.

Science should be accessible to all – and eventually, we will break it out of its cultural ghetto. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.britishscienceassociation.org

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Art & Design

Sponsored by

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CURRICULUM

The importance and value of art, craft and design

Written by Lesley Butterworth, general secretary, National Society for Education in Art and Design

Why is art, craft and design education so vital to our culture, our society, our economy and ourselves?

The reasons are myriad, meaningful, complex and fiscal says Lesley Butterworth of the National Society for Education in Art and Design

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Art and design as a subject on the curriculum, (with craft tacit rather than explicit within its content) is generally taken for granted as an entitlement for children and young people in formal education. Images of small children cheerfully elbow deep in primary colours and young people meaningfully engaged in front of a well-known painting or actively behind a camera lens spring to mind.

These assumed images are now under considerable threat, and in many schools and settings the paints, kilns and cameras are now actively abandoned. What is happening to our subject, our teachers, our children and young people and ultimately to our creativity, culture, well-being and economic success is the issue this article will explain.

the contexts in which they were made.

Experiences in art, craft and design enable them to learn how to reflect critically on their own and others’ work. They learn to think and act as artists, makers and designers, working creatively and intelligently. They develop an appreciation of and engagement in art, craft and design as critical consumers and audiences and an understanding of its role in the creative and cultural industries that shape and enrich their lives.

In life ‘knowing how’ is just as important as ‘knowing that’. Art, craft and design introduces participants to a range of intellectual and practical skills.

It enables learners to use and understand the properties of a wide range of tools, machines, materials and systems. It provides children, young people and lifelong learners with regular opportunities to think imaginatively and creatively and develop confidence in other subjects and life skills.

It has a crucial role at the centre of science, technology, engineering and mathematics; moving STEM into STEAM fosters creativity, innovation, and economic growth. Art, craft and design supports and services other subjects, industries and sectors. It provides an introduction to potential careers in the visual arts and creative, heritage, cultural and digital and design media industries, sectors that are contributing significantly to the UK’s economy and reputation on a competitive international

Art, d craft anports sup design ubjects, other s ies and industr provides . It sectors roduction an int tential to po rs caree

OPENING DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY Within the context of formal education the subject supports personal, social, moral, spiritual, cultural and creative development, and enables participants to engage with and explore visual, tactile and other sensory experiences and how to recognise and communicate ideas and meanings. These opportunities enable them to work with traditional and new media, so that they develop confidence, competence, imagination and creativity.

Through these opportunities they learn to appreciate and value images and artefacts across times and cultures, and to understand

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

world-class platform. Many young people come to the UK to study art craft and design.

It is concerned with making critical judgements based on a sound knowledge of a variety of contexts; judgements about cultural values, cultural history, aesthetics, quality, craftsmanship and fitness for purpose, and provides an opportunity for and engagement in leisure pursuits that can yield lifelong benefits in health, well‑being and life satisfaction. It enriches children and young people’s experience of school and college life. Most children and young people find it enjoyable and motivating, helping to develop positive attitudes to school and life beyond formal education.

MOVING BEYOND SCHOOL It’s the career pathways emerging from art craft and design through further and higher education and links to the outside world of the creative, cultural, and digital and heritage industries that are seriously misunderstood, and the barriers to those aspirations are increasingly challenging for young people to surmount.

The industries that our subject so vigorously points towards and provides a skilled workforce for need some consideration.

Looking at the latest figures from the DCMS, published on 26 January 2016, we find positive reporting, the creative industries now contributing £84.1 billion a year to the UK economy. The UK’s creative industries grew by 8.9 per cent in 2014, almost double the UK economy as a whole, and generate nearly £9.6million per hour. 2016 is set to be another blockbuster year for UK’s music, film, video games, TV and publishing sectors, and British films, video games, crafts and

publishing are taking a lead role in driving the UK’s economic recovery, according to the latest government statistics.

In 2013 the Heritage Lottery Fund announced new research showing that heritage based tourism is now worth £26.4 billion to the UK economy and rising. Film makers and games designers, textile conservators and set designers, animators and curators, illustrators and jewellers, marketeers and graphic designers, the list of potential and valuable careers goes on and perhaps needs to make more explicit, beyond the product comes the creative and flexible ‘out of the box’ thinking that makes an arts graduate so employable.

So with our subject signposting and preparing young people for success, what stands in its way? Several barriers are firmly in position, with the overarching fault line of the ‘unintended consequences’ of government policy and a toxic mix of time, money and prejudice.

The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a school performance measure that allows people to see how many pupils get a grade C or above in the core academic subjects at Key Stage 4 in any government funded school. In essence it includes English, maths, a language, the sciences, history or geography.

The word ‘Baccalaureate’ was quickly misleading, many making the incorrect assumption that it was like the International Baccalaureate (IB). The IB is a highly respected programme, (not a performance measure), and provides a broad and balanced curriculum that includes the arts. The EBacc does not include art and design, nor music, dance, drama or design technology and thus immediately created a two tier curriculum because of lack of parity of esteem across subjects.

The Coalition government introduced the EBacc measure in 2010. In June 2015, the Conservative government announced its intention that all pupils who start Year 7 in September 2015 will take the EBacc subjects when they reach their GCSEs in 2020. The EBacc is taking its insidious place at Key Stage 4, bookended by two further challenges, the National Curriculum at Key Stage 2 and the so called ‘facilitating subjects’ at Key Stage 5.

identifying an increase. National curriculum tests at Key Stage 2 have negatively impacted on the time allocated for art and design in primary schools with 89 per cent of primary teachers in state schools reporting that during the two terms before Key Stage 2 tests the time allocated for art and design decreased. This was unsurprisingly reiterated by 53 per cent of secondary art and design teachers reporting a fall in standards achieved when pupils joined their school in Year 7.

The effects of Key Stage 2 testing have been noticeably worse in state schools, only 54 per cent of independent schools reporting a decrease.

At Key Stage 3, 44 per cent of art and design teachers across all school sectors reported a decrease in time for the subject over the last five years (four per cent reporting an increase). Of that 44 per cent, 93 per cent cited the EBacc as reducing opportunities for pupils to select the subject.

Provision for art and design is increasingly influenced by school type, and most worryingly academy sponsors have been the biggest reduction in time for the subject. Because of the EBacc higher ability young people

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are being turned away from the subject.

The Survey Report also states that post 16 course closures have reduced the range of art and design courses offered for young people, 34 per cent of teachers and lecturers saying that in the last five years these courses have closed in their institutions. And it is at post 16 that the hapless future creative practitioner is faced with the influence of the ‘facilitating subjects’ as defined by the Russell Group Universities as those subjects most commonly required or preferred by universities to get on to a range of degree courses.

Art craft and design does not feature on this list.

The NSEAD Survey Report and its findings are essential reading for all who understand the value of art craft and design education.

It acts as a health warning as we look at reduced choice and provision for a subject that has a direct business case inherent in its offer to young people and to the national economy. We deprive our children and young people of this subject at our economic peril. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.nsead.org

The EBacc does not include art and design, nor music, dance, drama or design technology and thus immediately created a two tier curriculum because of lack of parity of esteem across subjects

REPORTING ON THE STATISTICS The effects of this disastrous triumvirate on the education pipeline is made apparent in the NSEAD Survey Report 2015‑16, that asked how, over the last five years, has government policy impacted on art craft and design education, looking at curriculum provision in art and design, the value given to art and design in schools and colleges, professional development opportunities and the well‑being and workload of art and design teachers.

Headlines from the Survey Report tell us that learning opportunities in art craft and design have reduced significantly with at least 44 per cent of teacher responses over all key stages indicating the time allocated for the subject had decreased with a mere seven per cent

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PRINTING

PRINTING THAT ‘JUST HAPPENS’ Andrew Hall, marketing manager, Oki Systems UK, discusses how managed print services can help schools operate more efficiently

A recent report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) finds that schools across England are likely to face up to 12 per cent in funding cuts over the course of the next Parliament.

