Education Business 21.5

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A member of

VOLUME 21.5

Business Information for Education Decision Makers DESIGN & BUILD

SCHOOL TRIPS

ROOFING

SCHOOL TRIPS

KIDZANIA LONDON: FROM INSPIRATION TO ASPIRATION Imagine a 75,000sq ft City where kids are in charge

PLUS: ENERGY | FIRE SAFETY | HEALTH & SAFETY | IT & COMPUTING | SPORT | STEM

www.educationbusinessuk.net

A member of

VOLUME 21.5

Business Information for Education Decision Makers DESIGN & BUILD

SCHOOL TRIPS

ROOFING

Comment

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

The attainment gap must be bridged The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has called on the government to address educational disadvantage in the north, claiming this should be at the heart of efforts to create a Northern Powerhouse.

SCHOOL TRIPS

KIDZANIA LONDON: FROM INSPIRATION TO ASPIRATION Imagine a 75,000sq ft City where kids are in charge

PLUS: ENERGY | FIRE SAFETY | HEALTH & SAFETY | IT & COMPUTING | SPORT | STEM

With northern secondary schools lagging behind their southern counterparts, the few ‘beacons of success’ highlighted by Nicky Morgan this week are not doing enough to extinguish the flame of disparity over regional attainment.

Much of this disparity originates from unfair funding, with schools in the north of England receiving, on average, £4,600 per pupil in grant funding at primary level – £900 less than London – and £5,700 per pupil at secondary level: £1,300 less than London.

London, once deemed the worst place to attend school if you were from a low-income background, should now be highlighted as an example of how investment, leadership and collaboration can challenge geographical disadvantages. But investment is the key.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

Pupil potential should not be hindered by unfair funding, regional differences or even the lure of the capital’s living costs. Circumstances and geography play too great a role at the centre of English education.

The upcoming reforms of the national funding formula should address a ‘powerhouse premium’ as there is more than just the future of the Northern Powerhouse at stake.

Michael Lyons, acting editor

! ONLINE ! IN PRINT ! MOBILE ! 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, Harry Harris, Kathy Jordan, Stephanie Matthews PUBLISHER Karen Hopps ADMINISTRATION Vickie Hopkins REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

© 2016 Public Sector Information Limited. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1474 0133

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CONTENTS EDUCATION BUSINESS 21.5 17

07 EDUCATION BRIEFER

41 E-SECURITY

15 FINANCE

45 IT & COMPUTING

NAHT writes to Nicky Morgan on assessment; and DfE urged to take action over educational regional disadvantages In a time of constant change in schools, school business managers must keep apace with changes in purchasing trends and procurement strategies

17 DESIGN & BUILD

Inspired environments and inspired teaching experiences are more interlinked than you may think and can go a long way in the educational progress of pupils. The rpa:group discuss the architectural design of schools and how it can enhance the impact and dynamics of the classroom

24

24 ROOFING

When it comes to the roofing on school buildings, maintenance is always better than refurbishment. Bill Jenkins, technical manager of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, explains why

29 OUTDOOR LEARNING 37

There is increasing pressure for schools to deliver improved results, higher standards and continual assessment.

But what are the benefits of hands-on learning and taking studying outdoors?

33 ENERGY

Education Business takes a look at the options available to schools planning on lowering their energy bills and carbon footprint through more efficient heating and lighting in classrooms

57 65

34 FIRE SAFETY

Catherine Nelms of the Fire Industry Association provides an update on the importance of maintaining, updating and securing a log book for fire safety in schools

37 HEALTH & SAFETY

Most workplaces have a designated health and safety officer and first aid-trained official. Andrew New of St John Ambulance discusses the importance of teaching the next - generation first aid skills that last a lifetime

Education Business

Contents

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

It would be foolish to assume schools are immune to cyber threats. James Kelly advices on how to counteract the threats

With new GCSEs being introduced and a large percentage of teachers concerned over their computing knowledge, the BCS Academy’s Niel McLean looks at the progress being made and what comes next for the subject

51 CURRICULUM RESOURCES BESA’s Mark Rosser provides part two of his research into the current levels of resources and budgets for nontechnology resources in schools

54 PLAY EQUIPMENT

Play can hold a large influence over a pupil’s social, emotional and physical development. Neil Coleman discusses its importance in more detail

57 SCHOOL TRIPS

Birmingham has plenty to offer visitors.

But for those schools within the region, Birmingham also has a rich offering of venues that benefit school visits

65 SPORT

This summer witnesses the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil. Building on its success from London 2012, the British Olympic Association outlines it’s Get Set youth engagement programme

67 SPORT & SEN

Not all teachers are appropriately trained or have the confidence to correctly handle students with SEN or disability. Kat Southwell, Active Kids for All manager at the English Federation of Disability Sport, explains that while this is certainly the case in PE, it needn’t be

69 SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

Digital and technical skills are present in every form of employment, yet many negative perceptions of STEM subjects remain unchallenged. Maggie Philbin, founder of TeenTech, explores STEM growth in schools and the opportunities students should be aware of

www.educationbusinessuk.net Volume 21.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ASSESSMENT

NAHT calls on Morgan to hold off on publication of primary test results The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has called on Education Secretary Nicky Morgan to hold off on the publication of all 2016 primary schools test data.

In an open letter to Morgan, the NAHT claims that ‘teachers and head teachers all agree that a thorough review of assessment is necessary’ and urges the Education Secretary to ‘commit to a fundamental review of assessment to avoid further problems next year’.

The letter, co-signed by Russell Hobby, general secretary, Kim Johnson, president, James Bowen, NAHT Edge director and Amanda Hulme, chair of NAHT’s assessment group, warns that marks may vary in unpredictable ways.

It reads: “Given concerns about both the design and administration of the new assessments, the lack of preparation for schools, the inadequate time to implement the new curriculum for the current cohort, and the variations in approaches between schools resulting from delayed and obscure guidance, it

is hard to have confidence in the data produced by this round of assessments.”

According to the NAHT, these issues may skew the distribution of marks in a way that simply setting a lower threshold may not solve, causing it to believe that the data should not be published externally.

Additionally, the NAHT also highlights issues with the new ‘secure fit’ model, claiming that children who are excellent writers could be incorrectly labelled as working below the expected standard. The letter argues that a ‘best fit’ option is needed to give teachers ’some sensible flexibility’

when assessing children’s writing, which it suggests would give ‘a more accurate reflection of whether or not a child has grasped the overall skills of writing’.

In light of its concerns over the assessments, the NAHT has also set up its own independent review, which will consider the current assessment procedures, statutory testing, the role of teacher assessment, transition between phases, accountability requirements and overall coherence.

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/z7nl6ow

INSPECTIONS

AWARDS

Investigation launched into Luton faith school

£5 million education prize launched

The Charity Commission has launched an inquiry into an independent Islamic school in Luton run by the Rabia Educational Trust.

Issues with the school were highlighted

by Ofsted inspectors in April, who raised concerns that British values were being ‘undermined’ in the school. At the initial meeting with inspectors, the school insisted on segregating men and women with a dividing screen and Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw said that there was further evidence signalling that male and female staff were segregated during training sessions.

The Charity Commission carried out a compliance visit and inspection in January 2015 and issued an action plan to address regulatory concerns. In March 2016 the Commission wrote to the trustees and asked them to provide a written response and evidence of their compliance with the action plan, as well as provide a written response to concerns raised in the media about the charity and its hosting of guest speakers at the school.

The trustees failed to respond within the required timeframe and their response did not address all the actions set out by the Commission, triggering the launch of the inquiry.

A release from the Commission reads: “The

trustees did not respond to the Commission within the required timeframes and their response did not address all the actions required of the trustees as set out in the action plan. Therefore the Commission opened an inquiry into the charity and has exercised its legal powers to compel the trustees to provide information and documents regarding the charity to the Commission.”

The Commission will now examine: the administration, governance and management of the charity; the financial controls and management of the charity; and the conduct of trustees.

Additionally, the inquiry will also seek to clarify whether or not the trustees have complied with and fulfilled their duties and responsibilities as trustees under charity law.

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/hvzp5w3

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The world’s largest education prize has been launched offering a total of HK$60 million, around £5 million, to fund education research and development initiatives.

The Yidan Prize is funded by Charles Chen Yidan, the core founder of Tencent Holdings Ltd., and will be divided into two categories – The Yidan Prize for Education Research and The Yidan Prize for Education Development.

The scheme is calling for nominations across the world for the inaugural awards, with winners expected to be announced in September 2017.

Charles Chen Yidan said: “The Prize recognises and supports agents of change whose work transforms education in a sustainable way, and encourages innovative approaches to education research and development. It is intended to ignite constructive and inclusive dialogue around education. Through education, we can help tomorrow’s global citizens shine and create a better world.”

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/h9hzf4j

Volume 21.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY

LANGUAGES

Address educational disadvantage in the north, IPPR urges

Urgent action required over decline in language learning, Cambridge University cautions

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has called on the government to address educational disadvantage in the north, claiming this should be at the heart of efforts to create a Northern Powerhouse.

The report from IPPR found that secondary schools in the north receive on average £1,300 less per pupil than schools in London. It claims that secondary school attainment should be a cause for concern as this is where ‘educational inequalities widen sharply’.

The IPPR highlights that educational inequality is not just an issue for satellite and coastal towns, with schools in major northern cities including Liverpool and Leeds struggling to raise the attainment gap.

It also argues that a strict focus on failing schools is not enough, as even outstanding schools have attainment gaps.

The IPPR has called on the government to use its forthcoming review of the national funding formula to weight funding more heavily towards areas of the country which have high levels of disadvantage and which struggle to recruit teachers.

It also suggests finding new ways to target teaching and leadership support in these areas, possibly through professional development programmes or introducing student loan write offs.

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/je9vqhf

A report conducted by Cambridge University has called on the government to rethink its approach to language learning.

The study has argued that it is not just the responsibility of the Department for Education (DfE) alone and that the UK was struggling with a skills deficit on foreign languages that would have ‘wide-reaching economic, political and military effects’.

The news comes after exam board OCR said it would stop providing GCSEs and A-levels in French, Spanish and German.

The report outlined that language learning is in decline throughout the education system, from schools to universities. It warned that university language departments and degree courses were being forced to close; UK companies are losing business because of a lack of language skills; and the UK’s ‘soft power’ in conflict and national security matters

is being eroded because of ‘a shortage of speakers of strategically important languages’.

Professor Wendy Ayres-Bennett, professor of French philology and linguistics at the university, said: “It is vital that we communicate clearly and simply the value of languages for the health of the nation.

English is necessary, but not sufficient.

We cannot leave language policy to the Department for Education alone.

“We need a more coordinated cross-government approach which recognises the value of languages to key issues of our time including security and defence, diplomacy and international relations, and social cohesion and peace-building.”

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/j2gp8o5

ASSESSMENT

GCSE maths off-putting to FE learners, AoC claims The Association of Colleges (AoC) has said that new harder maths GCSEs could be off-putting for many further educations (FE) learners.

The AoC said that many learners who arrive at a FE college could harbour ‘negative feelings’ about the subject as a result of not achieving a good pass during their time at school.

This year, students who have not achieved a grade C or above in English and maths during their time at school will be required to retake the qualification at college. However, according to Catherine Sezen, the AoC’s 14-19 policy manager, studying for a GCSE resit may not be the best option for FE learners, given the transition to newer, tougher GCSEs. Sezen said: “English and maths are at the heart of everything we do now in college. This has been a huge cultural shift for colleges –

a change in the nature of what we deliver.

Previously there was a focus on vocational skills and A-levels for all our young people.

“Lots of young people have a very, very negative feeling about maths when they come into college. They feel like they’ve failed because they’ve got a D. A ‘C’ is that gold pass that they want. And they really feel that they’ve failed. They often come in thinking they can’t, they won’t, and they don’t.

“A lot of colleges are looking at putting the majority of their young people in for GCSE. But as we’ve already been hearing, there is a question over whether GCSE is necessarily the right qualification for those young people and for the skills that they need in the wider context.”

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/gukwbz4

Reach academy chain to open third branch The Reach academy chain is set to open a third branch that will take control of approximately 15 schools in the south west of England.

The academy chain is currently made up of Reach2 and Reach4, with the new trust to be named Reach South.

Reach South will take control of around 15 schools across Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall from September 2016, with the aim of taking

Education Briefer

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on a similar number again in subsequent years.

The new trust will be headed up

by Dean Ashton, a former children’s services director in Cornwall.

He said: “As someone who has worked, and still lives, in the south west, it is a real privilege to be leading a brand new academy trust.

“Whilst Reach South will benefit from the wider support of the Reach family, this will

ACADEMIES

be an academy trust of the south west, for the south west. Everything we do will focus on our central belief in ‘Aspiration Beyond Expectation’, and I look forward to working closely with schools right across the region.”

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/hdb3pyt

Volume 21.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

9

CURRICULUM

Science and language subjects being marginalised, Wilshaw says Michael Wilshaw, chief inspector of Ofsted, has warned that the focus on the ‘three Rs’ in primary schools has pushed other compulsory subjects such as the sciences and languages ‘to the margins of the curriculum’.

In his monthly commentary, Wilshaw highlighted that most pupils who started secondary schools would take the full English Baccalaureate (EBacc), which included a foreign language and two sciences.

However he argued that in some schools, sciences and languages had become ‘poor relations’ of the primary curriculum.

Wilshaw said: “This drive to raise the academic achievement of our young people is a laudable ambition but undoubtedly a very challenging one.

“In 2015, less than half of all pupils studied a foreign language at GCSE and, although science is a core subject that should be studied by all pupils to age 16, only 74 per cent of pupils took it to GCSE level to qualify for the EBacc.

“It seems clear that if the government’s ambition is to be met, primary schools will need to lay the foundations in these subjects before their pupils move on to study them at secondary school.”

In a recent review of science and language teaching, which drew on evidence from 340 routine inspections at primary schools, inspectors found that a lack of time was allocated to these subjects.

Many school leaders have argued that schools were struggling to fit in time for other subjects due to an ‘already tight curriculum’.

A Department for Education spokesman said: “We are also investing millions to raise the quality of teaching in languages and science through initiatives like the Science Learning Partnership, which benefited more

than 2,600 primary schools last year alone.

We are continuing to recruit high-quality candidates at primary level and have already exceeded our teacher training targets for this year, four months before the recruitment cycle ends. Alongside a raft of measures including increased bursaries and other financial incentives in EBacc subjects, including languages, we will ensure teaching remains an attractive profession.”

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/jn38mpv

SCHOOL BUILDINGS

HOLIDAYS

Edinburgh school closure inquiry to begin after school holidays

Gibb pledges to act over term-time holiday ruling

The City of Edinburgh Council has confirmed that an independent inquiry into the schools closure crisis will begin after the summer holidays, after 17 schools were closed due to building safety fears.

The schools were closed in April after investigations identified structural defects centring on missing wall ties.

The issue meant that alternative arrangements had to be put in place for 7,600 pupils and 740 nursery students.

Three of the closed schools have now reopened their doors following remedial works, with another five set to reopen in June and a further nine to open after the summer holidays.

The news comes after a report on the schools was put before members of the council’s corporate policy and strategy committee, which updated officials on the situation and set forward plans for an inquiry.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb has said he will take ‘all measures necessary’ to overturn the High Court ruling which has prompted doubts over the term-time holiday regulations.

The announcement refers to a recent case where a parent was ruled as entitled to take his child out of school for a holiday due to the child’s otherwise good attendance.

Gibb made the comment in a response to an urgent question in the Commons from a Conservative MP. Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay, said: “Only eight per cent of school absenteeism is down to family holidays, and when you look at the attainment of those children, there is no drop-off on attainment.

“Family holidays are good for children, they widen their knowledge of their world, they widen their experiences, and the children of families who

The report said: “Early indications are that this remains a construction quality matter as opposed to one relating to a design defect or the operating model employed.”

Council leader Andrew Burns said: “It is important that we have an independent chair for this inquiry – one who commands respect within the construction industry. The terms of reference will be thorough and we want the report to get to the heart of this issue and see what lessons can be learnt, not just here in Edinburgh, but across Scotland.

“When the issue came to light, our first priority was safety of pupils and staff, the second was getting pupils back into education, the third is getting the schools reopened, and it is not until this has happened that the inquiry will begin.”

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/zcnlj6x

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take them on holiday often perform better as a result.”

Gibb replied: “The ruling represents a significant threat to one of the government’s most important achievements over the last six years – improving school attendance.

“For this reason the government will do everything in its power to ensure head teachers are able to keep children in school. There is abundant academic evidence which shows time spent in school is one of the single strongest determinants of academic success.”

He added: “The need to take time off school in exceptional circumstances is important, but there are no special circumstances where a 10-day family holiday to Disney World should be allowed to trump attendance at school.”

READ MORE: tinyurl.com/jygl99o

Volume 21.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

11

ICT solutions for the classroom 3

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www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

PROCUREMENT

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SPEND, IT’S THE WAY THAT YOU SPEND IT!

When it comes to procurement, how can you get the very best value for your school or academy? We put some commonly-asked questions to YPO’s executive director, Paul Smith HOW OFTEN SHOULD OUR SCHOOL REVIEW OUR SERVICE CONTRACTS AND WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK OUT FOR? I would say that as a minimum, schools should review all contracts annually, but preferably more frequently. Start by looking at the relative importance of all of your contracts, and ensure that the most important ones get the most attention.

Look in all areas – catering, cleaning, insurance, electricity, grounds maintenance, etc. Anywhere where you spend money.

There are a number of things that you should look out for. Understand when a contract is due for renewal and ensure that it is not automatically renewed. If there is a minimum notice period on the contract, make a note in your diary to give notice in time.

Most importantly, do you know that you are getting good value and good service?

How do you know? Don’t rely on suppliers telling you that you are getting a good deal. Test the market by asking other schools or running a benchmarking exercise (or getting a public buying organisation like YPO to complete one for free).

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IS MEANT

BY A PROCUREMENT ‘FRAMEWORK’?

Whenever public money is spent, it is best practice to ensure fair and open

competition for suppliers and value for money. When a lot is being spent, it is the law to conduct a thorough tender process.

Frameworks help achieve this by ensuring public sector organisations, including schools, achieve best value, and enable fair competition between suppliers.

A framework is a public sector contract where a professional purchasing organisation, such as YPO, has already carried out a compliant process to appoint suppliers for a particular need, which are required by lots of schools or public sector establishments. This can be for anything from playground equipment or ICT equipment, to electricity and insurance.

As a framework is accessed by lots of public organisations, it aggregates their buying power and achieves better pricing. It saves organisations the time and resource of conducting their own tender processes, which can often take a long time. It also makes it much easier for you to award a contract for your school without worrying about whether you are getting a good deal, managing a supplier throughout, and terminating a contract if it’s not meeting the needs of the school.

APART FROM THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION, ARE THERE ANY LEGAL ISSUES TO CONSIDER? [i.e. a school governor offering a good deal – demonstrating transparency] Yes, there are the EU procurement regulations that apply to all public bodies (including all schools) which ensure that suppliers are selected in a fair and transparent manner, and that public money is being spent efficiently.

(More information on procuring effectively for your school can be found at https://www.gov. uk/government/collections/buying-for-schools.)

CAN WE SAVE MONEY BY PURCHASING AS A MAT OR BY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH OTHER LOCAL SCHOOLS? Almost definitely. In fact, collaborative purchasing bodies already exist to do some of this work for you (such as YPO). It is a great idea for schools to buy together to

14

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.5

achieve the best prices, and YPO has been doing just that for over 100 years. We work with schools all across the country so we are able to leverage a better deal for everyone.

HOW CAN WE GUARANTEE GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY WHEN WE’RE CONSTANTLY CHARGED WITH CUTTING COSTS? Again, working with a collaborative buying organisation such as YPO is a great way to ensure good value for money in an efficient way.

Everything that we do is compliant with the regulations and is designed to deliver great value for money on all the resources and services you need to run your school.

For example, schools have saved up to 40 per cent on their printing costs by using our mult-functional devices (printing and photocopying) framework (Ref RM1599).

Developed specifically to help schools (after the media reported that many schools were being stung by large bills) the framework helps protect schools from unscrupulous suppliers.

Frameworks are an ideal way of ensuring you aren’t tied into contracts for lengthy periods that don’t meet the needs of the school. All the documentation is already drawn up, so you don’t need to worry about hidden charges.

WE NEED TO PUT OUR PROJECT OUT TO TENDER – IS THERE ANYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS PROCESS? It depends on the value of the project. If it is very high value you will need to follow more regulations. However, be aware that there may already be frameworks in place that could cover your requirements and save you the time and effort of doing more than you need. Consult with YPO or another professional buying organisation to discover how they can help. !

YPO has over 80 procurement frameworks on everything from ICT to playground equipment.

To find out more about their procurement service and to get advice on how you can make the most of your school budgets.

FURTHER INFORMATION Contact YPO on 01924 664 664 or visit www.ypo.co.uk/contact to place an enquiry.

PROCUREMENT

Finance

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Keeping up with changes in school buying habits Changes in buying behaviours and increased workloads means that many schools are changing the way they purchase goods and services. Education Business revisits procurement advice from ESPO for time-strapped school buyers The way we buy goods and services has changed immeasurably in recent years. Today, there are few things we actually need to leave the comfort of our sofas to shop for due to online shopping. And once we’ve chosen what we want to buy, we expect it to be delivered to our front door as soon as possible.

And it would seem this change in buying habits is increasingly being reflected in the workplace too, with schools and academies looking to receive the same experience. This is evident when it comes to buying everything from everyday essentials, but also apparent when it comes to ‘bigger ticket’ items like new classroom furniture or photo copiers.

SMART PROCUREMENT WORKSHOPS This need for fast and easier purchasing is also being driven, in part, by the increased workloads and responsibilities currently facing school business managers.

Academies in particular are under strain as many, some for the first time, are having to get to grips with the procurement of essential and complex services such as cleaning, grounds maintenance, HR and legal support that were previously provided by the local authority.

As an organisation that exists to supply to schools and other public sector organisations, we are changing to meet these needs and to continue making the buying process as quick and painless as possible for schools and academies. Whether you’re looking to buy 1,000 exercise books or refurbish a dining hall, using a professional buying organisation (PBO) offers a quick, cost-efficient and compliant route to market for schools, eliminating the need for complex tender processes.

BEING PROCUREMENT SAVVY However, there are actually lots of steps that schools and academies can take to become ‘procurement savvy’ and make the purchasing of goods and services as convenient, quick and simple as possible.

Firstly, avoid the rush hour. Place orders for ‘made to order’ goods when demand is lower, which is generally anytime between November and May. If this can’t be done, plan for extended lead times. You can also set your order apart from others by accepting a delivery date during the summer holidays. The shrewd business manager that buys out of season could potentially wring a lot more from their budget.

Secondly, shop like you would from home. Many PBOs now offer the online shopping experience enabling schools to check stock availability and place their orders outside of normal working hours.

It is also advisable to use frameworks. Running tenders was once seen as too broad-based and time-consuming. However, today’s frameworks cover everything from catering supplies to banking services and temporary staff, so buyers only have to deal with responses from a small number of expert suppliers.

The biggest attraction with frameworks is that they have been pre-negotiated and meet relevant EU procurement regulations, so they cut red tape as well as ensuring competitive pricing.

Furthermore, ensure efficient ordering takes place. Processing individual orders (picking, packing, invoicing and delivering) separately often means duplication in our operations.

Then, on the receiving end our customers also have to allocate additional time to the admin process (unpacking, distribution, invoice checking and making multiple payments).

This type of inefficiency uses up more time and resources than is necessary. Take control of the ordering process in your school and consider how it can be done more efficiently.

PURCHASING FIR FOR PURPOSE Additionally, make sure you use a reputable supplier. Cold callers target schools on a frequent basis with promises of low cost equipment or services, special officers and limited time discounts – all of which may well be too good to be true. PBOs can shield buyers from such tactics and the risks associated with them by carefully assessing all their suppliers and requiring minimum performance standards and best value from them to ensure product and service quality. This massively reduces the risk of a purchase being unfit for purpose and saving customers the headache of having to negotiate terms and conditions with suppliers.

Question your time saving strategy. Do you have time to sit and compare the prices of one product from a variety of suppliers?

Yes, it’s good practice but when you consider the time it takes to trawl the market comparing prices and reviewing suppliers, do you really have the time? Some PBOs will compare the market for your behalf, so make use of this service.

Finally, consider old contracts. Old or inherited equipment supply or maintenance contracts could leave your school paying over the odds. If possible, make the time to review your spending with your business manager or bursar. Time and money are two assets that are in constant short supply in the education sector but making effective use of professional buying organisations may just help you make considerable savings on both. !

Easie purchas r i is beingng driv increas en by the and resed workloads po current nsibilities school ly facing bus manageiness rs

FURTHER INFORMATION www.espo.org

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REBUILDS

The relationship between inspired environments and inspired teaching experiences goes a long way in the educational progress of pupils. The rpa:group discuss the architectural design of schools, the planning that goes into meeting standards and the changing appearance of the classroom A generation of new schools are being built across the country, some 600 or so, under the government’s Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) scheme. Although the scheme declares that it provides money for either rebuilds or refurbishment, it’s the former that usually happens as it’s often far easier to start from scratch, particularly if your new building is standardised and largely modular. It’s a great shame that some lovely old buildings like the 1930s village school in Chagford, Devon, which was assessed as having only a blocked gutter, a non life threatening crack and some peeling paint, are being demolished when it would be entirely possible to refurbish them.

We recognise that the scheme, with its severely pruned back budgets, is all about saving money. However, oddly enough, refurbishment can be the more cost effective option. The rpa:group has often been asked

to take this more challenging route on a number of occasions. We have found that it is entirely possible to improve older buildings, retain their intrinsic character, and incorporate current and future trends in teaching and learning even on pared back budgets.

As a team we are no strangers to the innovative repurposing of buildings to create outstanding educational spaces that deliver a ‘wow factor’ for both educationalists and students. All it takes is inventive and resourceful use of budgets and real collaboration between all stakeholders.

We have made schools from private houses, fire stations and even public baths. Some of these projects have

Written bythe rpa:group

Collaboration, imagination and sensible budgeting

Design & Build

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been complicated further by involving listed buildings where the horizon of what can be achieved is limited by stringent planning regulation. So far, this work has been on behalf of the private sector, so without the luxury of billions of public spending to support it. But even though the billions aren’t there, it is in this area that we are seeing a truly dynamic use of space, a genuine need to be inventive and a real involvement between educationalists, students, architects, designers and host communities.

The e space wour provideo learn t childreno be safe, in has t g, well lit, engagin ble, relaxed a comfort practical and

A NEW LEASE OF LIFE As architects, we accept that we are agents of change, we make buildings and environments look different, hopefully better, but we would also like to think that we are not insensitive to conservation. Therefore, we feel it’s a huge shame that some perfectly good buildings, brimful of character, are being bulldozed to provide public sector buildings that have such a uniform and standardised appearance.

Two refurbishment/repurposing projects completed by the rpa:group, with partner City Axis, illustrate how older buildings can be given a new lease of life and provide !

Falcon Prep School for Boys

Volume 21.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Learn more about building secure schools by using our new interactive design guide A sensible and practical level of security, which will not adversely affect the efficient running of the school, is essential to a successful teaching and learning environment.

The majority of criminal incidents in schools relate to property crime. This is because the modern school contains a vast array of portable and desirable goods with a ready market, such as personal computers, laptops, digital projectors and other valuable equipment. Other crimes that occur, particularly in our larger cities, are acts of vandalism, arson and assaults.

Secured by Design(SBD) is a crime prevention initiative operated by the police services of the United Kingdom with the aim of utilising design principles and products in the built environment that reduce the risk of crime. SBD New Schools is one of several guidance documents that provide guidance to architects, developers and builders, including relevant security standards and ‘designing out crime’ principles.

In addition to this guide, SBD has recently created an interactive guide that can be used to explore the principles of designing out crime within a fictional school complex. It shows: •

examples of good design

•

examples of risks that may inadvertently be included in the design

These visual scenarios highlight the design decisions that would increase the risk of crime and anti-social behaviour.

This interactive guide is one of a series that also includes residential and commercial scenarios.The police service places great importance upon the need to build sustainable developments and there is a wealth of information supporting this aim availble on the SBD website.

Visit: www.securedbydesign.com/industry-adviceand-guides/interactive-design-guide/

Abingdon House

Design & Build

REBUILDS

! exciting first rate education spaces that tick all boxes for all stakeholders. The creation of Abingdon House, a new specialist school within a five storey Edwardian building in Marylebone, close to Regents Park, entailed creating the full requirements of an independent school, with a number of extra support facilities. New classrooms, laboratories and art rooms were created along with a gym and refectory. The design approach required sensitivity, as the building is located in a conservation area. Therefore, particular care was needed to ensure that the facade wasn’t altered, as the programme did not allow for any planning considerations.

We also worked with City Axis on Kings College Maths School. The new school was created to give children with an aptitude for mathematics the benefit of a dedicated approach to core maths subjects, to enable them to reach their full potential by applying to top universities. The school required the conversion from two buildings, one of them being the historic Lambeth Baths.

Both buildings needed a complete interior refurbishment to fulfil the vision of a connected, spacious environment, featuring well-appointed classrooms, and ‘break-out’ "

Abingdon House

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Canopies, walkways and sustainable buildings designed around you Our range of canopies and walkways are the ideal solution for maximising education environments. With over 50 years experience, Fordingbridge are passionate about helping primary and secondary schools transform underutilised spaces into valuable, weather protected, inspiring places.

We provide the in-house expertise and understanding to provide you with durable and proven solutions for outdoor learning, dining and social areas.

Contact us now for your FREE no obligation site visit to secure your summer installation

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REBUILDS ! spaces designed to encourage communication and creativity. From initial concept to official opening by the Secretary of State for Education, the project took just 81 working days to be successfully completed.

EMBRACING CHANGE So what delivers a great school? What exactly are the ingredients that make something leap beyond the mundane and enter the territory of inspirational?

First of all, we would say that partnership is vital. Architects, consultants and designers need to work together in a truly symbiotic way and they all need to work with (and understand) those who will use the school - namely the teachers and the students.

Understanding their requirements, desires and challenges will go a long way.

Secondly, understand and embrace change.

All parties should address where the world of teaching will be in 10-20 years time. Will we still have classrooms as we know them or will we have more flexible space that is geared around teaching via a computer hub that provides, not only new learning opportunities in the school, but distance learning also? Our solutions for King’s Maths School support a "

Will we still have classrooms as we know them or will we have more flexible space that is geared around teaching via a computer hub that provides not only new learning opportunities in the school, but distance learning also?

Design & Build

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Kings College Maths School

Kings College Maths School

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UNITY CREATING UNITY BETWEEN LIGHTING AND DESIGN Unity, Concord’s new modular LED linear system takes suspended lighting in a whole new direction.

Clever connectors make it surprisingly easy to configure for even the toughest spaces such as corners and stairways. Clean-lined and more compact than T5 fluorescent, it’s also ultra efficient (37W at 71lm/W for the 1.2m version). Energy saving options include standard PIR sensors or the revolutionary award winning Organic Response lighting control solution.

For complete peace of mind EMPRO and three-hour emergency versions are also available. Furthermore, it delivers a 70:30 mix of direct and indirect lighting for perfectly balanced illumination.

www.concord-lighting.com

Tel: 0800 440 2478

REBUILDS

All parties should address where the world of teaching will be in 10-20 years time. Will we still have classrooms as we know them or will we have more flexible space that is geared around teaching via a computer hub?

Falcons School for Girls

" break-out strategy for teaching by providing brightly-coloured pods that allow students to work alone or in small groups. Will we still be using walls in the same way? Currently they are a vital teaching aid as they provide show-space for students work, particularly in primary schools. How much will schools embrace smart technologies like NFC? The space we provide our children to learn in has to be safe, engaging, well lit, comfortable, relaxed and practical.

The materials we use are of paramount importance. Using smarter constructional materials like cross laminated timber, resulting in greater use of off site construction manufacture makes sense, whereas using materials that are too cheap and which offer no significant longevity does not.

It’s vitally important that architects and designers challenge schools to think outside the box and this includes involving all staff and pupils in a process of iteration. After all it’s their space. But one major nut needs to be cracked and that is the funding issue.

Increased funding is crucial to allow architects more time to help teachers draw up an appropriate brief for their school project.

Broadly speaking, the designs for new public sector schools are part of a lowest common denominator outlook and, with their lifespans of 30-50 years, a sad reflection of today’s throwaway culture.

We feel that we should, as a country, be looking more positively and enthusiastically at the strategy of refurbishing schools and repurposing old buildings.

The private sector is definitely leading the way in this regard and it might be time well spent if those advocating new build policy visited some of the many fine refurbishments to be seen the private sector.

As we have shown above, some great things can be done in some very unlikely buildings. All it takes is collaboration, imagination and a sensible budget. !

Design & Build

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Poor building design is impacting pupils’ learning, RIBA warns The poor design and quality of school buildings is damaging pupils’ health and learning, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has warned.

RIBA’s analysis of government figures found that only five per cent of schooling across 18,000 schools were in top condition, and it has suggested that tightening budgets are having a negative impact on the quality of these buildings.

According to a survey conducted

by RIBA, more than 90 per cent of teachers feel that school design is important, but nearly half were concerned that their schools were too small, and one in five had considered quitting because of the condition of school buildings.

RIBA is calling on the government to review the current school building programme, as it claims the ‘quest to limit time and costs’ represents a false economy. The institute argues that poor quality buildings are likely to experience higher running costs, as well as lead to poorer pupil performance and behaviour.

Launching its #TopMarkSchools campaign, RIBA has listed three priority areas of reform. These are: reviewing how information and communication flows between schools, government and design and construction teams during projects; adopting a more flexible approach to the rules governing the design and size of new schools to allow for the best possible use of resources; and taking a smarter approach to the use of building management equipment that controls the internal environment of modern school buildings.

Find out more at bit.ly/247fpg2

FURTHER INFORMATION www.therpagroup.com

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Roofing Written by Bill Jenkins, technical manager, National Federation of Roofing Contractors

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www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

CONTRACTORS

Why prevention is always better than cure The National Federation of Roofing Contractors explains why maintenance is always better than refurbishment when it comes to roofing Keeping schools fit-for-purpose and safe for staff and pupils is a key priority for all head teachers. From staying on top of general maintenance, to knocking down unsafe or dilapidated parts of the building, or adding new classrooms, it’s a delicate balancing act around funding, health and safety, and even school closure.

One area of maintenance that schools can’t afford to overlook is the roof. One of the most dominant features of the building, it represents a sizable investment too. Whilst correctly installed roofs will often last decades – and in the case of natural slate, a lifetime – it is often assumed that they require zero maintenance or attention. However, they are constantly in

the frontline of weather abuse, so regardless of its age, ongoing maintenance and repairs are vital to avoid facing large bills for replacement – not to mention possible damage to the interior as a result of leaks.

Installing a new roof is a luxury that most schools can only dream of. Many post-war built schools generally have a number of flat roof areas, as opposed to traditional pitched roofs, and these can be prone to problems if not maintained correctly.

Short-term solutions can be fine but they don’t always fix the job properly in the long-term. Spotting roofing problems early can save a fortune, but how often should the roof be inspected, what should be looked for, and when to call the specialists in?

In l, a schoooof r a green e pupil vid can pro nd generate a interestfeeling of a ongst m a g n i wellbe staff and both ils pup

GENERAL MAINTENANCE Regularly inspecting the roof can go a long way to spotting problems early and taking action. When autumn comes, it’s important to clear the roof and gutters of leaves and other debris, and to inspect it after any storms with heavy winds. Roof tiles or slates that have broken, slipped out of place, or been blown off are a common occurrence.

If they are not replaced, rainwater can saturate supporting timbers and get into the inner roof structure causing damage.

Gutters, gullies and downspouts should all be cleaned in late autumn after the trees have shed their leaves. It’s also important to check for breaks or gaps in the joints (obvious drips, green staining on the walls or path), and make certain that the brackets holding the gutters against the building are securely attached.

Other parts of the roof can cause leaks and damp, including the flashings and masonry. Wind and weather can get underneath defective flashing and rip it loose allowing water ingress. Equally, If there are trees growing nearby, they may need to be trimmed back. Leaning branches can dislodge roofing materials when blown by the wind and falling branches can damage tiles, and falling leaves can clog gutter.

FLAT ROOFING PROBLEMS A flat roof is generally defined as having a pitch not greater than 10° to the horizontal.

A truly flat roof would not allow rainwater to drain away, so most flat roofs have a fall on them to enable the rainwater to naturally flow to collection points. Over the years, the waterproof coverings may have been overlaid or replaced with another bituminous system, or with a polymeric

or rubber single ply waterproofing or a GRP based liquid applied coating.

Today, built-up RBM (Reinforced Bitumen Membranes) are the most common material for flat roofs. Thanks to RBM, leaky roofs that were once expensive and troublesome to maintain are now a thing of the past. Today, flat roofs are low-maintenance and can enjoy a trouble-free life expectancy of up to 35-40 years.

When problems do occur with flat roofs, it’s usually due to leakage caused by the failure of the waterproof covering. This may be due to several factors such as bad design, poor detailing, bad installation and inappropriate materials. Other causes can be an inability to withstand movement, thermal shock, impact or other damage, the deterioration of seams, trims or flashings, failure of previous repairs, lack of maintenance or simply the waterproofing material reaching the end of its service life. Damage can also occur as a result of actual foot traffic on the roof caused by non-specialists gaining access.