Running costs are often the first to feel the squeeze. Already, many schools have carefully

policy with the help of managed print services providers like OKI. This approach involves the vendor conducting an audit on existing practices including output volumes and printing types. By gaining a transparent view across the print and

Managed print services can save an average of 30 per cent of printing costs, depending on the size of fleet and other variables managed and minimised outgoings such as phone and electricity bills. The next step is to take control of costs created by their print and document management environment.

BENEFITS TO EDUCATION WITH OKI At OKI, we recognise the benefits that printing brings to education, in raising the standard of teaching materials, training aids and marketing documents and sparking the creativity of teachers and pupils. Unfortunately, many schools don’t have a clear view of spend or total cost of ownership and they are therefore not able to tap into these benefits while also driving efficiencies.

PRINT MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS The way print is managed within the school is invariably also a challenge. Printing may not be part of the IT manager’s remit. Instead, responsibility for handling it may fall to support staff with minimal technical knowledge. Often, printing is outsourced to local print shops which is likely to prove expensive and wasteful.

These are all reasons why, increasingly, schools are adopting a more formal print

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document management landscape, schools can clearly see where their budget is being spent and keep it under tight control.

By consolidating printer stock with one contract for maintenance and consumables, schools can save considerable time, ensure printers are better maintained and more reliable.

They can also replace bulky old models with new, energy-efficient, small footprint multifunction devices that sit neatly in the corner of offices or classrooms.

Further driving efficiencies, vendors can work with schools to ensure that they have the right products in place in the right locations. Typically, they will, for example, want graphic arts or design printers in the art department and robust multifunction devices implemented in the school office for printing administrative documents and other collateral.

PRINT SAVINGS FOR SCHOOLS Managed print services can save an average of 30 per cent of printing costs, depending on the size of fleet and other variables. This arrangement also means that the school doesn’t have to raise its capital expenditure

to make long‑term savings on operational expenditure. However, perhaps the main value of working with a managed print services provider is the consultancy they offer. They will be able to advise the school on ways to bring all printing in house, even the high-end colour printing that is usually outsourced but also on the latest advances such as mobile printing or innovative design applications.

PRINT AND THE EVER GROWING TECHNOLOGY With growing use of laptops, tablets, iPads and smartphones in education by both teachers and pupils, the ability to print on demand to any printing device is becoming increasingly prized.

OKI offers a range of multifunctional colour printers which are Google Cloud Print-ready. This means that all school members can wirelessly print documents to cloud-connected printers from any webconnected device. They can also connect to traditional printers that are plugged into a Windows, Mac or Linux computer with internet access using the Google Cloud Print connector in Google Chrome. iPhone, iPad or iPod users can also take advantage of Apple’s AirPrint as it is embedded natively in these devices.

This means that instead of having to transfer a document to the app itself, staff and pupils alike can print directly from wherever the document or image is stored.

In addition, we are seeing that schools and colleges are making growing use of smart multifunction print (MFP) devices, often with embedded software applications offering enhanced document management or streamlined workflow solutions such as ABBYY FineReader Sprint OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software, a downloadable PC/ Mac desktop application available free of charge to OKI smart MFP solutions.

PRINT SERVICE OPERATIONS Operating within managed print service implementations, educational institutions are also increasingly turning to innovative new printing solutions. For example, white toner devices that can help pupils working on art and design projects can also be used by schools themselves to add creative zest to marketing, promotions, or events, helping to keep this work in-house and eliminate the expense of outsourcing print jobs.

Ultimately, it’s a reminder that while the key benefit of managed print services remains the cost savings and efficiencies it delivers, the ability of vendors to deliver innovative new products or solutions as part of an implementation is critical too in enabling schools to achieve added value and drive new opportunities for themselves and their pupils. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.oki.co.uk

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NASEN LIVE

At a time when continuing professional development is at a premium, nasen Live 2016 brings experts, SENCOs, teachers and senior leadership teams together to refresh and update their knowledge and learn from evidence-based practice Nasen Live 2016 comes at a crucial time in education. Workforce development is not just about improving the quality of provision, but also supporting those professionals who need to extend their abilities to become the adaptive flexible thinkers that schools, and their pupils, need. The seminar programme for the two-day event has been developed with this in mind, covering a broad range of topics to meet the needs of all practitioners.

To start the event, delegates have the chance to catch up with the latest developments in SEND national policy and practice in a session on Wednesday at 9.30am from nasen’s chief executive, Dr Adam Boddison and Andre Imich, SEN and disability professional advisor from the Department for Education (DfE). They will discuss the latest legislation and what it means for education, providing a summary of the key issues arising from policy, along with the latest progress and developments in SEND. THE DYNAMIC DUO The role of school governors has undergone considerable change, with more responsibility to provide both support and governance for their schools. Kate Browning of nasen will explore this topic in her seminar on the SENCO and SEN governor as a dynamic duo. Her session will explore in practical terms how the SENCO and SEN governor can work together to provide visible support, challenge and strong strategic leadership for SEN. It will also enable delegates to understand the responsibilities of the governing body in relation the SEN elements of the Common Inspection Framework.

The legal duties relevant to staff working in the SEND sector are manifold and can be a source of anxiety. As Mark Blois from Browne Jacobson LLP explains in his session,

the key to being comfortable with legal duties is to have access to just the right level of information: a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, but too much information can sometimes lead to paralysis. His seminar will reassure the SEND practitioner by providing the core, up-to-date information needed to manage their legal obligations practically and proportionately, including consideration of the duty of care, equality law and confidentiality and information sharing.

Life after levels is well underway now, with schools employing a number of different tactics and systems to track their pupils’ progress. Natalie Packer, from nasen, examines what makes a fully inclusive approach to assessment in her seminar, focusing on approaches to assessment for children and young people with SEN and how they work in the school setting. She will consider principles of inclusive assessment, as outlined in the DfE Commission report on Assessment Without Levels, and offer examples of how schools are effectively putting these principles into practice.

Assessing progress can often shine a light on barriers to learning for SEN pupils, and literacy difficulties remain the most common of these barriers. John Galloway from Tower Hamlets will outline how effective reading,

Written by nasen

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writing, listening and speaking supports success in all other subjects. Visitors to his session will leave with a range of resources, links and strategies to support their students.

MEETING HEALTH NEEDS Health and well-being are an increasing focus for schools, and Pendlebury Centre Pupil Referral Unit has been recognised for its outstanding practice in this area. Janice E Cahill will outline Pendlebury’s approach to supporting emotional health and well-being in her session, looking at student mental health in school-based environments and how it can be aligned to the Ofsted Framework. The session will cover what is meant by social, emotional and mental health needs, the role of the school in supporting this, and practical strategies for school based interventions.

Improving life chances for young people with SEND was a core ambition of the SEND reforms. Young people should be able to move into adulthood with choice and control over their lives and have better life outcomes in terms of employment, independent living, community inclusion and health. A workshop from the National Development Team for Inclusion’s Linda Jordan explores the role of schools in delivering these outcomes and shares learning from the Preparing for Adulthood programme.

The challenges facing schools in light of the reforms, whether SEN-specific or general, are considerable, and the seminars outlined here are a selection of the CPD on offer at nasen Live. The process of change to the provisions and arrangements we make for children and young people with SEN is well underway; nasen Live’s seminar programme has been developed to support SENCOs, teachers, school leadership teams and all other educators in ensuring the best possible practice for SEN. L

The role of school g has undovernors change ergone , responswith more provide ibility to su govern pport and a their sc nce for hools

The event takes place from 29 to 30 April at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

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AUTISM

Written by Mark Lever, chief executive, National Autistic Society

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Understanding autism in all of its different forms Earlier this month, the National Autistic Society held its first ever Schools’ Autism Awareness Week and wrote to the Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, calling for all teachers to receive autism training. The Society’s Mark Lever explains why it’s so important that schools, including both teaching staff and students, understand autism With more than one in 100 children on the autism spectrum, and over 70 per cent in mainstream schools, every teacher and student will have autistic people in their classes. But how well do schools really understand autism?

Over 99 per cent of people in the UK say they’ve heard of autism, which means that, more or less, we’re all aware of autism. But autistic people and families say that knowing there’s something called autism doesn’t mean they are understood – 87 per cent of them say the public don’t understand autism in a meaningful way.

This lack of understanding is clearly having an impact in schools, with surveys indicating that 63 per cent of children on the autism spectrum have faced bullying, often

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due to fellow students misunderstanding their behaviour. This can have a devastating impact on their self-esteem, in some cases creating problems that last into adulthood.

Action is clearly needed. This is why we held our first every Schools’ Autism Awareness Week (1418 March) and joined forces with Ambitious with Autism to call on the government to make sure that all teachers are given the training they need to teach autistic children effectively.

WHAT IS AUTISM? Being autistic means you see, hear and feel the world in a different, often more intense, way to other people.

There are roughly 120,000 school-aged children on the autism spectrum in England and none of them will experience autism in the exact same way.

Some people may be skilled in certain areas while others find social situations and change such a challenge that they face almost unbearable levels of anxiety.

There ly gh are rou chool s 120,000ren on the ild aged ch spectrum in autism and none of Englandill experience them w the exact autism e way sam

having some knowledge about the situations autistic people might find difficult and how they may respond will make a huge difference. It would reduce instances of misunderstanding and bullying, help autistic people feel more accepted and generally help them to reach their full potential.

To make this happen, we encouraged schools across the country to get involved in our first ever Schools’ Autism Awareness Week and help their students and staff improve their understanding of autism and raise vital funds for our charity. We were overwhelmed by the response, with almost two thousands schools signing up to get involved.

We know how busy schools are so we created a range of resources and activities so they could get do as little or as much as they like – from Early Years Foundation Stage right up to Key Stage 4. Some schools adjusted their lesson plans to include autism, making use of our resources, autism word searches and book lists. Others, such as Netley Primary School in North London, got involved in Onesie Wednesday, encouraging students to turn up to school in onesies to show that it’s OK to be different and letting them design onesies for their teachers to wear. We also saw onesie aerobics classes and baking competitions.

It was a brilliant week and truly remarkable to see the sheer range of activities. None of this would have been possible without the commitment of staff within each school to improve understanding of autism.

Mark Lever, Chief Executive, National Autistic Society

Special Educational Needs

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compulsory autism training would make a huge difference. A survey of teachers by the teachers’ union NASUWT also found that 60 per cent believe that they haven’t had the training they need to teach students who are on the autism spectrum. And 11,500 teaching staff have signed up free to get regular updates, tips and resources on autism through the National Autistic Society’s award-winning MyWorld service.

This is why, this Schools’ Autism Awareness Week, we teamed up with Ambitious about Autism and wrote an open letter to the

58 per cent of children and young people on the autism spectrum we surveyed last year said that the single thing that would make school better for them is ‘if teachers understood autism’ This can make school life very difficult.

For instance, many children on the autism spectrum are so sensitive to light or sound that an overhead light or humming computer can be physically painful and make it almost impossible to follow a lesson. For others, a small change to the day’s schedule, like the school bus turning up late or a sudden change to the seating plan, can feel like the end of the world.

But our experience has shown how the right educational placements and understanding teachers and classmates can help children on the autism spectrum reach their full potential – whether that’s to go on to further or higher education, into work or to live as independently as possible in their local community.

UNDERSTANDING Awareness sounds like a relatively small thing but it can have a transformative effect.

Autistic people and their families don’t expect or want people to be experts. But

AUTISM TRAINING FOR TEACHERS But autism awareness shouldn’t be a thing that happens just once a year. We believe that all teachers, from their first day, should be given the training they’ll need to teach autistic students. Yet, autism training is not mandatory for teachers and some start school without any autism or even special educational needs training at all.

People are often shocked when we tell them this. How can a teacher help an autistic student if they don’t understand the basics about autism?

58 per cent of children and young people on the autism spectrum we surveyed last year said that the single thing that would make school better for them is ‘if teachers understood autism’. Research

by Ambitious about Autism found that over half of parents of children with autism have kept their child off school because of a lack of appropriate support in the classroom.

It’s not only children on the autism spectrum and their families who think

Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan, calling on her to include autism in the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) framework for England, which the government is currently reviewing.

Over 7,000 people signed our letter including MPs, autism experts and education professionals, in just a couple of weeks. The Education Secretary must listen to their voices and take action.

The Department for Education has already funded the development of autism training for mainstream schools through the Autism Education Trust.

This could be adapted easily for ITT. The Education Secretary could transform the prospects of a generation of autistic students by including autism in Initial Teacher Training in England.

Every teacher deserves the right training, and every autistic child needs a teacher who understands them. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.autism.org.uk

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TRANSPORT

THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN

Pupil transportation has become one of the most important parts of the educational system.

The number of school children riding school buses constantly increases, making school busing one of the most important services in the business both in terms of cost as well as of quality

As the busing service availability and its volumes increase, so do the issues of safety and security of students during the ride.

Although student transportation posed a serious issue that needed addressing, this had not happened until now with the advent of a single tool to make life easier for all those involved, be they the drivers and monitors, traffic and security officers, school managers or ultimately, the parents.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EACH PARTY? Drivers and monitoring escorts need to have an up-to-date itinerary, with any late amendments marked. They also need to be able to communicate instantly with parents when needed, in order to obtain the current state of ridership. Traffic officers need to have full control of weekly schedules, manage their daily changes and monitor the execution of the work. They need a tool to control all related resources that would also shorten every route in time and distance.

Parents would love to have a timely notification for their bus arrival, or to know when their offspring is due to get off the bus while they’re still at office. Maybe some of them would dream of making changes to the weekly transportation schedule, easily through their loved mobile.

As far as business people are concerned, their expectation of the transportation service is very simple: to lower its costs.

This year, for the first time at the Bett Show, we met a new company which offers all the above tools and services, and many more, under a single s/w platform: the SchoolBusNotes. Once a school opens its own account in the

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cloud‑installed platform, and feeds it with its own data, it can get straight to work.

The platform is flexible in adapting to any modus operandi the school or the transportation contractor follows. Additionally, the use of a tablet enables one to obtain and also handle all the information while on the bus. Parents install an app on their mobiles in order to receive personalised notifications and monitor the bus location.

If school policy permits, the SchoolBusNotes platform has the built-in controls that can allow parents to enter temporary changes to the daily transportation plan. They can enter a cancelation, submit a change of route for a different destination, or request an extra pickup. Yet the most important feature of this product is the accurate notifications that parents receive and make long waiting times for the parents at the bus stop a thing of the past or prevent long bus stop waiting times thus minimising the total itinerary time.

A CHANGE OF PLAN Parents and guardians get information on the changes of their standard transportation plan.

They can make arrangements and changes to their student’s standard transportation plan, such as: cancelling a ride; changing pick-up or drop-off bus stop for a specific day; receive notifications on bus arrival; receive notification on student’s boarding and alighting when they are not present; receive notifications on delays; and view bus position on mobile phone’s map.

THE BENEFITS FOR DRIVERS Drivers and attendants have available real time boarding list of the route including all arrangements and changes. They can: track each student boarding and alighting from

bus; see a map of the itinerary including all bus stop information; send messages to multiple receivers on any eventuality; enter changes during the route; check ‘trusted persons’ for delivering a young passenger and check the daily safety inspection checklist.