Ponding of rainwater can often occur on flat roofs. Although it is not necessarily a problem in itself, it may be an indication of the degradation of the supporting deck due to water ingress or condensation.

It may also indicate the lack of fall to the roof, which may be addressed when refurbishing. Blistering may be present but, and although not problematic, it should be monitored periodically.

REFURBISHMENT If re-roofing is required, then a suitable roof covering will need to be decided upon. If it’s just a portion of the roof that requires refurbishing, then it’s likely that the same covering would be chosen to match

Roofing

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Many post-war built schools generally have a number of flat roof areas, as opposed to traditional pitched roofs, and these can be prone to problems if not maintained correctly the original. Whilst there are a medley of options to consider, including slate, clay, concrete tiles and green roofing, a key factor governing this choice will be budget, of course.

Refurbishment projects tend to make up 50 per cent of a local authority’s funding under the government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme – so it’s important that these huge sums of money are spent wisely and effectively.

Thanks to the current British Standard Code of practice for slating and tiling, BS 5534, which revised/ republished in 2014, new and refurbished roofs have to be more secure in the face of increasingly extreme weather events. New minimum performance standards for underlay as stipulated by the Standard also mean that new roofs are more energy efficient too.

FLAT ROOFING REFURBISHMENT Refurbishment of a flat roof is likely to be reportable to the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) and approval must be sought, unless the contractor is a member of CompetentRoofer. Part L of the Building Regulations may require additional thermal insulation to all re-roofing projects where the building underneath is heated. For example, a school roof installed in 1995 will possibly have about 40mm of rigid polyurethane insulation meeting the then current regulations. In 2012, however, that thickness increased to 140mm.

Particular attention needs to be paid to any condensation issues that can occur on cold roofs. Current regulations stipulate that if more than 50 per cent of the existing waterproofing is being stripped, if it’s technically and economically feasible, the whole roof must be brought up to the standard of the current energy related regulations. This means that a roof will require substantially more insulation than is currently present.

GOING GREEN Green roofing has become increasingly popular over recent years. Whether it’s transforming a humble outdoor storage building or landscaping main parts of the roof, green roofing offers a planting system that not only looks great and helps soften the look of the school, it’s brimming with environmental, social and economic benefits too.

In urban environments, green roofs help attract the birds and butterflies and provide cleaner air, offsetting our carbon footprint and helping combat global warming. They can also help reduce the need for air conditioning

in the summer, and offer a degree of additional insulation in the winter. The lives of waterproofing membranes beneath green roofs are extended, plus sound insulation is improved.

Also, water surface run-off can be reduced.

In a school, a green roof can provide pupil interest and generate a feeling of well-being amongst both staff and pupils.

They can be installed as a complete system and can even be retrofitted to existing roofs. The revised GRO Code is designed to provide assistance for anyone who is involved in the design, specification, installation or maintenance of a green roof.

CALLING THE SPECIALISTS Other than simple maintenance issues such as clearing leaves and cleaning gullies, it’s important to call in the specialists from the outset. Trained and competent roofing contractors will not only be skilled in all aspects of roofing, they will be conversant with the latest regulations and knowledgeable about other potential risks, such as from asbestos-containing materials.

By appointing a contractor who is a member of the NFRC government-approved CompetentRoofer scheme, schools can enjoy significant cost savings. Through self-certification, these specialists can eliminate costly and time-consuming local authority building control procedures, whilst maintaining performance and legality.

Many older schools are listed buildings and require special attention to detail and consideration. Contractors with specialist skills to carry out such repairs or refurbishment work may be found via the NFRC’s National Heritage Roofing Contractors’ Register which is recognised by all UK Heritage Agencies.

Roofs help protects schools from all types of weather, but without maintenance, the roof will age until it is no longer able to do its job. If problems are encountered, it’s important to seek the help of a specialist roofing contractor immediately. After all, lining up buckets to catch the rain falling from leaks in the ceiling, or having to teach pupils in temporary classrooms are the last thing that any school wants. !

Dating back over 120 years, the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) has led the way in best roofing practice; encouraging first class workmanship, maximum performance, plus the installation of cutting-edge materials.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.nfrc.co.uk

Volume 21.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Case Study

St Clere’s Secondary School BEFORE

St Clere’s Secondary School was established in 1978 and is a high-achieving Co-operative Academy located in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. The approximately 2,500m2 concrete flat roof to the main school building was originally waterproofed with mastic asphalt. In early 2005 the original asphalt roof covering was deemed to be at the end of its service life due to progressive deterioration. In an effort to maintain the integrity of the roofs waterproofing and additionally improve its thermal performance, the roof was overlaid with a loose laid EPDM membrane, followed by a filter fleece, extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation, and an overburden of stone ballast. After a short period of time it was apparent there were issues with the new roof buildup with increasing instances of water ingress into the occupied space below.

Diagnostics identified that the EPDM membrane had failed allowing water penetration, the underlying asphalt and ultimately the concrete deck.

As a consequence, there was a need to once again implement a programme of re-roofing works. The works would necessitate the removal of the existing overburden of stone ballast, XPS insulation, filter fleece and the failed EPDM membrane to expose the original mastic asphalt roof covering. Whilst the asphalt was in a poor state, it would have been both costly and disruptive to fully remove and would potentially have left the structure vulnerable to water ingress during the works, necessitating a temporary roof. To minimise the costs associated with the re-roofing works, and to provide a ‘Best Value’ solution to the Academy, it was agreed that every effort should be made to preserve the existing mastic asphalt roof covering and if practical, re-use the existing XPS insulation and ballast.

Six step process for Consultation

Survey

Design

To satisfy this objective it would be necessary to re-waterproof the asphalt following a programme of phased removal of the overburden, insulation and EPDM coupled with extensive preparation and repair. This would be followed by the introduction of a new filter layer, XPS insulation, water flow reducing filtration layer followed by the ballast as part of an inverted roof build-up.

AFTER

One of the primary challenges in re-waterproofing the asphalt and forming an inverted roof was selecting a waterproofing solution with exceptional compatibility with the existing asphalt, and an ability to withstand standing water in what is essentially a low to zero pitched application. Following an extensive review, Triflex ProTect® cold liquid applied, seamless waterproofing system was specified. Based upon PMMA resin technology, Triflex ProTect® has exceptional resistance to hydrolysis (standing water), and proven compatibility with asphalt (more than one-million square metres has been overlaid in the UK in the last 25 years).

The main roof areas were waterproofed using the BBA and ETA certified Triflex ProTect® system incorporating Triflex ProDetail® for all upstands, rooflight kerbs, penetrations and perimeter edge details. The systems’ rapid cure times and single process application allowed priority roof areas to be waterproofed rapidly and within short timeframes with little or no disruption to the schools daily operation.

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CANOPIES

While the majority of parents and schools recognise the benefits of their children learning about and from the outdoors, there is a dramatic reduction in time spent out of the classroom. BESA’s Mark Rosser invites member Mark Brown of TG Escapes to question why there is no improvement and offer his advice to schools on reaping the benefits of the outdoor learning environment You will have hopefully watched or heard about the most recent, ‘Free the Kids’ advert from washing detergent, Persil. The powerful commercial asks maximum-security prisoners how they would feel if their two hour per day outdoor activity allowance was reduced to just one hour.

The response was unanimously passionate, with responses ranging from ‘anger would build’ and ‘it would be torture’ to the ‘potentially disastrous’. Yet on average, children spend only one hour a day outside; less than a maximum-security prison inmate.

Sadly, this has become so prevalent that it even has its own terminology: ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’. Initially coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book, Last Child

in the Woods, it has been suggested that this evolution can lead to a wide range of behavioural problems, which can impact upon education, health and general wellbeing.

The National Trust’s Natural Childhood report adds a further warning: “The growth of virtual, as opposed to reality-based play is not surprisingly having a profound effect on children’s lives; it has been called ‘the extinction of experience.”

THE DANGERS Firstly, looking at the dangers of this increasing trend, approximately 30 per cent of children aged between two and 15 are either overweight or obese (Health Survey for England 2008; the NHS Information Centre) and this is increasing significantly.

According to the report ‘Epidemiology of vitamin D deficiency in children’, other physical health problems include vitamin D deficiency, leading to a rise in rickets, short-sightedness and asthma, and so the dangers and warnings continue. But is it all about children’s health? Child psychologist, Professor Tanya Bryon thinks not.

She said: “The less children play outdoors, the less they learn to cope with the risks and challenges they will go on to face as adults. Nothing can replace what children gain from the freedom and independence of thought they have when trying new things out in the open.”

Furthermore, Tom Gill, one of the UK’s leading commentators on childhood adds: “Natural places are singularly engaging, !

Written by Mark Rosser, Mark Brown, British Educational Suppliers Association

Cultivating the benefits of outdoor learning

Outdoor Learning

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The gr of virtuowth opposeal, as d to re a l i t y b a s ed play is not s u r p r isin having a profo gly effect o und children n ’s lives

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Outdoor Learning

CANOPIES

! stimulating, life enhancing environments, where children can reach new depths of understanding about themselves, their abilities and their relationship with the world around them.”

Month on month, year on year, we all increasingly value the importance of our environment (less pollution and more recycling to name just two strands). We should all be aiming to become better environmental citizens: the notion that each of us is an integral part of a larger ecosystem and that our future depends on each one of us embracing the challenge and acting responsibly and positively toward our environment. It’s about making changes in our daily lives to be environmental citizens all day, every day.

Children don’t simply learn more or learn better when freed from their desks, they also learn differently, experiencing an impact cognitively, actively, interpersonally, socially and physically.

I imagine that everyone reading this article will concur. The issues and need for change are obvious. Taking science as an example, how can we expect our children to be excited by science, nature and biology if we don’t take them outside to actually experience it?

SO WHAT IS STOPPING US? From our research, the biggest barrier mentioned in The Learning Escape survey was the ‘pressure to cover other curriculum areas’ (45 per cent), with a ‘lack of staff understanding/training’ in second place (39 per cent). A ‘lack of funding’ also featured highly as a barrier (26 per cent). So even nature itself has become a commodity. Surprisingly, ‘poor facilities’ came very low down the list (only 11 per cent), with ‘lack of home support’ being listed by 16 per cent. Another commonly cited reason is heath and safety.

ANTIDOTES TO THE MODERN WORLD When we spoke to schools with a high rate of outdoor learning, about the ‘secret to success’, those surveyed ranked a number of important contributing factors. Some of these included: having a whole school approach, giving children ownership, having an action plan, integration within the curriculum, having more time, staff passion, having experience

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.5

Staff need to be encouraged to understand more about their outdoor space and the ways in which they should be encouraging their children to ‘get outside and use it’ of learning in this area, inclusion of all stakeholders, and opportunities for children to interact at first hand with real-life examples.

With these examples in mind, here is my ten-point plan for any school wanting to increase their outdoor learning.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE The most important thing is that schools and Early Years settings lead by example.

That means practicing what you preach and for example, setting up recycling programmes, supporting Walk to School week and encouraging healthy, sustainable eating at lunchtime. Children learn by the example set by teachers, so in order to best engender a sense of environmental citizenship you must first set the best example.

TAKE THE CURRICULUM OUTDOORS While I appreciate the pressure on schools concerning results, assessment, the core curriculum and standards, teachers also recognise the huge potential of hands-on-learning. Taking maths as an example, the new curriculum, encourages the teaching of maths as interconnected topics, which lends itself to more practical activities. While the new programmes of study are set out on a year-by-year basis, schools now have the freedom of when to teach the content within each Key Stage and are not restricted to following strict schemes of work or classroom based study.

When planning the lessons surrounding a particular learning objective always consider how the outside can support this. In primary maths, can the children measure the area of the playfield, draw a plan of the school grounds and from there calculate its size? Or, could they weigh and analyse the amount of grain that the school pet rabbit eats over a two-week period. Plan lessons with practical, outdoor activities to get the best of both worlds (natural interaction and curriculum learning).

ENCOURAGE THEM TO ‘PASS IT ON’ Consider putting together a fact-sheet for parents on the subjects you’re covering in lessons, to help them continue the learning and exploration at home.

SUPPORT A SCHEME LIKE ECO-SCHOOLS Eco-Schools is an international award programme that guides schools on their sustainable journey, providing a framework to help embed these principles into the heart of school life. There is a framework to work through, rewarding best practice, as well as teaching and learning resources to help you on your journey.

GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL CITIZENSHIP Saying well done to children that play an active role in green practice helps them to see the benefits of good environmental citizenship. Consider introducing competitions and campaigns that create a focus on particular areas, as well as day-to-day learning. Make environmental citizenship fun.

ADDRESSING HEALTH AND SAFETY The concern over the dangers and, in particular, road safety is another barrier to spending more learning time outside.

The number of children killed on our roads has fallen dramatically, from almost 700 deaths in 1976 to just 81 in 2009. But these raw figures conceal the true reason behind the drop in deaths: that nowadays children are rarely allowed to venture outdoors (Mayer Hillman’s study One False Move).

Giving children the freedom to explore natural environments inevitably incurs an element of danger.

Yet we should put this in perspective: three times as many children are taken to hospital each year after falling out of bed, as from falling out of trees. And remember, the Health and Safety Executive is an active advocate of sensible risk.

Did you know?

CONSIDER HOW YOU BRIDGE THE GAP Think about where you teach; does it need to be indoors or could you use an outdoor space? Can you structure lessons to involve both indoors and outdoors? For example, use the first half of the lesson to set students the task of researching the theory behind an experiment, before getting them to put it into practice outdoors.

AVOIDING ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE Many believe they cannot experience outdoor learning unless they are in a nature reserve, have the right pair of binoculars, or are wearing the correctly endorsed clothes. As a result, ‘nature’ is often seen as somewhere to travel to, as opposed to something we are all surrounded by. My first recommendation to schools is to step back and consider what is accessible without asking parents to fund it or dip into budgets.

Plants and animals are everywhere. With supervision, environmental surveys could be carried out in the street outside the school or in a home environment with parents and other family members. Parents, or local scientists

and environmentalists could even be invited into the school grounds to demonstrate the wonder of the world we live in.

CLASSROOMS AND BUILDINGS When considering a building project, leading by example is, again, key. Rather than instantly deciding on a portable classroom, why not consider an eco-classroom that uses the best, sustainable materials? Think about positioning and design to allow it to bridge the gap between indoors and outdoors. If you’re having a new library constructed, why not build it from wood with bi-fold doors so children can enjoy reading outdoors? Or consider a science building that enables children to run experiments both inside and outside?

STAFF TRAINING This is easily solved. There are numerous sources of information for schools to dip into for advice and ideas such as the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom and books such as School Leader and Teacher Insights into Learning Outside the Classroom in Natural

The less children play outdoors, the less they learn to cope with the risks and challenges they will go on to face as adults

According to a 2008 National Trust survey, one in three children could not identify a magpie; half could not tell the difference between a bee and a wasp, but nine out of 10 could recognise a Dalek.

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Environments Published by Natural England.

It is important that schools work with what they have to make the most of existing equipment and outdoor space and lead through example, involving children at each stage. A part of this process can then be identifying areas for improvement and support with fundraising for projects.

If staff can be shown how to include outdoor time within curriculum learning then it will lead them to make more informed choices about facility development needs and priorities. Importantly, and perhaps firstly, staff need to be encouraged to understand more about their outdoor space and the ways in which they should be encouraging their children to ‘get outside and use it’. From the products we sell you can see the reconnection of pupils to nature and how the natural light impacts on the learning outcome. The opportunities are abundant, and all around us. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.besa.org.uk www.tgescapes.co.uk

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EFFICIENCY

Energy

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vents are not obstructed by any equipment and that filters are kept clean and free of dust. This ensures better circulation of heat into the space and reduces the energy required to meet the heating demand.

Simple ways to reduce energy consumption Schools depend upon a reliable fuel source that is safe, clean and meets their individual needs.

Education Business examines how efficient heating and lighting can make a real difference Schools, like everyone else, face increased bills as global demand for energy continues to grow. Like all businesses, schools can implement some simple energy save measures to improve conditions and saving money, without compromising the comfort of staff and students.

Both primary and secondary schools are pushed to make the most of their resources, while providing a solid education for students.

Being energy efficient saves money, so is an excellent way to release funds for curricular resources or facilities. In addition to economic benefits, there are social and environmental advantages to reducing energy consumption, such as preserving fossil fuels and minimising impact on the environment. This is increasingly important to the reputation of schools, as students, teachers and parents become increasingly aware of climate change.

Moreover, actions taken to become energy efficient provide an excellent opportunity for practical learning and real-life application for students. Many of the actions in this overview could be undertaken or monitored by students, while the science behind it might be a great opportunity for targeted classes.

HEATING Savings made in heating can have a positive impact on energy bills, with even simple, low-cost measures making a difference.

Children have higher metabolic rates than adults and so are comfortable at lower

LIGHTING Well-lit spaces are essential for an effective teaching and learning environment. As a result, lighting accounts for approximately 10 per cent of the total energy used in schools. However, there is considerable scope for making savings by implementing some simple good housekeeping measures.

Staff and students should be involved in making savings, so raise awareness during assembly and non-teaching class time, placing stickers above light switches and posters around the building. Avoid having blinds down and lights on; a familiar scene in classrooms and offices is the use of blinds to control glare when it is bright outside. Where possible, encourage staff to use blinds to direct daylight onto the ceiling and walls instead, as this should reduce the need for electric lighting in the classroom whilst reducing glare.

Daylight blinds are particularly effective as they enable the natural light to enter the space by re-directing the light onto the ceiling, thereby allowing the ‘free’ daylight to enter the space, alleviating discomfort felt by the occupants from glare.

Many daylight blinds also have perforated blades to enable a view outside, which can create a positive atmosphere.

Choose the most efficient lighting possible. For example, upgrade standard tungsten light bulbs to energy saving compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) which use 75 per cent less energy, produce less unwanted heat and last eight to 10 times longer. Be careful, however, as some areas are not suitable for energy saving bulbs.

Replace blackened, flickering, dim or failed fluorescent tubes with triphosphor coated ones. Triphosphor coating provides a more natural, brighter light for the whole life of the tube. If the tubes are 38mm (1.5 inch), replace them with slimmer 26mm (1 inch) tubes.

Specify high frequency fluorescent lighting systems and mirror reflectors whenever fluorescent lighting is to be replaced. High frequency tubes reduce energy use and heat output, eliminate flicker and hum, extend lamp life (by up to 50 per cent) and can allow dimming – all of which can make a classroom more comfortable. Make sure this happens by including it in the school’s purchasing policy.

Attention to energy efficiency can benefit both the school and the wider community, and what better place to start than monitoring and improving heating and lighting. !

Ac taken t tions energy o become provide efficient a opportun excellent practica nity for real-lifel learning and ap for studplication ents

temperatures.

Maintaining optimum internal temperatures for staff and students will improve comfort conditions that can help boost attentiveness and morale. Happier students can be easier to communicate with and contribute to a more productive learning environment.