CUTTING COSTS Transportation officers and contractors use the route planning optimisation to create substantial cost cutting. They prepare and manage weekly plans for each student, easily handling all kind of arrangements and changes in the plan. They can also: monitor each vehicle while on duty; recieve notifications on overspeeding; view real time list of passengers on board, alighted or to be picked-up, canceled or changed; communicate with massive messages to parents; get reports of any kind and data drilling on any event of the far past (including place, time, student, route, vehicle, driver, attendant etc); have a tool for quality control, benchmarking and improvement processes as well as parametrise the SBN service according to school policies.

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION The use of the platform is itself a proof of commitment by the administration staff to students’ safety and security; also transport logs and reporting help to resolve any dispute with users and there is also a new communication channel to parents. While all functionality is provided as a S.a.a.S., it is also a significant cost saving enabler through Route optimisation in distance, service time, human resources and quality. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.schoolbusnotes.com

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DRIVER SAFETY

A lot of consideration is given to pupil comfort and health and safety on school trips – but how much consideration is given to the driver employed to get them from A to B? Pat Harris, director of BUSK, looks at the current problems drivers face With up to ten million days of activity outside of the classroom each year, it might come as a shock to learn that the risk of getting pupils to the activity is greater than the actual activity itself. So how seriously do hirers of transport such as schools and child associated groups, take the matter of choosing a company to use to drive children in their care? If schools and groups have taken all reasonable steps to ensure the transport company they contract has a good safety record and has not attracted attention from the Traffic Commissioner for all the wrong reasons, then if something were to go wrong, they will be able to show they have taken all necessary preparations prior to departure.

At BUSK’s transport safety conference last month Mike Imperato, a partner at Watkins and Gunn solicitors, talked to delegates about who is responsible and outlined that a governing body is responsible for the negligence of any teacher which arises in the course of their employment and is under a duty of care to determine policies to ensure schools deliver the requirements of the national curriculum. The governors should state which school visits needs their consent, for example overnight stays and trips abroad, and they should provide guidelines for procedures on school visits. For private or independent schools where it is likely that there would be a small controlling management team, then this team would be obliged in law to undertake the same checks as a state school’s governing body.

DRIVING SAFETY STANDARDS Mike outlined that preparation and planning are key to a successful and safe school visit and depended to a large extent on

the leader’s ability to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment, identify all the hazards and risks and make arrangements to manage associated risks successfully. He said that many organisations, such as BUSK and local authorities, offered online planning and approval tools but simply downloading a risk assessment from a website is not sufficient to ensure the safety of any visit.

What about travel arrangements and the risk assessment for drivers? What about planned food and rest stops and checking whether drivers are competent to drive minibuses? Mike explained that with coach hire, obtaining three quotes and choosing the cheapest is definitely not demonstrating the correct culture and attitude to the safety of pupils in a school’s care. The law requires a school to provide a ‘safe journey’.

An adequate written risk assessment that clearly identifies any risks to the passengers and shows how potential risks will be reduced is crucial. Schools in the audience heard how risk assessments did not have to be onerous and once completed should be re-visited once a year to re-assess standards. For example: whose responsibility is it to ensure safety belts are suitable for the age group of child? If there was a road traffic collision and a child was killed or injured because they were not using a safety belt then who is responsible? What seat belt policy does the school have in place

Written by Pat Harris, director of BUSK

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and how is it enforced? These issues need to be written into a transport policy document so the school can show that it has thought about the matter and taken appropriate action to safeguard all passengers.

STRAPPING STUDENTS IN SAFELY There are examples of good practice in relation to training pupils in the importance of wearing seat belts. In 2008/2009 the Welsh Government made a grant available so local authorities could apply for funding for projects to bring innovations and improvements to school transport. These examples include projects by the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Monmouthshire County Council that provided in-class seat belt safety training to pupils using DVDs and role pay to reinforce important messages.

Seat belts are just one example of a simple safety measure, but do those responsible for checking know what they are doing? Have they got the right belts for the age and size of child? Do schools have the understanding required to ensure children in their care are not seriously injured by a safety belt because they used the wrong one? What would parents say if they knew their child was exposed to danger if staff did not know what sort of belt to use? Parents would simply not allow their child to get on the coach if they thought the school was not fully aware of what it was doing.

Most parents trust schools to know, but do schools really understand about seat belt E

Accordi to a Eur ng Commis opean s up to 3 ion report, of coac 0 per cent hc linked t rashes are o dr fatigue iver

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DRIVER SAFETY alert and awake on these overnight drives.

At some activity sites drivers are expected to sleep in tents and share shower blocks with pupils. This can only compromise their position and breach safeguarding requirements, yet it is happening on a regular basis.

Only last year a British coach driver was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter when he admitted that he may have dozed off behind the wheel. Angry parents blamed him for the very serious injuries sustained by their children but had their children been wearing their safety belts, their injuries would have been very much reduced, as were the injuries of those children who did belt up.

Again, it comes back to that school’s seat belt policy… did they have one and if so, why was it not enforced? Perhaps those parents were not asking the right questions about why their children were so badly injured.

Drivers have expressed their concern that they are struggling to stay alert and awake which breaches safeguarding requirements, yet it is happening on a regular basis  legislation and the duty of care surrounding the use of safety belts or do they just think that any belt will do? BUSK hears from some schools that say they are complying with minimum seat belt laws, however, they appear to rely upon this over and above the duty of care they have to ensure that the belts they use will adequately protect children and not injure them.

TRAVELLING ABROAD Of course there are a number of things most parents just take for granted when it comes to allowing a school to take their children on a school trip. Take visits abroad. Up to 30 per cent of coach crashes are linked to driver fatigue according to a European Commission report. The findings identify that most of these crashes happen on overnight drives or at the end of a drivers’ shift.

Schools are legally obligated to risk assess coach travel and if the driver/s are fit to drive.

BUSK can reveal from its own research that this just does not happen. It has found that many schools book a visit abroad using a tour company and this would make sense because the tour operator will arrange everything from transport to ferry crossing,

accommodation and even some of the activities. A tour company will offer a quote but sometimes offer a lower rate to win the booking without making the school aware that it can only offer a lower rate because they will force drivers to share a room or give the drivers some of the worst rooms in the hotel as they are not seen as paying guests.

TIRED AND TESTED BUSK’s Nightcap campaign has raised awareness that this practice leaves them tired.

Sharing rooms with a co-driver that snores for example, disturbs their sleep. In particular, the last day of a foreign trip can be one of the worst with drivers reporting that often they can be checked out of their room after breakfast. The party go off on another day of activities leaving the drivers to hang around all day without any facility to rest or sleep when, legally, they are meant to have a day bed.

When the party return and get loaded up to depart, it can be around 21:00. The drivers will have had disturbed sleep all week, will have been awake all day form early morning, will now have to share a 21‑hour long haul drive back to the UK. Drivers have expressed their concern that they are struggling to stay

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MAKING SCHOOLS AWARE As for schools, a little bit of research would help them to better understand the plight of the drivers affected from not having enough sleep and what action they can take. One local authority provided a statement for the BUSK conference as they were not able to attend.

Their statement read: “Monmouthshire County Council supports the BUSK Nightcap campaign and has endorsed this by changing its trips and visits risk assessment document to include the assessment of drivers accommodation by the tour operator to make sure that the drivers do not have inferior standard of accommodation.

“Monmouthshire Local Education Authority department also recognise the importance of this and make sure that the schools are aware of this element of the risk assessment when booking trips abroad.”

Schools attending the conference listened as Mike Imperato said there was a particular issue on foreign trips. If things went wrong he said the school would always be a key source of evidence – it’s safety culture, governors’ lead policy, head and senior staff responsibilities for day‑to‑day activities. He drew attention to documents – not just obvious documents, such as an accident report or risk assessment, but also policy documents, correspondence, minutes of meetings, emails and training records. He also warned schools to be aware of the ‘email chain’, Facebook/Twitter accounts, texts, mobile records, witnesses and mobile phone photos. All of these things will be looked at if something goes wrong.