Heating needs vary throughout the day so check that the system operating hours match the times when heating and ventilation are required. Review time settings every month or so to check that they are correct. Many systems function inefficiently because someone made a short-term adjustment and then forgot about it. Fitting tamper-proof thermostatic radiator valves can prevent this from happening.

Discourage staff from using thermostats as on/off switches – turning to maximum does not speed up the heating process, it usually just results in an overheated space.

It is important to ensure thermostats are not influenced by draughts, sunlight or internal heat sources like radiators or ICT equipment. Settings should reflect the activity taking place in the space.

Keep circulation in mind – schools always have lots of activities going on and furniture is constantly being rearranged to accommodate students’ needs. Make sure radiators and

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HEALTH & SAFETY

Written by Catherine Nelms, The Fire Industry Association

Fire Safety

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The importance of the fire alarm log book in schools Familiarity with fire drill procedures should be a prominent aspect of a teacher’s knowledge of the school. Catherine Nelms, of the Fire Industry Association, outlines why using the fire alarm log book is vital for schools across the country As we all know, fire drill practice in schools is an absolute must. Teachers must become familiar with the procedures, and children must learn to walk silently from the building to the agreed place of safety. This is also an opportunity for staff to ensure that life safety equipment is working properly. Generally, on the whole, most schools are good at training the children how to behave during a fire drill and things progress without a hitch so that everyone can file slowly back inside.

However, fire safety is not a matter to be dismissed. Serious breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (or RFO, for short) can have huge implications for schools, with one state school fined £8,000 in 2009 for a breach of just three fire safety regulations. Another independent school was fined £50,000 for a breach of 15 fire safety regulations in 2011. These might be historic cases, and thankfully, it seems that cases where schools do breach the regulations are becoming increasingly rare,

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.5

but that does not mean that the vigilance upheld by schools can now be relaxed.

Current legislation states that the ‘responsible person’ must take all steps to demonstrate that they have followed all regulations in order to prevent a fire.

A ‘responsible person’, according to the RFO, means: (a) in relation to a workplace, the employer, if the workplace is to any extent under his control; (b) in relation to any premises not falling within paragraph (a)— (i) the person who has control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) in connection with the carrying on by him of a trade, business or other undertaking (for profit or not); or (ii) the owner, where the person in control

of the premises does not have control in connection with the carrying on by that person of a trade, business or other undertaking.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

In the instance of a school, Every the issue of the ‘responsible e tim person’ can get a little g at n i complex. Essentially, the h t y n a o t ‘responsible person’ s n e may not be a person as all happ alarm e r such, but the corporate fi the uld be body as a whole that o h s t i could be penalised by system orded in any potential breaches rec of fire safety regulations. the log For schools within an k boo academy chain, that could be the academy body itself, whilst for schools still owned by the Local Education Authority (LEA), it is likely to be the LEA. The issue gets a little easier for independent schools as the responsibility

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Larger schools are obviously more likely to have more call points, and a system should be developed to ensure that every call point is tested over the course of the year In a school setting where potentially hundreds of children are in the care of all adults around, it really isn’t acceptable to allow any part of the fire detection and alarm system go unmaintained for any great length of time.

The log book is the most essential document required to record fire safety events, and it is the job of the Premises Management or ‘Fire Officer’ to keep this up-to-date.

would lie directly with the school itself.

However, according to Article 13 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, the ‘responsible person’ (i.e. the LEA, the academy chain, or independent school) must nominate a competent individual on-site for the general day-to-day management of fire safety. This could be a facilities manager, site manager, caretaker, head teacher, or a deputy head who might oversee the general running of fire safety, or a combination of these people. British Standards (which aren’t laws but are general best practice guides written by industry experts, such as members of the Fire Industry Association) refers to this role as the ‘premises management’ to distinguish from responsible person defined in the RFO. Again premises management may be a single person or a team of people.

Most schools nominate someone within Premises Management to be ‘Fire Officer’ to oversee all of the management in relation to fire in order to ensure compliance with the law. The Fire Officer would also be responsible for training other staff in the event of an alarm sounding.

MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT Whilst many schools have a robust fire safety policy in place to train staff and to manage the fire drills, it is important to consider the proper maintenance of the fire alarm system, and all equipment such as fire extinguishers. Routine and regular maintenance is an essential part of ensuring that the system continues to be fully operational in its life safety role.

It’s vital that these do not get overlooked.

WHAT IS A LOG BOOK? Quite simply, a log book is a record (or log) of everything related to fire safety in the building, kept up-to-date by the Premises Management (likely to be the school’s Fire Officer for the general day- to-day tasks). It should contain the date, time, and the reason for the alarm sounding. Was it a false alarm? Was it a weekly test or fire drill? Was it a real fire and did somebody get hurt? What device caused the alarm? All of these aspects should be recorded.

A log book is not the sort of document that can just be written at the back of a school exercise book, as there are certain requirements in the types of information that should be recorded. At the Fire Industry Association (FIA), we always recommend to schools that when they commission the fire alarm system, that they ask for the log book to be included in the package. Any decent, reputable, certified company should be able to do this, and they should be able to give the best advice on how to use the document when they hand over all other documentation relating to the fire alarm system.

The important thing to consider is where to keep the log book, as it is a vitally important document that needs to be kept to hand to record any fire drills, fire alarm tests, or false alarms. Keeping the log book locked up away from children is sensible, as is keeping the log book close to the fire alarm panel. The panel will normally show that everything is normal and only a single green LED is lit. Otherwise LED indicators will show if there is a fault, disablement, test, or even if there is a fire. Any faults should be recorded in the log book.

It’s vital to remain disciplined when it comes to fire safety. Organise weekly fire alarm tests, activating the alarm from a different manual call point (the red button that activates the alarm) every time. Larger schools are obviously more likely to have more call points, and a system should be developed to ensure that every call point is tested over the course of the year.

All of this should be recorded into the log book of the specific call point used, the date, time of activation, and if all the alarms sound successfully. For larger systems it may

take considerable time for the Fire Officer to test every manual call point, perhaps several years. However, remember that this in-house weekly testing is supplemented by the professional maintenance regimes that will ensure that every component of the fire detection and alarm system is tested over a period of 12 months.

As schools can vary massively in size and spread of buildings, it is important to ensure that all staff are kept vigilant. At the FIA, we recommend that when premises management conduct the weekly test, all teachers and support staff should pay attention and notice any changes. If a fire alarm does not sound, or sounds different to normal, perhaps at a different volume level, then this should be reported to the premises management as soon as possible. This of course will be recorded into the log book.

If you are starting to spot a pattern here, then you’d be right: every time anything at all happens to the fire alarm system (including a false alarm), this should be recorded into the log book. This includes the periodic inspection by the alarm maintenance company who should come in every six months unless risk assessment recommends a more frequent attendance.

Within the year every part of the fire alarm system should be tested to ensure the system is fully operational. Often this is arranged to take place during the school holidays where the school is minimally occupied.

CHECKING THE PANEL It is easy to overlook, but the fire alarm panel should be checked every day (perhaps before the children arrive) to ensure that everything is normal and that no faults or abnormal conditions are being reported. Any anomalies should be recorded in the logbook and the maintenance company contacted to rectify the situation as soon as possible.

In the instance of a fault the fire alarm maintenance company will best be able to advise of the consequences of a fault condition and the level of urgency required to resolve the problem. They will normally be contracted to attend within 24 hours of receiving a report of a problem. In the meantime, it may be necessary to implement some form of fire watch to maintain sufficient fire safety or even be necessary to evacuate a part of the building that no longer has adequate fire monitoring.

As ever, using common sense about likely best practice and following your fire risk assessment stringently will keep things running smoothly. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.fia.uk.com

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Case Study

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Care Check provides online criminal record checks and beats competitors with its speedy service Care Check, one of the leading providers in DBS criminal record checks, has surpassed expectations in delivering a fast and efficient service for applicants and client organisations.

The company, established in 2002, boasts an impressive process time of just under eight hours and have an average turnaround of precisely 70 per cent of applications being completed within five days. Over half of these are completed within 24 hours making the entire procedure as fast and as hassle-free as viably possible for applicants and clients waiting to start their employees in new job positions.

A direct example of this speediness was demonstrated only last week when an application was approved by a client at 9.57am. Care Check countersigned this at 9.59am and the application was with the DBS by 10am and processing by 10.30am. The full result was back with the client at 7.33pm the same day. This is a far cry from the long processing times of the past when people went via paper applications and only demonstrates how

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.5

much easier and faster DBS applications can be through Care Check’s online application system. Employers also receive online notifications when a check is completed so they do not have to wait for an applicant to notify them that they have received a certificate, which contributes to making the recruitment process much quicker.

Care Check stated that the reason for this undisputed success rate is largely because applications are countersigned immediately and therefore have no administration times unlike fellow competitors in the market who continue to sit on applications for a day or so before countersigning an application which causes delays on processing times.

Care Check abides by its policy to ensure that all DBS checks are submitted on a same day basis and all applications never fail to

make a transfer to the DBS by the end of each day.

Charles Eason, Care Check’s managing director, said: “As a company, we aim to provide as efficient a service as possible and we pride ourselves on the speed we can turnaround applications. I am told on a regular basis how our systems have revolutionised our client’s recruitment process and they are always surprised to discover that you can process and receive an application result on the same day”.

He also added that the feedback from clients is ‘very reassuring as it validates to us that we are providing our clients with a fantastic service’.

With Care Check, one of the top DBS and DS Umbrella bodies operating in the UK, you can be sure that every part of your disclosure process will be looked after by a team of industry experts.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0333 777 8575 info@carecheck.co.uk www.carecheck.co.uk

Health & Safety

FIRST AID

First aid – going beyond the call of duty It is without doubt that every school wants to be deemed a safe environment for its pupils, employees and visitors, and a duty of care is reasonably expected of such institutions. While the current Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) health and safety regulations for the workplaces includes schools, worryingly there are no specific first aid requirements for those teaching young people above the age of five, like the Early Years foundation stage frame work implemented by the Department for Education (DfE) in March 2014 for carers of under five year-olds.

With little guidance on first aid provision for other educational institutions, the onus is on schools’ governing bodies or leadership teams to ensure they are well equipped to handle medical and accidental emergencies. In our experience, schools are generally good at this and since 2014’s Statutory Guidance for pupils with chronic medical illness has been put in place, they are provided with greater support to provide relevant training for employees to handle and manage students’ medical conditions.

These are certainly positive steps, but the need for more robust planning should also

encompass readiness to handle other potential hazards and eventualities – accidental injuries, unknown illnesses and conditions – in addition to those known to them.

As well as providing first aid education to school staff, we encourage life saving knowledge to be immersed into a school’s culture. If young people are educated in an environment that champions first aid, it benefits not only the immediate environment, but young peoples’ friends, families and the wider community. First aid provision is often seen as a simple tick box exercise but it’s so much more that – it can save lives and what could be more valuable then that?

NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL The landscape for health and safety regulations in the workplace has not vastly changed for some time but the HSE’s website is a good place to start if you need a reminder or guidance on what your school’s requirements are for first aid at work.

The HSE recommend schools to formulate their own health and safety strategies, which should include a thorough risk assessment, precautions of how these risks would be

managed, a health and safety check list, and a suitable number of appropriately trained staff. A one size fits all approach doesn’t exist when it comes to these requirements; each school differs in needs, from the physical size of the school to any illnesses and conditions the children and staff may have. Therefore, you can see why it is necessary for schools to have their own bespoke plan for how first aid emergencies are to be tackled should they arise.

Written by Andrew New, St John Ambulance

The benefits of knowing first aid go beyond being able to apply a bandage. St John Ambulance’s Andrew New discusses first aid in schools, and the importance of teaching the next generation

Teacher s have expr that theessed have en y don’t resourc ough time, e, or t to teachraining first aid i classroon the m

INSPIRING A GENERATION In Autumn 2015, the DfE awarded St John Ambulance a portion of its Character Education Grant funding with the aim of developing 100,000 students’ skills in areas such as integrity, confidence, resilience and inspiring them to make a difference in communities. The grant recognised the importance first aid training has in building !

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FIRST AID ! these skills, and St John Ambulance rolled out a programme to extend the reach of its current schools training programme.

Small first aid lessons were offered to schools up and down the country as part of the funding, with St John Ambulance school trainers teaching skills such as how to put someone in the recovery position or how to stop someone from choking. In some instances, this introduction to first aid has led to the creation of ‘First Aid Champions’ in a number of schools, which has encouraged further lessons in learning life saving skills and utilising those skills in schools more widely.

Take Archbishop Holgate’s School in York as an example; after receiving basic training from the grant for its 15 to 17 year-olds, they have appointed First Aid Champions in Year 11 and 12 who are now in the process of setting up a First Aid Club. One of their activities will be a regular assembly session to extend first aid knowledge throughout the whole school.

A further example is Driffield Junior School in East Riding – it launched a lunchtime first aid club for its nine – and 10 year-olds with 18 members already joined up. Some pupils have been inspired to practise their skills at home and by the time they reach Year 6, the school is hoping club members will have the knowledge and confidence to be playground first aid monitors.

PUTTING SKILLS INTO ACTION Stories such as the one of 11 year-old Bethany Simpson, from Cornwall, are a pertinent example of why first aid should be more widely taught in schools. On March 15 2015, Bethany’s mum Jane and dad Robert had fallen asleep while watching TV. When Jane woke up, she noticed Robert’s breathing had become shallow, erratic and laboured, like he was in pain.

Jane quickly realised he was unresponsive, called 999, and followed the operator’s advice, including moving him onto his side to try and make him more comfortable. But, when Robert stopped breathing completely and the operator told her to give CPR, Jane completely froze. Fortunately, Bethany had heard her mother’s screams and went into the bedroom, reassured her mother than she knew what do to and took charge, giving Robert chest compressions to keep him alive until the ambulance arrived and could take over.

Thanks to Bethany’s swift actions, which she learned in school only a matter of weeks before with a St John Ambulance trainer, Robert is still alive today.

If young people are educated in an environment that champions first aid, it benefits not only the immediate environment, but young peoples’ friends, families and the wider community students first aid. Teachers have expressed that they either don’t have enough time, resource, or training of their own to teach first aid in the classroom. Having this feedback is useful and allows us take on the challenge of overcoming these barriers with innovative projects, such as our series of Big First Aid Lesson videos and the Big First aid Lesson Live.

The series of Big First Aid Lesson videos are free, termly video resources which teach four key first aid skills to pupils of both primary and secondary school age. The live event, taking place this year on Friday 17 June with popular TV and paediatric doctor Dr Ranj, is a free, live stream joined by schools up and down the country. There will be interactive activities for students to take part in and we’ll be encouraging pupils who are tuning in to join the conversation live via Google Hangouts.

Last year, over 190,000 pupils tuned in to watch the lesson and learned skills such as how to help someone who is having an asthma attack or allergic reaction. This year, we’re trying to reach a quarter of a million children, so we’re urging schools and teachers

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to sign up to the event so their pupils don’t miss out on what could be the most valuable lesson they ever learn. What’s more, we have made the lesson as accessible as possible with schools only needing a white board and internet connection to join in. All of our Big First Aid Lesson resources are completely free and take no longer than an hour.

MAKING A CHANGE While the enthusiasm for first aid education amongst teachers and pupils certainly exists, we cannot wait for regulatory bodies or the government to make it mandatory in order to adopt these changes in schools. Too many lives are lost needlessly when first aid could have helped and that, ultimately, is what it comes down to. Bethany’s story is a stark reminder of that and we must take responsibility to ensure young people are equipped with basic life saving skills and feel capable and confident to use them in and outside of the classroom. " FURTHER INFORMATION www.sja.org.uk

ACCESSIBILITY OF TRAINING Bethany’s story is rare but not unheard of, so how can we equip more young people with these skills? Firstly, it is reassuring to know that the vast majority of teachers want first aid in the classroom (96 per cent). Less encouragingly, there is still some way to go before this becomes a reality; only 21 per cent of schools in England currently teach their

39

CYBER

James Kelly, chief executive of the British Security Industry Association, discusses the cyber threats that the education sector is facing and the best ways to counteract them

Written by James Kelly, British Security Industry Association

Calling for better education for cyber security

The Cyber Security Breaches Survey, recently published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport found that two thirds of large UK businesses have been hit by a cyber breach or attack in the last year, further highlighting the importance of cyber security in the modern era.

The increasing threat of cyber attacks is not just recognised by the business and education sectors, but by the government as well. In 2015, George Osborne highlighted the importance of cyber security in his Autumn Statement: “Earlier this year the Prime Minister asked me to chair the government’s committee on cyber, and through that I see the huge collective effort required to keep our country safe from cyber attack, the range of threats we face and how this will be one of the great challenges of our lifetimes.”

He continued: “As Chancellor I know about the enormous potential for the internet to drive economic growth, but I am also acutely aware of the risk of cyber attack harming our economy and undermining the confidence on which it rests.”

The Chancellor went on to discuss the details of his national cyber plan which meant investing ‘in defending Britain in a cyber age’ and recognised that the amount of reported cyber breaches have been increasing in frequency and severity. As a result, Osborne announced that he had made provisions to almost double the investment of cyber security in order to ‘protect Britain from cyber attack and develop our sovereign capabilities in cyberspace, totalling £1.9 billion over five years’.

While this kind of investment is hugely important in protecting our nation, it is not enough, as it is also extremely imperative that everyone takes the necessary steps to ensure effective cyber security. In saying that, the Chancellor also announced plans to establish a National Cyber Security Centre, which is set to open in October.

He explained: “The centre will be a unified source of advice and support for the economy, replacing the current array of bodies with a single point of contact. The Centre will make it easier for industry to get the support it needs from government and make it easier for government and industry to share information on the cyber threat to protect the UK.”

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The recent rity ecu Cyber Ss Survey Breachet two thirds ha s found t UK businesse of large been hit by have attack in WORRYING STATISTICS a cyber ast year While cyber security p e h t is clearly at the forefront of the political agenda, the Cyber Security Breaches Survey highlighted the !

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.5

CYBER

These statistics prove worrying, as the cost of a cyber attack can be extremely high, with the estimated average cost of all breaches over the last 12 months being £3,480 and £36,500 for large firms " need for a better national education on cyber threats. The results were based on a representative telephone survey of 1,008 UK businesses from 30 November 2015 to 5 February 2016, along with 30 in-depth follow up interviews in January and February 2016.

While the report did find that cyber security was an important issue, with seven in ten businesses saying it was either a very high or fairly high priority, it did show that worryingly only 51 per cent of the businesses had actually attempted to identify the cyber security risks faced by their organisation. Furthermore, only three in ten had written cyber security policies and only one in ten had formal incident management processes in place.

These statistics prove worrying, as the cost of a cyber attack can be extremely high, with the estimated average cost of all breaches over the last 12 months being £3,480 and £36,500 for large firms.

While UK businesses were the focus of this research, separate research conducted by Vanson Bourne for cloud security developer VMware and discussed

by Times Higher Education, found that more than a third of universities are hit by a successful cyber attack every hour.

The research surveyed IT professionals at 50 universities across the UK, with a staggering 87 per cent confirming that they had experienced at least one successful cyber attack at their establishment.

Moreover, 36 per cent of respondents also stated that they were having to contend with a successful cyber attack per hour.

In terms of the kind of information being targeted, the results found that student data, such as exam results or even dissertation material, was at the forefront of the list, while intellectual property theft and the infiltration of research data were also issues.

This kind of attack can have hugely detrimental effects for an educational establishment, both in terms of reputation and finance. It can even stump the education process, with 74 per cent of respondents saying they had to halt a research project due to the infiltration.

Research projects can also contain highly confidential information, and this is highlighted by the fact that 77 per cent of those surveyed thought that a cyber ‘security breach had the potential to impact national security’.

Worryingly, two-thirds of respondents said that they did not believe that their university’s

existing IT infrastructure would protect it against cyber attacks over the next 12 to 18 months, with a further 85 per cent believing that ‘more funding must be given to IT security to protect intellectual property’.

RECOGNISING THE RISKS Schools and universities store a wealth of important information on their networks, anything from personal information to medical records or financial data. Similar to businesses, educational establishments incorporate IT and internet access into its day to day activities. Broadband networks are becoming increasingly used in schools, and especially at universities, meaning that these networks must be as robust as possible in order to mitigate cyber threats.

One particular threat can be that of malicious insiders with the intention of attacking a network, however, in schools, these insiders can actually be attacking unknowingly. With the younger generations being a key part of the cyber era, new digital platforms can actually be introduced to schools networks without staff realising and can make networks more vulnerable to cyber threats. The same can be said for teachers as well, technology bought from outside the classroom – such as a USB stick – could actually contain corrupt files that could attack a network, or a link in a personal email clicked on by a student or teacher could actually result in a phishing virus.

In terms of removable media, such as USB sticks or hard-drives, it is important to produce policies that will control access to removable devices, limiting the types that are able to be used. It is also paramount that such media is scanned for malware before importing any information on to school computers.

E-Security

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

regularly updating software and malware protection, ensuring firewalls are robust and up to date and ensuring that access to certain areas of the network are restricted to specific users – this is particularly important in schools, as students and staff alike should only be able to access a certain proportion of the network.

With the variety of cyber threats out there, it is extremely important that cyber security is taken seriously by those key decision makers responsible for the procurement of security solutions within the education sector. It is paramount that educational establishments have specifically appointed someone to take care of cyber security, with their job role covering information security and governance.

Specialist IT and cyber security staff should be regularly updated with information about cyber security by attending some form of cyber security training, helping them to be fully aware of the risks and then able to effectively communicate these risks and procedures with staff members and the student body. Transparency is key, and all faculty members and students should be doing their part in order to keep the networks safe.

Regular testing of defence systems should also be carried out in order to ensure that the protection in place is adequate enough to challenge ever-advancing cyber threats.

It can also be beneficial to enlist the advice of a security consultant, who can provide independent professional support to identify the risks that an establishment is facing and advise on the measures required to mitigate any existing or emerging threats.

and Broadb rks netwo ing om are bec ly used in ing increas meaning they , schools e as robust as b must le in order to THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY possib ate cyber Interestingly, the Cyber g i t mi s Security Breaches Survey t a e r th also found that ‘while

SMALL STEPS TO PREVENTION The Cyber Security Breaches Survey also found that the most common attacks detected involved viruses, spyware or malware and these are all attacks that could affect any sector. Just small steps can be taken in order to prevent against these threats, including

most businesses set rules and controls within their organisations, just 13 per cent set minimum cyber security standards for their suppliers’.

It is not enough to have cyber security solutions in place, but these solutions must be provided by a trustworthy supplier that meet with the relevant British and European standards for their products and services. !

Members of the British Security Industry Association’s Specialist Services Section have a wealth of knowledge and experience in cyber security and can provide a reputable service.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.bsia.co.uk

Volume 21.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

43

Advertisement Feature

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IT & COMPUTING

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE APPS The award-winning Clevertouch Plus comes complete with its own app store of teachers’ favourites keep getting lower – you just need a little patience and a dose of ambition. Lightbot does a good job of teaching the basics. A programming puzzle game that uses game mechanics rooted in programming concepts.

It gives players a practical understanding of basic control-flow concepts like procedures, loops, and conditionals, just by guiding a robot with commands to light up tiles and solve levels.

The ‘plugged-in’ generation cannot imagine or remember a world without tablets, smartphones or online gaming consoles. As far as they’re concerned, that world has never existed.

And whilst today’s parents throw their arms up in despair as they try to prise their eight year-olds away from their iPads, let’s not forget that when harnessed in the right way, technology can give our children the kind of educational experience that we could have only dreamt of.

When the Clevertouch Plus was launched in 2014 it caused a technology sensation in the classroom. It wasn’t simply down to the responsive screen, sharp colourful graphics, built in operating platform or instant connectivity to pupil devices – it was the fact that every Plus came ready loaded with a range of fully vetted and carefully selected free educational apps – The Cleverstore.

All Cleverstore apps, even those from familiar developers with big-name licenses, have had all advertising and in-app purchases removed allowing teachers to use them with confidence. And as everyone under the age of 16 knows, what makes a device fun are the Apps.

So here’s a quick look at just a few of them: LIGHTBOT BY LIGHTBOT Key Stage: 2 Subject: Coding Main Goal: Understand how to create and give a computer a set of instructions to follow knowing how to write computer code has probably never been more valuable.

The barriers to learning code are low and

44

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.5

Students are able to visualise the link between geometry and algebra in an entirely new way, turning it a tangible concept.

PUNCTUATION BY DAYDREAM EDUCATION Key Stage: 1 & 2 Subject: Literature Main Goal: Learn about, and practice using, a wide variety of punctuation marks.

This fun and interactive app is packed full of engaging educational content and stimulating assessment activities that are appropriate for a whole range of ages and abilities. Users can test their use of full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas, apostrophes, speech marks, brackets, dashes, colons and semicolons, bullet points and hyphens.

GCSE CHEMISTRY BY REVISION BUDDIES Key Stage: 4 Subject: Chemistry (Cleverstore also contains GCSE French, History and Geography) Main Goal: To prepare pupils for the GCSE examination.

One of the most comprehensive and popular revision apps for GCSE Chemistry, it provides teachers with a collaborative, interactive way to help students improve their fact base for GCSEs. Teachers can test student knowledge and understanding of topics to find and fill the gaps in their learning. Revision Buddies employs teachers to prepare high quality, syllabus based content.

The app contains 1,000s of multiple choice questions to test students on key topics, each with an explanatory note designed to ensure a full understanding of the exam board requirements.

TELLING TIME WITH THE SMURFS BY CUPCAKE DIGITAL Key Stage: 1 Subject: Art, Literacy, Maths, Story Time Main Goal: Learn how to tell the time and understand the concept of time for scheduling activities.

Set the clock to the right time and young learners can watch the Smurfs throw a party.

Lively, loud and engaging – lots to see and do.

It starts simply by teaching children to identify the parts of the clock, how to differentiate between the big and little hand before moving on to scheduling daily activities.

Also includes an interactive story time about the day in the life of a Smurf and a game that helps Smurfette get to the party on time.

RUN MARCO! BY ALLCANCODE Key Stages: 1 & 2 Subjects: Coding, Logic Main Goal: Aids with Computer Programming concepts such as sequence of commands, integration & conditions, functions and algorithm.

This is an adventure game that enables small groups of children to develop their coding skills together. The idea is to guide Marco through a series of levels on his journey of self-discovery.

The game encourages children to start to think and problem solve like a professional developer. An engaging app that’s so much fun pupils won’t even realise they’re playing an educational game.

GEOGEBRA BY INTERNATIONAL GEOGEBRA INSTITUTE Key Stage: 3 & 4 Subjects: Maths, Science Main Goal: Solve math problems, graph functions, create geometric constructions, do statistics and calculus, save and share your results.

GeoGebra is a dynamic mathematics app that brings together geometry, algebra, spreadsheets, graphing, statistics and calculus in one easy-to-use package.

For more information about the Cleverstore, available on the Clevertouch Plus, go to www.clevertouch.co.uk. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.tigauk.com

CURRICULUM

With new GCSEs being introduced and a large percentage of teachers concerned over their computing knowledge, the BCS Academy’s Niel McLean looks at the progress being made and what’s next for the subject

Computing is still a relatively new subject in schools. While some teachers have taught computing for some years, it was the introduction of computing within the national curriculum in September 2014 that secured the place of computing and computer science

it is worth reflecting on why computing is so important that all young people should, in the words of the national curriculum, be equipped ‘to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world’.

The global movement to get young people coding has significantly raised awareness, but, important as writing computer programs is, computing is far more than that. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use information and communication technology to express themselves, collaborate, develop and share their ideas – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Like any worthwhile subject, computing also contributes to young people’s intellectual development. It teaches them to think computationally about problems, issues and opportunities and to apply this to wider problems in broader contexts. The positive experience of creating working solutions to real challenges also helps develop young people’s personal qualities, increasing their sense of self-worth, resilience and agency. It contributes to their wider understanding of the world, where all aspects of human activity are being shaped by the application of computational thinking, and, of course, it increases their future employability as technology transforms the workplace. !

Written by Niel McLean, Computing Education CPD senior manager, BCS Academy

Digital deliberations – getting to grips with the new computing curriculum

IT & Computing

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Compu ensures ting pupils b that ecome digitall y l i t erate a level su ta i t a b future w le for the active p orkplace as art as essential components of in a digicipants the education of all young ita world l people. So what has been achieved in that time, what is still to do, and what support is available to schools? Before answering those questions,

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45

CURRICULUM

The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming ! Whatever the great intentions of the national curriculum, statutory documents do not teach young people, teachers do, and the schools that do best are those where teachers feel confident and enthusiastic about computing. A number of initiatives are in place to help teachers develop that confidence by increasing their subject knowledge and understanding ways of teaching computing that work.

COMPUTING AT SCHOOL For most teachers, the first port of call for information and support is Computing At School (CAS). This ever-growing professional network is free to join for all those interested in teaching, promoting and supporting computing teaching. It offers leadership, support and training and is supported by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, Microsoft, Google, Ensoft and the UK Committee of Heads and Professors of Computer Science.

It is a grass roots organisation, whose energy, creativity, and leadership comes from its members. Members run over 190 local CAS hubs where computing teachers meet together, talk, exchange ideas and share resources. Last year over 390 CAS Hub meetings were held. These were attended by over 5,500 teachers.

With over 22,000 members, the CAS website provides access to over 3,500 resources, and members participate in animated online discussions with over 75,000 discussion posts.

QuickStart Computing has been developed as a CPD toolkit to help deliver inspiring computing lessons in primary and secondary schools.

The resources can be downloaded from the website and printed packs can be picked up from a number of schools throughout England. CAS continues to develop innovative ways of supporting and inspiring computing teachers. With support from Google, CAS has launched CAS TV, a YouTube channel with short videos aimed at teachers.

Centres are also helping CAS Master Teachers further extend their subject knowledge, so they can better support other teachers in their communities and are promoting best ‘on-the-ground’ practice.

Over 95 per cent of CAS Master Teachers feel proud to be in the role, and last Autumn the Network of Excellence delivered over 14,200 teacher hours of CPD to over 4,100 teachers. This is set to grow further over the next two years, with the recruitment of additional CAS Master Teachers. Teachers who received Master Teacher-led CPD from the Network of excellence reported that their confidence in teaching computing had increased with half of them identifying improvements in their pupils’ learning within 10 weeks of a CPD session.

IT & Computing

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BAREFOOT COMPUTING The Barefoot Computing Project, which was originally funded by the DfE, offers free workshops and downloadable teaching resources to help primary school teachers in England deliver the computer science elements of the new computing curriculum.

The project was set up by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and supported by CAS, the Raspberry Pi Foundation and BT. School-based workshops are delivered by specially trained local volunteers who come from varied professional IT backgrounds, and the resources build teachers confidence while providing valuable subject knowledge. The project has been incredibly well received, with over 26,000 registered users and over 90,000 downloads, and its success led to BT extending funding to allow more teachers to benefit from the free workshops and resources.

WHAT NEXT? A huge amount of progress has been made, however, the challenge is still significant. 75 per cent of computing teachers having concerns over their lack of subject and pedagogical knowledge, new GCSEs are being introduced, and all this is taking place against a backdrop of "

THE NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE With support from the Department for Education (DfE), BCS and CAS have developed the Network of Excellence to provide direct support and CPD for teachers. CAS Master Teachers form the heart of the network, recognising that teachers particularly value support and CPD from others who face the same challenges that they do. Teachers clearly value the support that the CAS Master Teachers provide, with over 99 per cent of those teachers benefiting from CPD, reporting that the CPD provided was high quality, implementable and would have an impact in the classroom.

The CAS Master Teachers are in turn supported by 10 regional centres.

These CAS regional centres are hosted in a number of universities, which were selected on a competitive basis which took into account their ability to perform as an effective focal point for their region, combining depth of subject knowledge with the ability to support pedagogical development. Relevant activities already being run and their recent history of teacher support with respect to computing and computer science also featured strongly in the selection criteria, such that the institutions chosen could ramp up activity quickly and had the potential to deliver value over and above basic the contractual commitments.

Each centre is now responsible for working with the CAS Master Teachers in their area to promote and support relevant teacher engagement and CPD activities, with the ultimate aim of establishing effective and enduring local communities of practice involving CAS Master Teachers, lead schools and local hubs. The CAS Regional

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CURRICULUM ! significant change in schools. Through its work with CAS and Barefoot, BCS has identified a number of priorities for the next couple of years.

Firstly, the teacher to teacher support approach works, and it is important that the Network of Excellence continues to grow with more CAS Master Teachers and hubs. The funding from DfE and the support of the CAS Regional Centres will prove critical in making this happen.

Secondly, after the initial support to get them up and running and to build confidence, computing teachers need formal recognition of the knowledge and skills they have developed.

CAS now offers a unique accreditation for teachers of computing, accredited by BCS. The qualification is evidence-based and recognises that every teacher is working in a different context. Over time this will become the bench mark for a career as a computing teacher.

Thirdly, there will be a continued need for teaching resources, especially ones that allow teachers to create a complete curriculum rather than just supporting one off lessons.

Finally, head teachers have a significant role to play, and there is a need to raise their awareness of the importance of computing and what they can do in their strategic leadership role to ensure its success. With support from Microsoft, BCS and CAS will be developing a campaign to reach this crucial group. Change

in schools is complex. The scale of education demands continued support to ensure that any change is firmly established within schools and benefits all young people, wherever they are in the country and whatever their background.

Introducing a new national curriculum subject is no exception, but the potential gains for

young people, wider society and the economy make it a challenge well worth addressing. "

IT & Computing

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FURTHER INFORMATION www.barefootcas.org.uk www.computingatschool.org.uk www.quickstartcomputing.org

Head teachers have a significant role to play, and there is a strong need to raise their awareness of the importance of computing and what they can do in their role to ensure its success

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BUDGETS

It is human nature to seek the assurance that you are not too out of line with your peers.

Therefore, in the last issue of Education Business, we invited Mark Rosser, of the British Educational Suppliers Association, to examine research into the current levels of resources and budgets in schools, focusing on technology. This month, Mark considers non-technology resources As mentioned last month, schools’ current view of the adequacy of their budgets was relatively polarised but with a slight reduction in the number of schools who feel their budget is satisfactory. We likened this stance to Goldilocks and the three bears, with some feeling their technology budget was just the right size balanced against those feeling it’s too small.

BESA’s Resources in English Maintained Schools survey in January 2016 attracted responses from 776 schools (512 primary and 265 secondary), making the findings highly statistically viable. It is therefore safe to assume, that the collated views are indicative of those in all schools.

When we turn our attention to their view of general resources (non-technology) including money for furniture, stationery, teachers, buildings, support staff and continuing professional development (CPD)/training, the ‘bowl’ appears to be a little too small. Between 2015 and 2016, we’ve see an increasing number of schools dissatisfied with their budgets.

The bottom line is that there is currently a

high level of uncertainty in schools in terms of their learning resource budgets.

Back in November 2014, head teachers were asked to identify the impact of budget uncertainty. In comparison to the findings for 2014/15, the views of both primary and secondary schools changed significantly over the year. There was more concern over premises costs in primary schools, but less concern over staffing and learning resources. In comparison, secondary schools had significantly less concern for these costs during 2015/16. In contrast, there was more concern over the ability to fund learning resources, with over a quarter of secondary schools showing a low level of confidence.

plans. This compares to a positive outlook held by nine and eight per cent respectively last year.

When asked which areas of expenditure this uncertainty would affect, it appears to mostly be premises costs. 37 per cent of primary schools and 35 per cent of secondary schools said that this would feel the greatest impact from their budget uncertainty.

Thankfully, the amount of detailed information gathered in the survey means we can dig a little deeper into the areas of expenditure upon which this uncertainty is likely to have the greatest impact.

Betwee 2015 an n 2016, w d e’ve seen an i n number creasing dissatis of schools fi their bued with dgets

THE UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES Only five per cent of primary schools and four per cent of secondary schools have a positive outlook over the next three years, which is naturally affecting their purchasing

FURNITURE Looking first at primary schools, there has been little change in their view on the sufficiency of suitable furniture and storage over the last year and therefore there are few expectations for a change in expenditure. There are slight indications that the number feeling they have an insufficient amount of furniture is decreasing, but this is marginal. The findings suggest that only 27 per cent of primary head teachers feel they are under-equipped with furniture and storage.

When we examine the views of secondary schools however, there is slightly less satisfaction; 39 per cent feel they are under-equipped, an increase from 27 per cent the previous year. Of course if you look at this the other way around, a healthy 55 per cent of primary schools and 57 per cent of secondary schools agree or strongly agree that they have adequate furniture funding to !

Written by Mark Rosser, membership manager at the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)

Budget and resources in schools: An update

Curriculum Resources

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EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.5

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Curriculum Resources

BUDGETS ! provide a suitable teaching and learning environment. While this is a reduction from the 57 per cent of primaries and 68 per cent of secondaries who held the same view last year, the majority of schools still have a positive perception.

For the purposes of this research, the surveyed schools were also asked to give their views on other areas of spending focus, which includes teachers, assistants, support staff, buildings, refurbishment, teaching aids, books, equipment and CPD/ training. In many of these areas there were only minor shifts in spending focus, but in others the changes are more marked.

CPD AND TRAINING The biggest changes noted were in CPD and training. While back in the academic year 2014/15, 55 per cent of primary schools and 38 per cent of secondary schools said this would be a focus in budgets, this year we are seeing seven per cent of primary schools reducing their spending. Secondary schools are doing the opposite; they are seeing a three per cent increase in their CPD and training spend.