He finished by explaining that a culture of safety means that with responsibility comes accountability. Ignorance was no excuse. Schools and groups need to apply best practice and need to be able to demonstrate a culture of safety. He asked: “Have you applied your mind, reviewed matters, kept up to date and not merely ticked boxes?” If not, why not? L FURTHER INFORMATION www.busk-uk.co.uk

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School Trips Written by Georghia Ellinas, head of learning, Globe Education

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Students take part in Globe Education’s 2015 youth theatre workshop programme in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

Photo credit: Cesare De Giglio. For further information, images and interviews please contact Shakespeare’s Globe press office on 020 7902 1468.

SHAKESPEARE

Allowing the stage to bring Shakespeare to life Theatre trips offer far more than a day out of school. Georghia Ellinas, head of learning at Globe Education, explains why the study of the Bard should be both accessible and exciting, and how it can benefit what is taught in the classroom How can schools make the study of Shakespeare relevant, exciting and engaging for young people reared on the high octane diet of X-Box games and programmes like Game of Thrones? The answer is simple: take them to see a performance of a Shakespeare play so they can hear the works spoken, observe how characters interact with one another and see how the themes are developed through the design of the set, the director’s concept of the play, the props and the music.

The answer is simple, but achieving this is not easy.

Planning, organising and supervising a school theatre trip requires a lot of work on the part of schools and with everything else that is demanded of them, teachers, quite naturally, run out of the energy and steam to do this.

Those who do, do it because they know it makes a real difference to the way young people engage with Shakespeare.

The 20,000 London and Birmingham secondary students who came to see our production of Twelfth Night for free this spring as part of our annual Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank project may not have seen a play by Shakespeare or even been to the theatre before, but they instantly

recognised and engaged with the story of Viola and her struggle to make a life for herself in a strange and foreign land. Some of them may have had that experience themselves and many, most certainly, will have heard it from news reports about the plight of migrants over the last few years. The audiences may have changed, but the characters Shakespeare created and the themes he explored in his plays are as relevant to 21st century audiences as they were to the Elizabethans.

ACCESSIBLE LEARNING Theatre To support our production of trips Twelfth Night we delivered s t n e d u training for teachers t s allow ers to be and over 120 in-school h c a e e t h for students

t d an yond es workshops e b which encouraged them r e h to engage with Malvolio, toget tions, confin one of Shakespeare’s more expecta hierarchies unlikeable characters, and and e to explore how he is treated h t f o by others in the play. It is hard m to warm a to Malvolio with his l c ssroo

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pompous behaviour and dismissive treatment of Cesario, but it is also hard not to feel disturbed by what happens to him at the hands of the drunken Sir Toby Belch and his partners in crime. What is dressed up as a harmless prank is in fact cruel and systematic bullying. Again, a theme that our audience understood and possibly may have suffered from or even taken part in, themselves. Seeing this theme brought to life on the stage, is a

powerful way to remind ourselves of our own behaviour and the impact it has on others.

We are fortunate to receive funding from Deutsche Bank to create this annual production for schools which then allows us to offer free tickets to all London and Birmingham state secondary students. Many schools bring entire year groups which is something they could not do in a commercial season as many theatres restrict the number of school groups they will admit to each matinee. This year, we opened up the selling of subsidised tickets to primary schools; 23 primary schools brought over 1,000 eleven year-olds to see the play and they loved it.

Over the last 10 years of the project, over 137,000 students have experienced Shakespeare at the Globe for free and it has changed the way many of them see Shakespeare and how they see themselves – they become theatre goers and that can be a transformational experience for them and their families. One student told me that she was so enthusiastic about her trip to see a play at the Globe that her father decided that they would all go as a family – a first for him and for them.

THE IMPACT OF THE STAGE There are many reasons for ensuring theatre trips are part of a student’s experience of school: it allows students and teachers to be together beyond the expectations, confines and hierarchies of the classroom; it demonstrates to students that they are valued and trusted to represent their school;

and it enriches and extends students’ understanding of the plays they are studying.

There is even more reason to make that trip to see a play by Shakespeare. The study of Shakespeare has been a statutory requirement since the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1988 and the revised curriculum of 2015 has specified the study of two entire plays (not extracts) between the ages of 11 – 14 and one play to be examined at GCSE. Seeing a performance ensures that the requirement to study a whole play is met, even if the students have not read every word of the play. There is no need to read every single word, but there is a need to understand the whole play. Seeing the play in one go, instead of watching a play in fits and starts in English lessons, is also important. The power of the story is not lost and the emotional impact of what happens to the characters

Mayor of Newham, has ensured for students in his borough in the east end of London.

He wanted to ensure that every child in a Newham school had the chance to visit a museum, an art gallery, to play a musical instrument and to go to the theatre. That is why he has paid for over 6,000 students from Newham Local Authority maintained secondary schools to attend a performance of a play by Shakespeare at Shakespeare’s Globe as part of our Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank project. This is a visionary policy and one that redresses the lack of opportunity that many families face.

INVOLVING EVERYONE A recent addition to our performance offer for schools has been interactive storytelling for pupils from the ages of five to eleven which take place in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse,

We believe that by engaging with Shakespeare stories from an early age, students will be more confident when encountering him at secondary school is not dissipated when the bell goes.

Not all children have parents who can afford or who are able to take their child to the theatre, so schools are in the best position to address that inequity. In many cases parents have never been to the theatre themselves so do not see it as part of their child’s upbringing. Schools can break that cycle of non‑participation by making every child a theatre goer. That is what Sir Robin Wales, the

our exquisite indoor theatre. We believe that by engaging with Shakespeare stories from an early age, students will be more confident when encountering him at secondary school.

The children are not passive listeners – we invite them to take part in the storytelling by using their voices and hands to make the storm for The Tempest, they perform in the Mechanicals’ play in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and offer advice to Macbeth on his

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plans to seize the throne – thankfully they always say ‘don’t do it’, but of course he does.

We immerse them in the world of the play and we always use Shakespeare’s language and invite them to speak it too.

Shakespeare has to be one of the most challenging writers that students will encounter as part of their English course, so anything that can make the text more accessible, understandable and enjoyable for students which seeing a play performed does, should be a vital part of their studies.

To achieve an A* at GCSE students have to demonstrate original thinking and for those students who are considering studying English Literature at Advanced Level and beyond, or students applying for Oxbridge or medical school, an A* in English is essential.

I have been teaching long enough to have taught the Ordinary Level GCE and my last examination group was filled with sparky sixteen year olds who loved Shakespeare. We went to see three different performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream so that they could consider, compare and contrast the versions and develop their own views about the characters, the themes and how the plays were performed.

One visit was in school time and the other two were out of school hours.

They all thought it was worth it and they all got top grades in their GCE English Literature. I hope they are all still going to the theatre; I am pretty sure they are and that they will take their children to the theatre when they become parents. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.shakespearesglobe.com/education

Dickon Tyrrell as Sir Toby Belch and Natasha Magigi as Maria in Twelth Night, Globe Education’s Playing Shakespeare with Deutshe Bank production. Around 20,000 students from secondary state schools in London and Birmingham will receive free tickets to this year’s production. The project, now in its tenth year plays from 25 February – 19 March 2016 and includes teacher training, workshops for students and online resources. www.playingshakespeare.org. Photo credit Cesare de Giglio.

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OUTDOOR LEARNING

Linking the outdoors to literacy is at the heart of the brand new Alex Rider Spy Academy. With the aim of totally absorbing students in the literary spy theme and igniting their imagination and love of reading, YHA gives Education Business an insight into the programmes success so far

Written by the YHA

Linking literacy and the great outdoors

School Trips

Sponsored by

YHA School Trips has teamed up with Walker Books and author Anthony Horowitz to create the Spy Academy, which is available as a three or four-night residential experience. It combines YHA’s existing Action Adventure package with the best-selling book series based around teenage spy Alex Rider, with a primary aim of encouraging young boys to read.

Caroline White, chief executive of YHA (England and Wales) said: “Research has proven that outdoor learning has a long lasting impact on young people throughout their school career and I am confident the new Alex Rider Spy Academy will leave a lasting impression on the hundreds of students who will be attending it.

“I am delighted with the partnership between YHA and Alex Rider. The fact we have been able to develop the Alex Rider Spy Academy – giving young people real experiences in the real outdoors – is testament to the fabulous network of properties YHA has. Bringing the books to life in this way is an excellent way to get young people reading.”

Coast canoeineering, craft, a g, bush bridges bseiling off on real or climbing roc locationks in iconic Peak Di s in the st Snowdorict or nia

RECREATING REAL EXPERIENCES Anthony Horowitz’s best-selling Alex Rider series, which was first published in 2005, re-defined the spy genre and is widely regarded as pivotal in getting a generation of boys reading for pleasure. The Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 action‑packed residential YHA School Trip brings the first novel in the Alex Rider series – Stormbreaker – to life in the grounds of 15 Youth Hostels in England and Wales.

Coasteering, canoeing, bush craft, abseiling off bridges or climbing on real rocks in iconic locations in the Peak District or Snowdonia are the order of the day at the YHA Alex Rider Spy Academy camps. E

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School Trips

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OUTDOOR LEARNING  The focus is very much on real experiences in the real outdoors as students learn how to become the next Alex Rider.

Year 6 pupils from Oasis Academy Wardon in Worcester were the very first educational group to sign up for the Alex Rider Spy Academy last year. The school had a two-night stay at YHA Broad Haven, which is situated next to a sandy Blue Flag beach and the Pembrokeshire coastal footpath. The school trip was so successful that the school has booked to take another group of pupils this year.

Class teacher Louise Rowland explained: “We wanted to go on a residential trip so the children could experience outdoor activities and take part in things they would not normally do. We took part in activities such as rock climbing, abseiling, body boarding and raft building with the spy academy sessions in the evening.

“Children you would least expect to thrive on a cliff face did so, and it was wonderful to see what they achieved, along with the encouragement provided by their peers.

A lot of them come from deprived areas and many of them were doing things for the first time, such as the coastal walk and being beside the sea, which one pupil described as the best day of his life. This was one of the reasons why we decided to book again.”

The Alex Rider series of books have sold over 16 million copies in English and have been published in 28 languages, with author Horowitz being awarded the OBE for Services to Literature in 2014. To further encourage students to read, all participating students attending a YHA Alex Rider Spy Academy receive a free copy of Stormbreaker courtesy of Walker Books, and there are also exclusive discounts on the Alex Rider boxset for participating schools.

As well as building the confidence of young people, a stay at YHA also provides teachers with the opportunities to build relationships with children in their class or school in a more informal, out of the classroom setting

Louise said: “It was really good to see how this encouraged them to read. A lot of them read on the way back, including those who struggle with reading or are not really excited by books, particularly the boys who became very engaged.”

LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM YHA Broad Haven is one of 74 Youth Hostels that are accredited by Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC). In fact, YHA has more LOtC accredited sites than any other educational visit provider. Awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtc), the LOtC Site Provider Award is a national benchmark that accredits those organisations which actively welcome schools onto their sites, ensure that the sites meet the needs of schools, and offer schools guidance and support on making the most of the LOtC experience.

Louise said that youngsters visibly grew in confidence as they acquired new skills and explored their new surroundings, adding that ‘they blossomed and were completely different characters to how they are in the classroom’.

LOtC accreditation significantly reduces the red tape for the thousands of education providers that use YHA’s Youth Hostels and learning experiences provided there each year.

As well as reducing the paperwork associated with learning outside the classroom, the Badge also highlights the accredited hostels’ commitment to ensuring quality and safety and that their learning is curriculum linked.

One of the LOtC approved sites is YHA Castleton, Losehill Hall in Derbyshire, which regularly hosts residential school trips. Cathedral Academy in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, held a pilot summer school at the Youth Hostel, during which students undertook a number of outdoor activities delivered by YHA, including bushcraft, shelter building, archery and orienteering in the 27 acre grounds of the Youth Hostel.

Kat Cafferky, vice principal of Cathedral Academy, who organised the trip, praised the Youth Hostel and its outdoor learning experiences.

She commented: “The safe, open layout of both the accommodation and the grounds at YHA Castleton played an important part in the success of the summer school.

The summer school had a positive impact on all students. Their confidence grew by the day; they made many new friends and were glowing by the end of the week.”

FACING NEW CHALLENGES As well as building the confidence of young people, a stay at YHA also provides teachers with the opportunities to build relationships with children in their class or school in a more informal, out of the classroom setting.

It also provides children the opportunity to bond with their peers in a safe environment.

Caroline White added: “Staying with YHA not only offers young people a great opportunity

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School Trips

to learn new skills and make friends in a fun environment, but offers them the chance to take back their ‘wild time’, swap screen time and get outdoors. YHA is committed to helping young people face new challenges while being looked after in a safe, fun and challenging environment. Without fail, young people grow in confidence while staying with us.”

All YHA School Trips outdoor activities can be delivered by YHA’s own team of qualified instructors. The activities in every school trip experience are linked to the National Curriculum and include history, eco‑explorer, art, jurassic coast, geography, science, performance arts, and PE. Schools can even mix and match between the packages on offer.

It’s not just about outdoor experiences; YHA also delivers a diverse range of National Curriculum activities that give young people the opportunity to learn real life skills, including the Let’s get Cooking programme. Delivered in association with The Children’s Trust, the self-catering kitchen facilities at Youth Hostels lend themselves perfectly to the programme.

Established in 1930, the aim of YHA (England and Wales) remains the same today as it was then – to reach out and enhance the lives of young people. The YHA School Trips programme is playing a big role in enabling young children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to participate in activities in rural and urban areas of England and Wales.

Most importantly, prices for YHA’s School Trips packages are affordable. They can be as little as £30 per person per night, and there are also reduced rates for teacher‑led activities.

And to ensure no students miss out on a learning experience with YHA, funding is available for disadvantaged young people

The YHA School Trips programme is playing a big role in enabling young children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to participate in activities in rural and urban areas of England and Wales through YHA’s Breaks for Kids bursary fund which provides up to 50 per cent of funding for those that are eligible, making sure the financial pressure to attend the school trip is not placed on the youngster or the school.

Caroline White commented: “YHA has been creating learning outside the classroom since we started more than 80 years ago and, because of our Breaks for Kids bursary fund, financial circumstances don’t stop young people benefitting from these brilliant opportunities.”

With more than 160 Youth Hostels throughout England and Wales, from 26-bed self‑catering hostels in Cornwall to 300+ bed hostels in central London, YHA literally has accommodation and a school trip to suit everyone.

In the majority of cases, schools will be booked on a sole occupancy basis which means they have the flexibility to change eating times or itineraries as their school will be the sole focus of the hostel staff. Where sole occupancy isn’t possible for smaller groups, YHA will ensure they are located with other school groups only to ensure safety and security. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.yha.org.uk/school-trips

About YHA (England and Wales) YHA is a charity with a clear mission: to inspire all, especially young people, to broaden their horizons gaining knowledge and independence through new experiences of adventure and discovery. YHA’s aim is to enhance the lives of one million young people each year, through their contact with the charity.

YHA has a network of around 160 diverse hostels throughout England and Wales – often situated in exceptional locations. These welcoming and sociable spaces are open to everyone. YHA helps young people take part in educational or recreational visits with their friends or classmates by providing financial support from YHA’s bursary scheme, Breaks for Kids. In 2014 YHA awarded grants totalling £278,000, providing 7,458 funded trips for young people.