BOOKS When Tim Oates, director of assessment research and development at exam board Cambridge Assessment, was asked to use his school curriculum expertise to lead the government’s review of the national curriculum, his international research highlighted the importance of high quality textbooks in realising the aims of national curricula and supporting effective teaching.

In 2014, the research reveals that schools in the high preforming jurisdictions (including Shanghai, Singapore and Finland) focus all lesson content on the use of high quality textbooks. In turn, Schools Minister Nick Gibb called for the ‘renaissance’ of textbooks which he believed had been impacted by an ‘ideological hostility’ and replaced by worksheets and lesson plans.

It appears now that secondary schools are heeding his advice. We are seeing a greater emphasis on books (27 per cent of secondary schools cite books as a purchasing priority). Again there is a disparity between primary and secondary schools’ views.

While 24 per cent of primary schools say that books are a spending focus for the next year, this is a decrease from 2015.

Moving on from this, it is interesting to consider which areas of the curriculum schools are investing in; you would assume it to be the core subjects (English, maths and science). This includes the purchase of teaching resources and books. In both primary and secondary schools, as expected, there is a strong shift to focusing budgets on maths resources (a purchasing priority for 24 per cent of primary schools and 27 per cent of secondary schools).

However in all other areas, there appears to be a move away from increasing investment; particularly in science, English and literacy.

In the case of primary schools there remains a greater proportion that are positive about funding for next year, than identified in the secondary sector 12 per cent of primary schools are moving away from investing in English resources and 13 per cent are doing the same with science.

This appears to be replaced with expenditure in geography and art & design. Apart from an increasing investment in maths books and resources, secondary schools are moving their attention away from all other curriculum areas. Of course there will still be a significant amount of investment in curriculum resources, but it is when this is compared to previous years that we see a decline in focus.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Foundation Stage, we see the opposite; there is an increasing focus of expenditure in all areas of the curriculum. The priority for resource purchasing is clearly set on literacy, and to a lesser extent, numeracy. However, the focus on English has been largely static over time, while the purchasing focus on maths has been increasing each year. The 2016/17 priorities are expected to continue the focus on literacy.

STAFF Interestingly, expenditure on teachers, assistants and support staff generally shows a reduction in focus. Although minor, primary schools and secondary schools said there would be a small reduction in spending focus on teachers and teaching assistants. The same applied to primary schools’ view on support staff but secondary schools showed a small increase in spending in this area.

BUILDING AND REFURBISHMENT Now we are in the post ‘Building Schools for the Future’ decade, it is interesting to see how schools are coping, and the pressure they are under to keep their buildings refurbished.

Building and refurbishment has a strong focus for both primary and secondary schools but what we are seeing is a slight decrease in secondary schools with five per cent diverting their expenditure away from buildings and two

per cent moving away from refurbishment.

Of course, there are many pressures on school budgets, with priorities shifting as financial circumstances and development plans change.

When we look to the 2016-2017 academic year, schools are forecasting less of a dramatic shift in priorities from previous years.

DECLINE OR IMPROVE? Although head teachers and finance managers do not have details of their own budget allocations for 2016/17, they do have an overall understanding of the formulas and how their funds will be determined and allocated.

It certainly appears that optimism about funding over the next year in both primary and secondary schools will fall. In the case of primary schools there remains a greater proportion that are positive about funding for next year, than identified in the secondary sector.

However, the proportion is significantly lower, with only 35 per cent agreeing with the ‘positive about adequate funding’ statement, which compares to 44 per cent in the previous review. In the case of secondary schools, the shift into greater negative sentiment is less marked; however, this is due to the already low base of opinion. Less than a quarter of secondary schools are optimistic about funding for the next financial year.

Therefore at present, the view is that there may have to be decisions made by head teachers over how funds are reallocated in 2016/17. Hopefully our analysis of the findings from our Resources in English Maintained Schools report will give you some peace of mind in terms of where your school sits when compared with others. While the outlook is not great, it appears that schools are doing well in managing the budgets they have, efficiently and effectively. " FURTHER INFORMATION www.besa.org.uk

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Play

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

Written by Neil Coleman, school improvement mentor for Outdoor Play and Learning CIC

DEVELOPMENT

Why playgrounds are an essential part of primary school life Play is more than just the chance to run around outside for a quarter of an hour. Play is just as importance in the development of a pupil’s social, emotional, intellectual and physical development as classroom learning, says Neil Coleman of Outdoor Play and Learning CIC When I was eleven, I’d put in about 45 hours hard, sweaty graft every week of the year.

Of course, I’m referring to the amount of time I’d be outside playing, running around like crazy after a ball, on my bike, up a tree, building dens and playing in sand and mud, all whilst sharing each important (to my social, emotional, intellectual and cognitive development, as well as my mental and physical health) experience with my mates.

Do today’s children enjoy the same privileges? No, sadly they don’t, and because it has been almost forty years since children had that amount of freedom, time and permission, we now find that the current generation is the most overweight and unfit in history.

Perhaps equally concerning, they are also reportedly several years behind (compared with previous generations) in most aspects of their personal development. For all the focus on sugar and other calorie intake, only one fundamental aspect of natural childhood has changed for the worse over that time – kids play less. Up to 90 per cent less!

Schoolsure ns which e ytimes la their p e highest h are of t re the ones a quality cel in many who exr areas of othe l life schoo

A SLOWER GENERATION Many children today are only getting outside at all when they are in school, which is why we must continue to allocate well over an hour each day to playtimes. However, if they are to make up for the lost time and opportunities for playing, they will need to be of a much better quality and variety too.

According to a report Fitmedia ref provided to the All Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood in 2015, one in five pupils leaving primary school is ‘clinically unfit’. Unable to sustain a running pace of 9.5 km/h (6mph), on average it takes them more than 11 minutes to run/ walk a mile. This generation is therefore 90 seconds slower than their parents were at the same age, and as children have steadily grown bigger and heavier (since 1990 when modern measurements

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started) they have also become relatively weaker, with one in five unable to support their own bodyweight using their arms.

That means that around 1.5 million children with a true risk of long-term ill-health are currently going undetected simply because neither the government nor our schools are taking a regular measurement of fitness, and they aren’t investing properly in active play either.

As if that isn’t enough, new neuroscience studies in the US tell us that play is absolutely fundamental to the proper development of the neuron pathways in the child’s brain which

EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 21.5

are used for learning, so the one fifth of school life which is allocated to play has become absolutely key to the development and well-being of every child. For 300 pupils that one fifth equates to 72,000 hours of play opportunity a year, and children are at primary school for seven years. Just think what all those children could learn in almost half a million hours of play while at school, if only the supervising staff were to be properly trained to enhance the range of environmental experiences being offered – what an untapped resource.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT So, having recognised the crisis, let’s suppose a school has determined to send all pupils outside every day to be more active, get healthier and become more engaged in their play. Play is strongly related to cognitive

Play

development and emotional well-being and, unlike an adult-controlled ‘sports’ environment, a high quality play environment can ensure all children exceed the 60 minute minimum moderate to vigorous physical activity set by the chief medical officer at little cost and without even trying. Surely it therefore makes sense to ensure they can make the most benefit out of their playtimes outside, otherwise they are mostly just going to stand around the margins getting bored and marking time idly, looking to create mischief, all whilst a small core group dominates the playground space with a ball. Are football and ‘first aid’ the primary playtime entertainments in your school? They shouldn’t be.

What if I told you that there are hundreds of schools in this country which are now so good at providing play that pupil fitness is high, overweight children are rare and negative playtime incidents are down over 80 per cent, simply because there is so much stuff to do?

What if there were schools where attendance is in the top five per cent nationally, as are their test results, and Ofsted rates them Outstanding in all areas, including for welfare, behaviour and personal development? What if there were schools who can claim they get an extra 10 to 20 minutes of teaching time each day, just because their pupils now come back into the classroom settled and ready to learn? And what if there were outstanding schools you could visit where the secondary school they feed into regularly remarks on the social, cognitive and emotional development of the pupils it receives, and where the staff are the happiest, have the lowest stress levels and have the highest job satisfaction?

These schools can’t recall when they last had to exclude a pupil, because everyone is too

Many children today are only getting outside at all when they are in school, which is why we must continue to allocate well over an hour each day to playtimes engaged in having fun to cause any trouble!

Interested in having better playtimes now?

It seems that no-one who manages, designs or builds new schools has the first clue what a good playground should look like but that doesn’t mean playtimes can’t be improved, as long as the right steps are taken. The key to better playtime provision, and therefore better behaviour, development, learning and health comes in four main steps; policy, access, risk and knowledge. A clear policy is essential for informing parents, governors and others about why play is considered valuable by a school.

Access to every part of the school environment all year round is vital in providing sufficient space and variation of social areas, journeys and experiences, otherwise engagement, activity and development won’t flourish. Risk assessment, and the proper management of safety matters, are obvious factors in ensuring a sensible balance between levels of challenge and child wellbeing, as the law requires. And without skilled staff being Knowledgeable in how to properly enable (and not to over-control) new and varied high quality play experiences, no amount of money spent on fancy ‘adult-pleasing’ equipment, for that’s who it is mostly designed for, will deliver what the hundreds of pupils aged from five to twelve years old really need in their lives every day.

IMMERSING VARIED PLAY I wish I had a pound for every time a head teacher complains to me that their quiet area is the noisiest part of the playground.

Of course it is, if it’s the only place where there’s anything interesting going on. One head teacher told me proudly how much his pupils were enjoying the new picnic benches on the grassy field, but if they are the only thing available what else did he think they would be drawn towards? With some tyres and a few tarpaulins they could’ve built a den or a car using those benches, which would’ve been far more enjoyable and beneficial to their development of teamwork skills and creativity.

What every school actually needs to learn is how to totally immerse every single child in the play activity of their choice, whatever their age, both genders, for the full time that they

are outside. There’s a knack to it that can be taught, along with learning new staff skills on play safety and good play environment design.

Some children will always want a ball, they love it, and that’s fine but what about the silent majority who gather around the edge of the playground each day, waiting to be let back in because they are cold and bored? What is there on offer each day that challenges and engages them, which grips them with tricky problems that have to be solved using their grasp of maths and science, like working with their friends to balance a series of wooden pallets and cardboard tubes on top of several large cable drums to create a structure they can jump from. What about those little cosy corners where someone can play with their newest best friend? Where they can laugh together at their private jokes as the others pass by, unknowing. Where are the things which spark the narrative, the story which guides the play activity, and which leads to them eventually being more creative in the classroom, with their writing, their maths, art, PE, dance, science or lateral problem-solving?

HIGH QUALITY LEARNING These things don’t just appear by magic; someone has to create the places, gather the stuff, store it, check it for safety and make sure that things are disposed of once worn out. Someone has to assess the many risks and judge them against the benefits you teachers must surely have considered before bringing items and structures into the playground? And someone has to manage the staff who supervise those playtimes, ensuring they receive the training they require. Every school needs someone with the skills and permission to do all this so that senior staff don’t have to think about it.

What this means is that those schools which ensure their playtimes are of the highest quality are the ones who excel in many other areas of school life, often judged as outstanding for their levels of learning, behaviour, personal development, welfare and happiness. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.outdoorplayandlearning.org.uk

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SCHOOL TRIPS

THE PEDAGOGY OF CURIOSITY, DISCOVERY AND ADVENTURE “Children can only aspire to what they know exists.”

Dr Ger Graus OBE – Director of Education & Partnerships Imagine a 75,000sq.ft child-size City where kids are in charge. It is the aim of KidZania London to broaden horizons so that children can explore, aspire and begin to write their own narrative of the possible. To achieve this, children will grow to understand that learning can be a satellite navigation system to better places in life. Through role-play children instinctively grasp that learning is tangible and its outcomes have a purpose and a reality; that it answers ‘why’ questions and that it can be unending fun.

KidZania provides children with a safe, unique, and realistic educational environment that allows young people between the ages of four to 14 to do what comes naturally to them: imagining and role-playing traditionally adult activities and experiences – and as we know: “Experience is everything!”

As in the real world, children perform ‘jobs’ and are either remunerated for their work, as a pilot, firefighter, doctor, police officer, broadcaster, pit-lane engineer - or pay to shop or to be entertained.

KidZania is a City built to scale for children, supported by leading multi-national, as well as more local, industry partners.

The first KidZania in the United Kingdom is at Westfield London. Nationally, there are plans for a further two over the next few years.

The key ingredients of the recipe that is ‘Education KidZania’ are – apart from a generous sprinkling of awe and wonder: CHILDREN KidZania is the domain of all children aged four to 14 who want to join us. At KidZania, children are in charge of their own aspirations and their own learning journey, as we encourage world-of-work related independent learning through active participation and role-play – at KidZania grown-ups are there to be seen and not heard. This means that children may be accompanied by their grown-ups but the adults cannot take part in the actual learning activities: this is KidZania.

Children will also be able to participate in special events, for example ‘Careers Fairs’.

Our pricing reflects our aim to be inclusive.

Ezana, aged 11, said: “I get to do things I’ve always dreamed of doing but I never got a chance.”

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LEARNING Learning is at the very heart of KidZania’s values; our learning experiences across the length and breadth of the curriculum will inspire and challenge children from ages four to 14. Learning at KidZania is: child-centred, fun, role-play based, free-range, passionate, creative, with a dose of reality, interactive, skill-focused, values-based, accessible to all, and safe.

Continually developing learning partnerships focusing on ‘Careers Awareness’ enables us to constantly adapt, change and improve over time and as part of future re-visits, the progression from ‘Careers Awareness’ to ‘Careers Education’ will have the opportunity to develop.

PARENTS, FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS The quality of our learning offer, how it is accessed by the children and the difference it makes is a joint responsibility of KidZania, parents and families, schools and the children themselves of course.

Our continuous drive for improvement means that we consult with schools and educators locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. We are developing a network of ‘KidZania Ambassador Schools’ – trusted critical friends who will help us become even better.

Vanessa Langley, executive head teacher at Arbourthorne and Gleadless Primary Schools, Sheffield, said: “Your passion for making a difference to children’s lives is tangible.”

INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND LEARNING PARTNERS Learning is everyone’s agenda. Where the child is the first teacher and the environment the third, the grown-up becomes the facilitator, the enabler, the coach, the switch that lights up the magic – the second teacher.

Industry partners on-site and learning partners elsewhere contribute to the third teacher status: they are the resource for learning, form the basis of content development, add a dose of reality. Industry and learning partners will also be the source of continuous change for the better including online pre- and post-visit provision such as ‘KidZania World Online’ and ‘KidZtalk’.

EDUCATION ADVISORY GROUP To support the educational development of children we at KidZania have teamed up with a group of internationally renowned educators, who are part of our educational ‘Think-Tank’.

Their role is to support and challenge our educational thinking and practice and to help us innovate and plan for the future.

EVALUATION Evaluation of the quality of our provision and of impact as well as day to day monitoring are part of the wider KidZania quality assurance.

Included in our evaluation are nationally recognised accreditations such a Quality in Study Support (QiSS), Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) and Adventure Mark.

We will be publishing a series of case stories and case studies from all over the country to share ideas, innovation and best practice.

KidZania London is engaging with a range of higher education partners including the University of Cambridge and Cass Business School. !

FURTHER INFORMATION www.kidzania.co.uk

School Trips Written by Arya Chopra, Visit Birmingham

The Black Country Living Museum

BIRMINGHAM

Inspiring visits for students in Birmingham

With a local offering of culture, sport, history and art, there is plenty of opportunity to expand education beyond the classroom in Birmingham’s schools. Visit Birmingham hand pick some of the best and most popular attractions and venues to visit Birmingham has become one of the UK’s leading visitor destinations with an eclectic mix of things to do. From food and shopping to culture and sport – Birmingham is a diverse city boasting a rich heritage and history. The city oozes style, culture and charm, attracting over 38 million visitors in 2015.

There are a fantastic range of vibrant attractions to suit all ages, so much so that the city was named third in a list of 30 best destinations in the world to go with kids by Rough Guides.

With a compelling arts scene and a wide variety of venues, there is so much to explore.

Whether it is for primary, secondary, or higher education, the city can provide an

unforgettable learning experience for its visitors. Here are 17 venues in Birmingham that are perfect for school trips: NATIONAL SEA LIFE CENTRE National SEA LIFE Centre, The Waters Edge, 3 Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2HL

r Whethe it is ary, for primry, or a second ucation, ed higher can provide the cityforgettable an un rning lea nce experie

Accredited by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, Birmingham’s National SEA LIFE Centre is a popular attraction for school visits with more than 2,000 creatures to see including sea turtles, sharks and penguins. With a wide range of talks and demonstrations throughout the day and interesting facts about marine habitats, the SEA LIFE Centre is a fantastic place to visit. www.visitsealife.com/birmingham

CADBURY WORLD Linden Road, Bournville B30 1JR Discover the magic of chocolate and the history of the cocoa bean at Cadbury’s World.

With more than 2,000 groups attending each year, it has become a hotspot for school visits. Learn about the vast history of Cadbury’s products and packaging and take a tour to see chocolate making at its best. With a 4D chocolate adventure cinema experience, there is sure to be something for everyone from KS3 to KS5. www.cadburyworld.co.uk/ schools-and-groups THINKTANK, BIRMINGHAM SCIENCE MUSEUM Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG Thinktank has an incredible variety of exhibitions and galleries for those interested in science and engineering. Explore the Spitfire Museum, the Marine World gallery and all things astronomy at the Planetarium. Thinktank’s Natural Science collection is the largest in the West Midlands and has over 250,000 specimens. www.birminghammuseums.org.uk !

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Sprinkle a little magic onto your curriculum

Combine storytelling and dance in your classroom Fit to Dance is a programme of creativity and activity which uses a visit to Disney On Ice as a starting point for inspiring imaginative stories, before sharing them through dance.

It’s a fun way to address a number of Key Stage 1 curriculum objectives and gives you a host of helpful teaching support tools to plan your lessons too.

All of the children, no matter the ability level, developed their storytelling skills and improved their writing skills as they were writing for a purpose.

Vicki, reception teacher

Review the Fit to Dance programme at disneyonice.co.uk/fittodance Or to arrange a Disney On Ice group booking, please call Ticketmaster on 0844 847 2346.* *

Calls cost a maximum of 7 pence per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.

BIRMINGHAM ! THE LIBRARY OF BIRMINGHAM Centenary Square, Broad St, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 2ND

MUSEUM OF THE JEWELLERY QUARTER 75-80 Vyse St, Birmingham B18 6HA

Why not take a tour of one of the most iconic buildings in Birmingham? The Library is one of Birmingham’s biggest tourist hotspots. See the memorial room dedicated to Shakespeare on the top floor with a vast collection of the famous playwright’s work.

The Library has a number of events and talks, a photography wall, and collections that pay homage to Birmingham’s heritage. libraryofbirmingham.com

A visit to Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter is a must. The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter tells the story of the Quarter and the city’s renowned jewellery heritage. Set in the Smith & Pepper jewellery manufacturing firm, this fantastic time capsule offers live demonstrations at the jewellers’ bench, giving visitors a chance to see what it was like to work there. www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/ jewellery

BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS AND GLASSHOUSES Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3TR With four glasshouses and 15 acres of grounds, the Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses offer school trips like no other.

Awarded the Growing Schools garden award by the Department of Education, the Gardens have tailored made activities for different topics and age groups. For teachers who want to lead their own activities, the Botanical Gardens offer a range of resources. www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/ Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB The Birmingham Hippodrome is one of the most popular theatres in the UK, regularly attracting over 500,000 visitors at performances every year.

From the Birmingham Royal Ballet to West End shows, the Hippodrome can accommodate groups of all sizes.

Whether it’s dance or drama, the theatre is a great venue for students who have an interest in the creative arts. www.birminghamhippodrome.com

BIRMINGHAM BACK TO BACKS 50-54 Inge St, Birmingham B5 4TE Take a fascinating guided tour of the last surviving courtyard built back to back, a key part of Birmingham’s history. From the 1840s to the 1970s discover the lives of the residents who came to work in these small houses. With workshops and a 1930s sweet shop, it is a great place for students to learn about the city’s history. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ birmingham-back-to-backs ELECTRIC CINEMA 47-49 Station St, Birmingham B5 4DY Birmingham is home to the UK’s oldest working cinema, which is now complete with luxury sofas and a waiter service.

With regular showings of the latest movies from foreign, classic, independent and contemporary – this is a perfect school trip for students interested in film and media. www.theelectric.co.uk BLACK COUNTRY LIVING MUSEUM 2 Tipton Rd, Dudley, West Midlands DY1 4SQ The Black Country Living Museum caters to all ages from primary school to secondary. "

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BIRMINGHAM ! Whether it is geography, science, history, design or literacy, the museum has a range of learning tools to assist with your visit. Celebrating the 1830s industrial landscape, take a tour of the Museum’s village to hear the stories of people in their workshops. See vintage transport, play games and explore over 26 acres that celebrate a key part of history in the West Midlands. www.bclm.co.uk ASTON VILLA AND BIRMINGHAM CITY FOOTBALL STADIUM TOURS Aston Villa Football Club, Villa Park, Birmingham, B6 6HE

Birmingham City Football Club, St. Andrew’s Stadium, Birmingham, B9 4RL Birmingham is home to two famous football clubs, with Aston Villa one of only a handful of English teams to lift the European Cup. Why not visit the stadia where historic footballing memories took place? From the press room and the players’ tunnel to the dressing rooms and hallowed turf itself, these tours are perfect for students who love sport. www.avfc.co.uk/page/StadiumTours www.bcfc.com/tickets/Stadium_Tours.aspx ST GEORGE’S PARK – THE ULTIMATE FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE St. George’s Park, Newborough

School Trips

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At the Ikon Gallery, pupils can engage through creative learning, and teachers will have access to a number of resources so that students can make the most out of their visit Road, Needwood, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 9PD, UK

Pre-Raphaelite paintings, while exhibitions and over 40 galleries also ensure it is a popular destination for educational visits. See artefacts and objects throughout history from Ancient Egypt to the Romans and Ancient Greece. www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/bmag

Ever wondered where the England football team trains? Not far from Birmingham isSt George’s Park. The Ultimate Football Experience is a brilliant way to help and encourage students to take part in sport, offering a trained FA coach, 3G pitch and fun football activity sessions on the grounds where England’s best players – including Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Harry Kane – perfect their art. www.thefa.com/st-georges-park

IKON GALLERY 1 Oozells St, Birmingham B1 2HS Celebrating modern art from across the globe, Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery is housed in a Victorian school building in Brindleyplace, beside the city’s canals. Whether it is painting, sculptures, mixed media or photography, there is something for everyone. Learn about the meaning behind these visual masterpieces through seminars, tours and workshops that enable visitors to share and discuss their views. Pupils can engage through creative learning, and teachers will have access to a number of resources so that students "

BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is one of the most visited attractions in Birmingham, right in the centre of the city. It is home to the world’s biggest collection of

Safe, high quality learning experiences for all Tailored activity programmes designed to suit your needs Wide range of accommodation options available Bursary places available Circus Zyair is a unique way of fundraising for your school. We provide a fully professional, self-contained 2 hour circus show in our magnificent, lightproof, climate controlled ‘big top’. This smaller version of our main circus will suit most school fields and can hold up to 650 people helping you raise more than £2500 in one night All that you need is a suitable site and an enthusiastic PTA!

For more information about our adventure centres or to make a booking contact us on 0844 8000 222 or email sales.info@rockuk.org or visit www.rockuk.org

/ /

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Rock UK Adventure Centres Ltd is a registered charity No: 1107724 (England & Wales) SC040118 (Scotland)

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SCHOOL TRIPS

UK COACH OPERATOR OF THE YEAR 2016!

At Kings Ferry we believe that an educational visit can be the ultimate learning experience. For over 40 years Kings Ferry has helped teachers and group leaders plan and organise a huge variety of school trips BUY ONE GET ONE FREE SCHOOL TRIPS *BRAND NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY A chance to try an award winning coach company for less. Whether you’re organising a one off outing for the littlens or a series of educational trips for the whole school, the Kings Ferry’s award-winning coach hire service can help. Every year our school’s booking team provides the guidance and resources that school trip organisers need for any successful outing, and this year we are offering you the chance to book 2 coach hire trips for your school for the price of 1.

As an award winning coach operator we will make sure that your trip really hits the mark.

Kings Ferry can provide a range of vehicles to suit your needs. We will work with you to ensure your trip is well planned and that it meets your study requirements and budget.

In addition we will always endeavour to go a little bit further to make your trip extra special.

So whatever the age and size of your group and wherever you want to go in the UK or Europe, get in touch and let The Kings Ferry take the hard work out of planning your next school trip.

We provide a comprehensive Schools’ Pack which is designed to help you with every aspect of your school trip, whether it be the venue, health and safety guidance or help with parent letters – not to mention safe and reliable transport. Download our schools pack brochure today from our website.

LEADING PRIVATE COACH HIRE Kings Ferry is one of the leading private coach hire companies in London and surrounding counties and has just been crowned UK Coach Operator of the Year, alongside Top Large Fleet Operator 2016.

The company is renowned for its ability to provide the very best luxury coach hire services while adhering to Duty of Care legislation, giving you complete peace of mind.

WHY KINGS FERRY? There are many reasons to choose Kings Ferry for your transport provider and our motto typifies our offering; Excellence as Standard. We will provide you with friendly, helpful and highly trained drivers and one of our award-winning executive coaches with up to date technology. You

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will also experience a smooth booking process from our experienced sales team.

Your choice of coach hire should not simply be a matter of price comparison.

You may well be offered a price for an ‘executive’ coach. However, interpretation of ‘executive’ can vary dramatically from operator to operator! With many operators having no hesitation about providing low specification, ageing vehicles for school visits.

MODERN AND AIR CONDITIONED At Kings Ferry, we do not regard school pupils as second class citizens; you will always receive a modern, air conditioned coach, fully-equipped for touring with a toilet facility if required.

DRIVERS Our drivers are the pride of our company. All Kings Ferry drivers go through a rigorous selection procedure to ensure only those with exceptional customer service skills join our successful team.

Choosing drivers with the right personality ensures our customers receive the kind of care and attention to detail they deserve.

They are well-trained, uniformed and are provided with top quality back-up at our base at Gillingham – purpose-built tobe one of the most modern coach centres in the UK. Routes are fully prepared, and driver records meticulously maintained and monitored to the complete satisfaction of the authorities.

BOOK NOW Book with The Kings Ferry and you will never look back, as our experienced team and fleet of new executive coaches will provide you with a smooth and stress free trip experience.

SAVING YOU MONEY AT A HOST OF ATTRACTIONS! Exclusive discounts on your entry tickets – up to 35 per cent off. The Kings Ferry work closely with many attractions including Merlin Entertainments to bring you some great value coach plus entrance packages.

If you book at any of the our partner attractions through The Kings Ferry, we can offer you exclusive discounts on your entry tickets – up to 35 per cent off.

You just can’t get this anywhere else.

We will also provide you with one of our modern, comfortable and air-conditioned coaches as part of our award-winning coach hire service.

Choose from 16 to 77 seats, from standard right up to Luxury VIP vehicles.

PARTNER ATTRACTIONS: The Kings Ferry has a host of partner attractions to choose from, including: Thorpe Park; Legoland; Windsor Resort; Alton Towers Resort; Sea Life London Aquarium; Madame Tussauds; London Dungeons; Chessington World of Adventures Resorts; Science Museum; and Warwick Castle.

COACH HIRE FOR ANY OCCASION If you have a business or sporting event, festival, wedding or day trip planned, call one of our friendly reservations team today: 01634 377 577. !

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01634 377 577 www.thekingsferry.co.uk

BIRMINGHAM

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a Learning and Participation team that visit schools to give a greater understanding of theatrical technique. Drama is a fantastic way to develop communication skills and improve confidence, and the REP has workshops that will help students develop these skills through theatrical exercises. The theatre also has a number of exciting productions throughout the year that you don’t want to miss. www.birmingham-rep.co.uk BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATION PARK Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park, Pershore Road, Edgbaston, B5 7RL

Birmingham is home to two famous football clubs, with Aston Villa one of only a handful of English teams to lift the European Cups ! can make the most out of their visit. ikon-gallery.org THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF PLANES AND TRAINS 3 Mary Ann Street, St Paul’s Square, B3 1BG An interactive and fun way to learn about the history of trains from the 1890s to today. With a

number of engaging activities such as plane flight simulators, Scalextric, and train travel workshops – it’s the perfect day out for a school trip. wonderfulworldtrainsplanes.co.uk BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP The REP – as it is commonly known – has

Exciting indoor & outdoor activities available

Multi-activity provision tailored to your requirements

Encourages personal development & teamwork

All ages catered for

NGB qualified staff

Fully Insured & risk assessed

The Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park is home to a number of animals from squirrel monkeys to the Green Tree Python. The park is focused on helping endangered species with a captive breeding programme. With educational talks and campaigns, it is a great way to learn about the animals, their habitat and to encourage students to volunteer. www.birmingham.gov.uk/naturecentre "

Visit Birmingham is the official tourism programme for Birmingham and the wider region.

FURTHER INFORMATION visitbirmingham.com

r best For ouplease price te quo

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ACTIVITY

Written by Get Set

Get Set for the Olympic and Paralympic Games With the Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place in Rio de Janeiro this August and September, the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association outline their youth engagement programme Get Set Get Set, the youth engagement programme from Team GB and ParalympicsGB, is calling on all schools across the UK to get active in the run-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Building on the legacy of London 2012, Get Set offers a number of opportunities to inspire young people to live healthier lives and strengthen relationships with their local communities using the power and magic of the Olympic and Paralympic Values.

THE ROAD TO RIO CHALLENGE Get young people fit and active through Get Set’s Road to Rio Challenge, which inspires teams of five to 19 year-olds to travel the distance from London to the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro through any sport or physical activity. It could be walking to and from school, a PE lesson or a game of football. It’s really easy to add your minutes of activity online and the kilometres you cover are calculated automatically.

There are lots of ways to get involved and win exclusive rewards along the way, including Team GB and ParalympicsGB kit.

The first 1,000 schools to add activity on the Road to Rio Challenge will win a limited edition Olympic and Paralympic A2 poster.

THE OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC VALUES Take part in the Values Awards by working through a series of online and offline challenges. Young people can be rewarded for demonstrating their commitment to the Olympic Values of friendship, excellence and respect and the Paralympic Values of inspiration, determination, courage and equality. Activities are open to seven

to 19 year-olds and support Ofsted requirements while building character and resilience in students. Teachers can track students’ progress online and unlock fantastic rewards and athlete messages when they complete an award.

Since their Get Set journey began five years ago, Helme CE (VA) Junior & Infant School has adopted the Values as their own. The school aims to demonstrate the Values in all areas of school life and award certificates every week in their assembly. Recently, they organised their own Dance Off competition which celebrated the Value of equality and involved a Strictly Come Dancing routine that included the whole school.

Alex, a nine year-old at the school, said: “We all worked as separate teams for our Dance Off competition, but we were also one great big team supporting each other.

This shows that the Value of equality was there for all to see. There were girls and boys dancing together and we also had some children who have support workers, who danced in groups like everyone else. We all performed together and looked out for each other.”

IMPROVING YOUR COMMUNITY Thousands of 14-19 year-olds across the UK have been inspired to engage with their communities through Get Set for Community Action. The programme equips young people with life skills by supporting teams to plan and run projects, which help to make their communities healthier and more active places to live.

Get a team of students to plan and deliver two projects in the run-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

They can be as simple as an afternoon tea in a residential home to planning a Rio-themed sports day at a local community centre.

Win exclusive prizes ranging from an all-expenses-paid trip to London, a Rio celebration box, athlete visits and experience days.

John Doherty, Get Set for Community Action Team Coordinator from Davenant Foundation School in Essex, gave us his top tips on getting students involved in their community.

Get Set insp young p ires to live h eople lives an ealthier ds relationtrengthen with th ships e commu ir local nities

To find out how to get involved and watch our short film head to www.getset.co.uk/values-awards

PLANNING THE PROJECTS “Most schools are already working in their community, so start by taking a look at what you’re currently doing.

Bring what you’re doing into Get Set for Community Action so that your work is recognised under a national programme !

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ACTIVITY

Get Set, the youth engagement programme from Team GB and ParalympicsGB, is calling all schools across the UK to get active in the run-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games ! that provides rewards to your school.

If you’re not already working in the community, start small and gradually build up rather than starting overly ambitious and spreading yourself too thin.”

“Be realistic, but also be creative with the available resources, time and facilities.”

TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS “Get Set for Community Action is a fun project that rewards students for getting involved in their community.

It provides life skills, such as the experience of project planning and the oversight of money – all really beneficial for your students’ CVs and UCAS applications.

There is also real added motivation for the students knowing that the programme celebrates them and their achievements and they also have a chance to meet an athlete.

Through their involvement, I have noticed huge confidence improvements in my students as they learn to work and engage with people on different levels.

They benefit from knowing that they are making an impact on people’s lives.”

Make a difference at www.getsetaction.org.uk

WIN A FILM WORKSHOP WITH A PARALYMPIC ATHLETE Get Set to be a Paralympic Champion is an exciting competition that offers young people the chance to win a film workshop with a ParalympicsGB athlete by shining a spotlight on the Paralympic Movement and Values and challenging perceptions of disabled people.

The latest winning school was Helme CE (VA) Junior & Infant School, where Class 5 pupils had the opportunity to meet and interview Paralympian Nathan Stephens for their film.

The theme of the film was ‘Using the Paralympic Values’. The pupils were split into two film teams and truly immersed themselves in their roles. They interviewed other school children and teachers and chatted with Nathan about his career, how he applies the Paralympic Values to his everyday life and how the Values have made a difference.

Sam Brian, class teacher, said: “The children doing the filming had such an amazing day – they were all buzzing as they left school. The rest of the school, who were asked to be interviewed by the team, were equally as chuffed. Nathan was great with the children. I really cannot put into words the impact that winning this workshop has had on our small school. We are made to feel ‘big’, thanks to all of your work.”

Google Hangouts For our sport science Google Hangout, schools sent questions for Mark Fosbrook, who is part of the GB Wheelchair Basketball team, and John Francis, lead performance analyst for British Wheelchair Basketball. Here’s a taster:

How have advances in technology helped to improve performances?

John: “Technology is a big part of my job. We have bought software that allows our athletes and coaches to view the work that I do online and we’re exploring options to create live links with tablets to help with decision making during games!“ Mark: “The video analysis of our competitors that John prepares for us is fantastic and really enables us to understand our opposition, making sure that we’re best prepared for each match. Of course, wheelchairs are a huge part of technological advances.“ Watch the full film and all of our other Hangouts at www.getset.co.uk/ community/hangouts Email getset@getset.co.uk if you’d like to take part in the next one!

SHOW YOUR SPORTING SPIRIT Get Set for the Spirit of Sport, developed with UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), encourages young people to develop a core set of sporting values, enabling them to make the right decisions on and off the field of play. Practical and classroom-based activities provide 10 to 14 year-olds with an opportunity to practise making decisions that uphold fair play, respect and friendship in a fun and interactive way.

Howard Auckland, deputy head teacher of Albrighton Primary School, said: “Get Set for the Spirit of Sport had a positive impact on my pupils. Lessons were fun and engaging, they challenged pupils’ views and understanding. I definitely recommend these lessons.”

Tracey Crouch, minister for sport, said: “It’s essential our star athletes of tomorrow are educated on the dangers of doping and the value of clean sport.

Get Set for the Spirit of Sport is a great way for young people to understand the importance of competing on a level playing field and I would encourage schools across the country to get involved.” " FURTHER INFORMATION www.getset.co.uk

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DISABILITY

Not all teachers have the confidence and skill set to ensure all students are included in school PE lessons. Kat Southwell, Active Kids for All manager at the English Federation of Disability Sport, explains what is being done to change this perception and how disabled pupils can benefit In many schools around the UK, pupils are grouped according to ability in core subjects including science, English and maths. So why are there so many young disabled children that are still being excluded during physical education (PE) lessons as a result of their needs not being met? This raises questions of how well PE teachers and school staff understand the ability of their disabled pupils, and how confident and prepared they are to support them in fully accessing the PE curriculum?

The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS), a national charity dedicated to making active lives possible for disabled people, knows that while most teachers have the ability to deliver inclusively, not all have the confidence or understanding. A 2011 survey featuring hundreds of young disabled people revealed that a third felt they did not participate in PE lessons as much as their non-disabled peers. Of those, 33 per cent felt this was because of their impairment; for wheelchair users, it was 54 per cent.

Working in partnership with Sainsbury’s, the home country disability sport organisations, the British Paralympic Association and the Youth Sport Trust, we have developed the Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE training. The free training, which has been delivered to over 7,500 teachers, trainee teachers and school staff across the United Kingdom, supports PE teachers to deliver an inclusive PE curriculum to pupils of all abilities.

The training helps to prevent disabled pupils from being excluded

from PE lessons and ensures they have the same experiences of school sport as their classmates.

INCLUSIVE PE IN MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS For decades, as school sports developed throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s, many young disabled pupils were often excluded from PE lessons, either having to stand on the side-lines or spend time in the library while their non-disabled classmates enjoyed being active.

EFDS has spoken to disabled people regarding their experiences of PE lessons, both positive and negative.