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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Obesity is quickly becoming a dangerous problem for many children. Mark Hardy, chair of the Association of Play Industries, who campaigns for policy recognition of the value of play, discusses why schools are the ideal playground for the younger generation to become more active You don’t need us to tell you that we’re in the middle of an obesity and physical inactivity crisis. It threatens to shorten children’s life expectancy and presents an overburden on the NHS. With the government’s National Obesity Framework delayed until the summer, there

are widespread concerns that government momentum on this vital issue is waning.

Bold and brave policy measures are what’s needed to tackle this problem, and funding and resources for schools,

local authorities and organisations like Sport England to ensure every child is active across every aspect of life. Evidence shows that those in lower socio-economic groups are more likely to be obese, overweight and physically inactive so that’s where the policy priority should be, we believe.

The Association of Play Industries (API) campaigns at the highest levels for policy recognition of the value of play. We do this because the government is yet to acknowledge the vital importance of play in creating positive early experiences of physical activity for children. Being physically active is a habit, and starting that habit in children’s earliest years is likely to entrench healthy, active behaviours in adulthood which improve health and well-being, and, in turn, reduce the burden on the NHS.

While sport a PE are v nd importa itally cannot nt, they antidot be the only e lifestyleto sedentary s am childrenongst

Written by Mark Hardy, chair of the Association of Play Industries

Why active schools need great outdoor facilities

Play Facilities

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TACKLING PHYSICAL INACTIVITY The role of schools in creating early positive physical activity experiences is vital. API members have been working closely with schools, academies and early years settings for decades to create exciting spaces for active play, outdoor learning, sport, PE and physical activity. Our members are the UK’s leading play companies and are play professionals. Their expert design teams create playgrounds, outdoor classrooms, garden and grow areas, fitness trails and tracks, multi-use sport and games areas, and other outdoor facilities.

At a time when physical inactivity poses as big a threat to public health as smoking, it’s hugely important that children have time, space and opportunity to be active.

If we are serious about tackling the root causes of these growing health crises, then every school should be able to provide well-designed, high‑quality outdoor facilities. Of course school budgets are under major pressure, but the relatively low capital cost required to improve a school’s play and outdoor space delivers physical and developmental benefits E

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Sponsored by

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Being physically active is a habit, and starting that habit in children’s earliest years is likely to entrench healthy, active behaviours in adulthood which improve health and well-being  as well as improvements in classroom behaviour and attitudes to learning.

PLAY MATTERS To improve child health and well-being and encourage active habits for life, we must look for wide-ranging solutions which engage children of all ages and abilities.

While sport and PE are vitally important, they cannot be the only antidote to sedentary lifestyles amongst children.

The rigid rules and rituals of competitive sport can alienate some children which can discourage participation and physical activity in adult life.

We campaign vigorously for recognition of the value of play because the evidence of its benefits is irrefutable. Research organisations, academic institutions, play campaigning organisations, education and health organisations, amongst others, have vast amounts of evidence showing that active play delivers physical, developmental, emotional, behavioural, social and environmental

A FIT AND HEALTHY CHILDHOOD Last autumn, the All Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood made a clarion call to put play at the heart of government policy on child health and well-being, and to adopt a holistic strategy to support child development. At the report’s parliamentary launch, the group’s co-chair, childrens’ advocate Baroness Floella Benjamin, called on politicians from all parties to acknowledge the vital role of play in childrens’ lives and particularly in helping tackle the physical inactivity crisis.

Key recommendations for government in the report that won API support were: for play to be embedded within a Whole Child Strategy under the aegis of a Cabinet Minister for Children responsible for cross‑departmental roll out and co-ordination; for government to require local authorities to prepare children and young people’s plans including strategies to address overweight and obesity with its physical, mental and emotional consequences; for funding for play to be ring-fenced within local authority budgets; to address barriers to outdoor play for children of all ages and abilities; to extend the Sport England Primary Spaces and Sport Premium programmes to all schools with a broader scope to incorporate a wide variety of physical literacy activities including play; to communicate through public information

benefits to children and communities.

We also know that every child has a fundamental right to play, as set out in article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. But with local authority play budgets dwindling, there are many children for whom that right is under threat.

A Freedom of Information investigation by Children and Young People Now magazine in 2013 found that 31 per cent of local authorities closed public playgrounds between 2010 and 2013 and cut spending on play by 38.8 per cent during the same period (£67.9 million in 2010/11 – £41.5 million in 2013/14 ).

Research by the API last year found that over half (56 per cent) of parents are unhappy about the lack of high quality play facilities in their local area, with nearly four in ten (38.1 per cent) worried that playgrounds in their local community may close down altogether. Six in ten (61.4 per cent) think the government should be doing more to provide funding for schools to improve their outdoor facilities for physical activity.

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Play Facilities

campaigns to parents and families the value of active outdoor play, including risk or benefit assessment; and to improve public sector procurement practice for public play provision.

I was delighted to represent the play industry at a recent meeting between Baroness Benjamin and NHS Productivity minister Lord Prior to discuss the report’s recommendations, and hope we will see a more prominent place for play in government policy – and particularly, within the National Obesity Framework - in the future.

Another important organisation working hard to fund much-needed initiatives that encourage young people to be more physically active is Sport England. API members have played an important part in delivering Sport England’s Primary Spaces initiative which has seen outdoor facilities improved in hundreds of primary schools to provide new spaces for games, PE, sport, outdoor learning and play.

As an active member of the APPG, the Children’s Play Policy Forum and Federation of Sports and Play Associations, we believe it is time for the government to move play up the political agenda and to appoint a policy lead on play to develop and adopt a national play strategy.

ADVICE FOR SCHOOLS For schools wanting to become more active, it can be difficult to know where to turn for advice. The API is here to help. Its new Schools Get Active online hub is packed with helpful tips and information about planning improvements to play and

For children in some socially deprived communities, school may provide the only safe outdoor place to play and be physically active outdoor facilities, fundraising, design and risk, plus inspiring school case studies designed and installed by our members.

By choosing an API member company, schools can be sure they will be working with a reputable, financially stable and experienced play partner who abides by a Professional Code of Conduct and understands the education world.

Here are some great reasons why it pays to get your school’s outdoor facilities in shape.

Children of all ages learn through play.

Learning through play is a Trojan Horse for all the learning experiences that will follow in a child’s school life. Without even realising, children develop knowledge, skills and lessons for life, from confidence and endurance to communication and leadership. It’s not just your Early Years classes that will benefit from learning through play. Providing time, space, opportunity and a positive attitude to play benefits children of all ages.

Physical activity boosts concentration, learning behaviour and mood. Children have natural energy and enthusiasm so make the most of it by building physical activity into the whole school day. Use your playground and outside spaces to get children moving during lesson time, break and lunch times, before and after school, and for extra‑curricular activities,

as well as during sport and PE lessons. It’s not just physical literacy levels that you’ll see improve by updating your outdoor facilities. Schools report improvements in behaviour and well-being too.

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

There’s government funding to improve school sport and PE provision. The Primary PE and Sport Premium is designed to help schools improve the quality of sport, PE and active play they offer, and to maintain those improvements.

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

Open your facilities outside of school hours. Many communities lack high-quality facilities for sport and physical activity.

Opening your physical facilities to clubs and the local community outside the school day raises the profile of the school within the community while generating an additional income stream. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.api-play.org/schoolsgetactive

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Products & Services

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

DESIGN & BUILD

CODING

A new financial year means a new start for many education facilities and now can be a good time to assess your assets. One thing you should bear in mind is that older air conditioning (AC) units may no longer be in line with current legislation. This is particularly the case with systems more than 16 years old, as pre2000 units can contain Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), like R22 refrigerant gas, which are now illegal to buy or re-use.

These units are fast becoming obsolete with no replacement parts available. If you have an old AC system and it breaks down, you may be without AC altogether until you can source a replacement system.

This could be a problem if you are reliant on your system to keep your rooms cold.

A new system will save

Cubetto is a playful wooden robot that helps young children aged three and over to discover programming through storytelling, adventure and collaboration. It’s the awardwinning Montessori approved floor robot that works without a screen or digital interface, and allows children to learn to code before they can read or write.

Cubetto is a classroom resource for educators. From those struggling with the computing syllabus, to those who are simply looking for a more inspiring way to implement it, Cubetto is the perfect companion for the the new curriculum.

Martine Mannion, ICT & Digital Learning Coordinator at Wellingborough School, said: “Cubetto is an excellent teaching and learning resource which gets the students engaged and excited about programming.”

Cubetto makes coding accessible to children in preliterate years, introducing

Is your air conditioning up Hands-on coding to date with regulations? for ages three and up

you money in the long term by using the up to date technology, providing increased energy efficiency and thereby reducing running costs, and ‘future proofing’ your AC. Reputable air conditioning companies like ACE Services will provide systems and labour that meet this stringent legislation.

There are strict penalties for noncompliance, so ACE Services is offering free, impartial advice.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01622 739749 dave@aces.uk.com www.aces.uk.com

MUSIC

HUMAN RESOURCES

School budgets are being squeezed. It’s a fact. But it’s one that we are all frustrated with. Especially when it restricts access to good music. That’s why Alan Simmons Music’s song library is a breath of fresh air.

It’s an ever-growing library of school songs that are great for classrooms, assemblies and concerts and priced from just £1.75 each.

It contains songs to suit all abilities from simple songs to more challenging part singing. Each download comes with a full performance pack, including music, backing tracks, words and teaching notes.

Commenting on Alan Simmons Music, Alison North, Lindley Junior Choir (Children’s Choir of the Year 2012), said: “I have been using Alan’s songs for 10 years. Never a year goes by when I don’t choose his songs, they are always greeted with

Actus ™ Performance Management Software is designed to revolutionise the annual appraisal cycle and create year round conversations that are meaningful and engaging. By enabling staff and managers to agree on achievable objectives, Actus ™ helps to create a high performance culture for both academic and operational staff.

Easy to use and highly cost effective, it is securely hosted in the UK Cloud and quickly available via the government’s G-cloud or Digital Market place.

The Actus ™ software saves HR valuable time spent administering staff appraisals and development, freeing them up to focus on developing and retaining talent.

Education professionals value the way the system encourages staff to take ownership of documenting performance appraisal and development actions, reducing the need for lengthy annual appraisals that

core programming concepts like debugging, the queue, recursions, and encouraging computational thinking: the process of breaking down tasks into a logical sequence of steps to reach an objective.

By taking coding away from the screen, and using a hands-on programming language that you can touch, Cubetto develops these skills and logic in a way specifically tailored for early learning.

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Publishing choral music to Award winning, cloud suit all school budgets based software solutions

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excitement. Roller Ghoster is an absolute favourite of the boys’ choir and a piece I ‘have to’ sing with them every year.”

Tim Frost, director of Music at The Junior King’s School, Canterbury, said: “There is an Alan Simmons song for every occasion, many are full of energy and excitement and others have haunting melodies that will tug at the heartstrings.”

For more information visit the Alan Simmons Music website.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01924 830670 mail@alansimmonsmusic.com www.alansimmonsmusic.com

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.3

take up time that could be better spent helping students to achieve, particularly with the increased emphasis on league tables and the rise in tuition fees.

The software is designed and owned by culture change experts Advance Change who offer full support and training.

Advance Change already works with clients within higher education institutions and can easily configure the system to fit the individual needs of universities and colleges.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01582 793 053 info@actus.co.uk www.actus.co.uk

CLEANING

LETTERBOX SECURITY

Legionnaires’ disease is a form of pneumonia caused by the bacteria legionella pneumophila, and is found in warm water environments.

The disease, which is fatal in 5-15 per cent of cases, is an infection of the lungs and a form of pneumonia.

There are about 300 reported cases in the UK each year.

Legionellae can grow in any water system if the conditions are right. Temperatures between 20-45ºC are ideal for proliferation of the bacteria. The presence of nutrient (such as corrosion products, slime, biofilm and other debris,) can help it to thrive.

Whilst pupils and students are a low-risk category, staff and visitors could be susceptible to the disease. People can contract the disease if they breathe in aerosols that have been contaminated with legionella bacteria.

Water tanks that remain

The MailGUARD and MailGUARD+Plus (with extinguisher) is a simple, easily installed and an effective way to help protect vulnerable tenants from arson / anti-social behaviour type attacks, or just as an extra security measure to a property.

Since launching MailGUARD letterbox security products six years ago, the products customer base has gone from strength to strength. Now the system is used by over 70 Police and Fire Services throughout the UK, as well as many councils and housing associations.

There is no official BS Standard for this type of product, which is why Prestige Products is pleased to announce that on 16 October 2015 it received the coveted Secured by Design (SBD) Accreditation for the MailGUARD & MailGUARD+Plus products.

These are the only products

Comply with the law surrounding water hygiene services

unused during hot summer holidays are an ideal place for legionella bacteria to grow.

All water tanks in educational premises should be cleaned and disinfected each summer.

‘The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems’, HSE’s Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (L8:2013 and HSG274 Part 2, 2014), describes the legal duties and provides guidance on how to comply with the law.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01689 836170 sales@aquaairhygiene.co.uk www.aquaairhygiene.co.uk

EDUCATIONAL THERAPY

Therapy in the field of emotional education Anthea Harding focuses on developing emotional literacy, which is the ability to recognise and name emotions and display them productively.

To assist in the teaching of the emotional literacy process, the Emotional Literacy Floor sheet (ELFS), has been developed and comes with instructions making it straight forward to use.

The sheet allows children to experience the process by walking through the three stages involved. They then learn how to name their emotions and problem solve which, together, informs their behaviour. As a result, their self-confidence and self-awareness increases with a positive impact on their behaviour, academic

achievement and the development of healthy relationships.

As children’s selfesteem increases through being emotionally literate, they also learn to establish boundaries in their lives and around their personal space. Using two mats gives children the opportunity to hear others’ opinions, learn about individual differences and understand that it is safe to disagree with people and yet still get along.

Becoming emotionally literate helps children to recognise that they have choices about how they live their lives and gives them the confidence to face challenges which will enhance their futures.

FURTHER INFORMATION mail@antheaharding.co.uk www.antheaharding.co.uk

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of their type to carry the SBD accreditation. This is set out by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) which aims to help reduce crime through effective environmental design.

The scheme calls for security products that meet policeapproved standards, where products have been certified by an accredited testing body (in this case Exova Warrington) to the specified standards.

To download full details on the products, please visit the website FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0845 2419111 info@guardyourmail.com www.guardyourmail.com

CODING

Hands-on coding for ages three and up Cubetto is a playful wooden robot that helps young children aged three and over to discover programming through storytelling, adventure and collaboration. It’s the awardwinning Montessori approved floor robot that works without a screen or digital interface, and allows children to learn to code before they can read or write.

Cubetto is a classroom resource for educators. From those struggling with the computing syllabus, to those who are simply looking for a more inspiring way to implement it, Cubetto is the perfect companion for the the new curriculum.

Martine Mannion, ICT & Digital Learning Coordinator at Wellingborough School, said: “Cubetto is an excellent teaching and learning resource which gets the students engaged and excited about programming.”

Cubetto makes coding accessible to children in preliterate years, introducing

core programming concepts like debugging, the queue, recursions, and encouraging computational thinking: the process of breaking down tasks into a logical sequence of steps to reach an objective.

By taking coding away from the screen, and using a hands-on programming language that you can touch, Cubetto develops these skills and logic in a way specifically tailored for early learning.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 020 3286 2960 edu@primotoys.com www.primotoys.com

Volume 21.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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