Wheelchair rugby player Martin has Cerebral Palsy and recalls that, when he attended a mainstream compressive school during the 1980s, ‘inclusive sport was nonexistent’ with the school running PE lessons in cross country and football in which he was not physically capable of participating. By the time Martin neared his O-levels, it was decided that sport should play no further part in his curriculum. Martin told us that ‘by the time it came to the final two years of High School it was agreed that whenever PE was on I would go to the library’. Martin’s

experience of a lack of inclusion damaged his self-confidence and he hated ‘being the only disabled kid in a school of 1,200’.

Unfortunately, 20 years later not much had changed for Chloe, a 19 year old with muscular dystrophy, who attended a mainstream secondary school in the 2000s.

Chloe commented: “I didn’t have a great time at the start of my school career, with teachers not understanding what I could do in sport.”

Despite wanting to get involved in physical activity and trying wheelchair sports when she was in Year 8, Chloe recalls how many people at school struggled with the concept that she was able to walk but also used a wheelchair.

Chloe explained how she was told that ‘PE worked in black and white, so someone who wanted things modifying was too difficult a concept for them’.

Chloe wanted to prove sport was for her and was inspired by a wheelchair tennis day organised by Active Gloucestershire.

She has since gone on enjoy tennis, basketball and, more recently, archery.

While most teacher the abi s have deliver lity to in not all clusively, h confide ave the unders nce or tanding

Written by Kat Southwell, Active Kids for All manager

Equipping teachers and students for PE inclusion

EQUIPPING FOR INCLUSION We know that PE teachers do not purposefully exclude disabled pupils from their lessons, rather !

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DISABILITY

! they haven’t been equipped with the skills and knowledge to fully include all pupils regardless of impairment.

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

This is the case for many teachers and trainee teachers who often qualify without learning how to adapt their PE lessons for individuals’ specific needs.

Recently, two newly-qualified teachers attended an Inclusive PE Training workshop as they said they felt that during their initial teacher training they had not gained a basic understanding of how to include all pupils in PE lessons.

This is an issue highlighted by a teacher from Davenant Foundation School in Essex, who has said: “One of the things teachers struggle with is the confidence to include disabled students in mainstream PE lessons and to properly adapt lessons for all students.”

The provision of this training provides teachers with the knowledge they may not have previously had to support young disabled people to have positive experiences of school sport, just as Chris did when he attended a school in Bolton in the 1990s.

Chris has spina bifida and stopped walking when he was 10, meaning that he was using a wheelchair full-time by time he started at secondary school.

His experiences of school sport were very different to those of Martin and Chloe, as Chris believes that ‘in terms of adapting lessons, my teachers were excellent.

They would modify equipment for me – I remember them cutting down a hockey

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“One of the things teachers struggle with is the confidence to include disabled students in mainstream PE lessons and to properly adapt lessons for all students” stick in the woodwork shed so that I could use it in my chair’. Chris told us that he had ‘the impression that they were learning about inclusive teaching alongside me’.

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

George, a 22-year-old who attended a mainstream school in Warwickshire during the 2000s, had a similar experience to Chris with his PE provision being excellent.

George said: “Most of the time I had very positive experiences of PE and was able to join in most sports with the rest of the class.”

However, George concedes that his requirements were a learning curve for the school, his parents and himself, citing the example of rugby lessons as a negative experience.

He explains: “We were taught rugby, a sport that due to my disability I absolutely hated playing. While my classmates were all participating fully, I was left either standing on the sidelines in the cold or being made to run lengths of the field by me teacher as an alternative activity.

“At times it got to the stage where my parents would be writing notes to my teacher excusing me from the lesson, or I would fake an injury, something that I never liked to do.”

Through discussions between his parents, the SEN department and the PE department, the situation gradually improved and instead of playing rugby George was able to join the middle group in the fitness suite. This suited him far better as he could participate in PE at his own rate.

As an example of working with the pupil and his parents to best cater for the needs of the pupil, George shows what can be achieved and what impact inclusive PE can have.

MAKING INCLUSION ACCESSIBLE So what can we take away from George, Martin, Chloe and Chris’ experiences of school PE lessons? That accessible PE lessons have improved significantly over recent decades and with support and the correct training both before and after qualifying, all teachers and school support staff can be enabled to provide inclusive PE lessons to all pupils for decades to come.

This is perhaps best summarised in the words of George, a recent school-leaver: “I think every mainstream school in the country has a responsibility to provide accessible PE, as well as making sure teachers are aware that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to teaching children sport.” " FURTHER INFORMATION www.efds.co.uk activekids.sainsburys.co.uk

STEM

ENGINEERING

Getting to the root of STEM education Maggie Philbin explores STEM opportunities in schools and the career possibilities we should be making pupils aware of My daughter has just moved to San Francisco to take on an exciting and demanding new role in her company. She’s well paid, highly valued and loves her job.

I’m obviously incredibly proud to have a daughter doing so well in the tech industry but it’s no thanks to any career advice she received from school (or from me for that matter). In fact, Rose says nothing she experienced in her formal learning environment helped her understand what working in technology might actually mean.

Rose was one of the lucky ones who had a chance opportunity to understand why she might enjoy working in that environment. Before then, the opportunities

SCHOOLS CAN’T DO THIS ON THEIR OWN Contemporary industries are diverse, fast moving and complicated, but schools can create relationships with companies and organisations who can provide that fresh thinking – not only about possible careers but for the different routes into them. They can share first-hand information about the real qualities which companies seek out and value – bold, clever thinkers, good communicators, creativity, and attention to detail. Qualities that might not always surface in formal examinations but which can come to the fore when students work on real world projects, in teams.

Gaining new skills is important but beyond this, there are three things young people need in order to reach their potential in STEM subjects and go on to have successful careers in these fields. These are an understanding of the opportunities out there, an awareness of and belief in their own potential, and the opportunity to create meaningful connections with people already working in fast-paced and exciting tech industries.

Simply put, these things are not in place for every student, only for a fortunate few.

Young people don’t get enough chances to explore how far they can go with STEM subjects, or the kind of careers that are up for grabs. As such it’s the job of school leaders and teachers to put these stepping stones in place in order for their pupils to achieve.

Written by Maggie Philbin, TeenTech

finding planets – that in many schools STEM subjects still struggle to escape the shackles of being perceived as dull, dry, boring, and worst of all – for old men in lab coats. Educators have a duty to break down preconceptions and provide young people with a better picture of what the world of STEM really looks like and how they could play a very active and rewarding part in it.

Young p don’t geople chances et enough how far to explore with ST they can go EM or the k subjects, CAREER CHOICES There are well-lit careers ind of pathways for young t up for ghat are people who want to rabs become doctors, lawyers,

had been completely invisible and, as a result, of absolutely no interest to her.

Working in science or technology is no longer a niche choice.

Digital and technical skills cut across all workplaces and we need to help students understand that studying subjects like engineering, physics or computer science can be springboards into every industry and into well paid jobs – whether you are working in the city, in a nuclear power plant or for a broadcaster.

It seems quite mad that at a time when technology is disrupting the way we do everything – from finding partners to

teachers and police officers – but those into tech and applied science are sometimes more oblique. For instance, some might assume that you need maths and computer science to succeed in cyber security, but in reality there are a broad range of opportunities for those who demonstrate strategic thinking with their aptitude for computer games or who are good at languages, recognising patterns or enjoy taking things apart.

The number of different careers that STEM can open up really are vast. From cyber security to data analytics, digital marketing to nanotechnology, robotics to !

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ENGINEERING ! environmental engineering. Manufacturing and aerospace production are earmarked as two of the fastest growing sectors in the UK, and the opportunities for STEM careers here are enormous. What’s more, we’re seeing huge leaps in advances of technology in fields such as healthcare, marketing, and financial services. In short, STEM subjects feed into some of the fastest-growing and lucrative industries and the next generation need to be given clearer career paths – something that must start at school.

Our pupils must be armed with the skills, confidence and knowledge to join these rapidly-changing fields and put their own stamp on them.

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS We need to make the opportunities in STEM visible to young people, ensuring it is not just the lucky few that stumble on chance opportunities to realise a fulfilling and rewarding career.

STEM should not exist in siloes within

Educators have a duty to break down preconceptions and provide young people with a better picture of what the world of STEM really looks like and how they could play a very active and rewarding part in it

schools; it should permeate all subjects and be the common thread woven throughout a multitude of learning experiences. For far too long we’ve actively encouraged students to see themselves as ‘arty’ or ‘sciency’.

Through my experience with TeenTech, I have seen the transformative effect of a hands-on, project-based approach on students.

It enables teachers to surface latent skills that can act as an impetus for students to engage in STEM subjects within the classroom.

It can also spark an interest which leads to self-directed learning outside the classroom as students become motivated by turning their ideas into viable business propositions, in competitions such as the TeenTech Awards.

With increasing pressure on schools to track student progression and varying access to work experience or careers information, advice and guidance, the relationships between schools and businesses are key.

Through working collaboratively to

support teaching professionals deliver engaging projects with a real world context, employers can build the pipeline of talent required within STEM industries today.

MAKING IT FUN FOR ALL AGES I believe interventions need to start at a young age to nurture the natural creativity, curiosity and lateral thinking of young minds, often lost as they progress through the education system. Through investing time and energy in STEM subjects we can also promote good and active citizenship in our young people, regardless of their future career choices.

We have recently launched the TeenTech City of Tomorrow programme for young people aged 10-12, where we ask three key questions - how will we live, work and play in the future?

We want young people to consider the world they want to live in, paying attention to both physical and virtual spaces and interactions through the Internet of Things.

Young people construct their cities while exploring key concepts and expressing their individual and collective vision for the future. We designed this programme to sit across a number of curriculum areas. I believe adopting a cross curricula approach supports the holistic understanding required to deepen learning of core STEM principles.

A philosophy I hold dear and at the core of the work I have done with TeenTech is that young people deserve a platform for their ideas, which time and again I see compete in real world environments, standing on their own merit and not constrained by age. We are passionate about empowering young people to understand and protect their ideas and support them to make connections to develop their ideas from concept to creation. In the

today makes it almost impossible to map out every opportunity that will be available to young people when they transition from education to employment. However I believe we absolutely have a duty to prepare young people for the modern workplace, equipping them with the core skills, understanding and aptitude, to not only survive but to succeed in an increasingly digital world.

We should aspire to connect business and education through exciting STEM projects and hands on learning opportunities throughout a young persons’ journey in education. We cannot expect teachers to shoulder the burden of bringing industry into the classroom on their own. Each business in STEM has a responsibility to invest in their future workforce by providing the expertise, role models and inspiration to capture the imaginations and spark the interest of young people.

TeenTech is just one of many organisations working to help make those connections and support both education and industry build meaningful and fruitful relationships.

THINK TECH – THINK CAREERS We often fall into the trap of traditional qualification frameworks determining which career paths young people are most suited too. I have experienced first-hand the difficulty young people have in accessing information about quality apprenticeships.

There is now, more than ever, a huge amount of opportunity for young people to pursue rewarding careers in STEM and even though we may understand the university route because that was our own experience, it’s very important to develop our understanding so we can showcase other routes. I always

Digital and technical skills cut across all workplaces and we need to help students understand that studying subjects like engineering, physics or computer science can be springboards into every industry past we’ve had pupils dream up everything from ‘Indicate’ – a new technology for helping cyclists to indicate more safely and clearly which is being developed with the young students by Maplin, to the ‘E-Water tap,’ a tap programmed by keen students in Newbury to produce safe drinking water in developing countries and which secured £100,000 investment. The students were in the Gambia in May watching their project become reality.

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES LIE AHEAD? During my time on Tomorrows World I had the enviable task of previewing the kind of technology we now take for granted, such as the mobile phone, the digital camera and the sat nav. I believe the pace of technology

remember the O2 apprentice who only found out about his digital apprenticeship when he renewed his mobile phone.

Our research shows parents are a major influencer on career choices and so it’s important to make sure they are very much part of the discussion. Parents are often astonished when they realise companies such as Airbus, BBC, National Grid and GCHQ offer high quality apprenticeships which remove the burden of university fees and lead to great careers.

Overall, there’s a lot of untapped talent being lost in kids who have dismissed a career in tech, simply because they don’t consider it an exciting or viable career option or self-eliminated because they think it will

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Maggie Philbin

be ‘too hard’. At TeenTech, we reach out to these young people, asking if they are interested in gaming, social media, or being inventive, and that’s why they step forward to take part in the programme working on projects to make life ‘better, simpler and easier’ using science and technology.

Once engaged they become very passionate evangelists within their schools.

As one girl said: “It made me realise that technology was all about people.”

The popularity of the scheme proves that there certainly is an appetite out there, and the resounding success of our participants, especially those who might have been struggling academically, shows the true extent of young people’s capabilities.

It’s now more important than ever for schools to really highlight the benefits of STEM subjects and offer new and inventive ways to help students see just how relevant they are to every aspect of their lives.

One teenager who attended one of our cyber security workshops said it was the first time she’d ever understood how she could use maths or physics outside the classroom.

We need to seize every opportunity to help young people understand how they can apply their learning and see that the workplace of the future will welcome their creativity, bold thinking and leadership skills just as much if not more than exam grades. !

Maggie Philbin founded TeenTech, running initiatives with a supporting Award scheme to help young teenagers see the wide range of career possibilities in science, engineering and technology, working collaboratively with companies, universities, business organisations and education business partnerships.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.teentechevent.com

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Products & Services

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SCHOOL TRIPS

SCHOOL TRIPS

Diverse Travel is a British tour operator covering a choice of global diving.

Organising a school scuba diving trip promises something a little different. Pupils will find it extremely rewarding and enriching as they work to gain a worldwide recognised qualification at the end of their course as well as learning team-building skills.

Itineraries can be tailored to the age and needs of groups with on-going support and communication at every stage.

PADI or SSI courses can be organised from Entry Level, Advanced Open Water and Specialty Courses. If there is a mix of abilities, all can be catered for seamlessly and with pleasing results.

Arrangements with educational centres are in place in prime dive destinations so learning can continue through the natural environment relating to biology, geography and

The Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre is a not-for-profit RYA training centre based at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy and host venue for the London 2012 Olympic Sailing event. On top of the world class sailing location and facilities, the Centre prides itself on having exceptional kit and instructors to provide top quality instruction. As well as offering the full range of RYA Dinghy Sailing courses, Andrew Simpson Sailing provides multi-day packages for schools and groups. The Centre delivers sailing sessions with the aim of supporting the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation’s charitable objectives. Schools have the opportunity to apply for funding to help break down financial barriers to participation.

The Centre strives to support all children and young people and believes that sailing as a sport contributes to an all-round enhancement of their wellbeing and personal character.

Qualified school scuba diving trip specialist

physical education.

As well as gaining a qualification and supreme confidence in the water, you will find a group of pupils who have achieved a range of skills to last a lifetime, enhancing many aspects of their educational and personal success.

The team offers honest, expert advice and well-informed recommendations as well as great value and competitive rates.

Schools can book with confidence as every Diverse Travel package holiday is fully ATOL protected.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 915 4436 info@diversetravel.co.uk www.diversetravel.co.uk

SCHOOL TRIPS

SCHOOL TRIPS

Twickenham World Rugby Museum based at the Home of England Rugby turns a corporate box into a class room with its award winning educational programme based on the national curriculum.

The Schools and Learning programme offers three core experiences to visiting groups, including access to the World Rugby Museum; a tour of Twickenham stadium; and either an educational workshop or seminar, all in a unique learning environment.

At the end of 2015 the museum was awarded for the second time the prestigious Sandford Award for heritage, in addition to being granted for the fourth consecutive occasion the LOtC Quality Badge from the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.

The museum’s award-winning educational facilities are now integrated into its permanent galleries. The ‘Play Rugby’ zone

Totnes Rare Breeds Farm is a small, family run attraction set on the outskirts of Totnes besides the South Devon Steam Railway.

It offers a highly interactive experience where you can meet some amazing owls, cuddle a guinea pig, feed the greedy goats and get up close to a few red squirrels, plus so much more!

Ducklings and chicks await you in the Hedgehog Hospital and if you are lucky, you may spot one of the farm’s spiny friends!

The farm’s knowledgeable and friendly volunteers are always on hand to answer your questions and ensure you can make the most of your time with there.

Totne Rare Breeds Farm is extremely wheelchair friendly and the onsite cafe offers a range of tasty, freshly prepared food with indoor and outdoor seating areas.

The farm strongly believes in the

Turning a corporate box into a creative classroom

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Sailing activities to inspire the next generation

allows students to test their own fitness attributes and kicking prowess and poses the question: ‘What kind of rugby player are you?’ Visiting students from Key Stages 1-4 and above are offered an exciting, behind the scenes insight into how rugby union works and can enjoy workshops led by professionals in a variety of specialist topics.

For more information about how this venue could work for you, please visit the website or call to speak to an adviser.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 020 8892 8877 englandrugby.com/museum

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As well as being able to offer fun and educational sailing sessions, the Centre provides additional activities showcasing the fantastic location of Portland.

From the nautical history of Portland Bill Lighthouse to the remarkable geological and geographical, Jurassic coastline. The friendly team will tailor your trip to cover a wide range of educational topics.

Residential and non-residential packages are available, contact the centre for more information.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01305 457400 www.andrewsimpson sailing.co.uk

A day out: stroke the owls and feed the squirrels

value of experiences outside the classroom and getting ‘hands on’ with the animals can create some of the most rewarding and unforgettable moments. Totnes looks forward to seeing you soon and hope you will have a fun and memorable experience.

Please visit the website for details on directions for parking and ticket prices.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01803 840387 contact@totnes rarebreeds.co.uk www.totnesrarebreeds.co.uk

FIRE PROTECTION INSTALLERS

CLASSROOM RESOURCES

Firetech Pro provides passive fire protection in London to commercial and residential properties.

The company’s staff are specialists in the compartmentalisation of structures through the use of fire-resistant walls and floors. This includes buildings and tunnels where passive fire protection can help in preventing the spread of fire. Passive fire protection decreases the potential of a possible fire and delays its spread through the building.

Firetech Pro’s expert work is aimed at improving the safety of people, protecting properties from fire damage and making sure that a minor fire will not escalate into a major rescue project. A professionally fire protected building or construction site can save lives.

The work Firetech Pro performs is interdependent, meaning that each component of the passive fire protection is dependent on

Rompa® was the original company to bring the concept of Snoezelen® Multi-Sensory Environments to the UK and is the owner of the Snoezelen® trademark.

One of the key challenges that a school can face is preventing a pupil’s behaviour from escalating into a crisis state. It is important to recognise the indicators of a pupil’s agitation levels and take measures to de-escalate the situation.

Another key challenge for schools with pupils who have profound disabilities is to educate and develop the pupil using equipment that is available to them. A profoundly disabled pupil learns in a completely different way to a pupil with mild disabilities or no disabilities.

Your experts on passive fire protection in London

the other. Together, they form a strong and functional whole.

Firetech Pro has well over a decade of experience in the installation of passive fire protection. Over these years, it has made numerous commercial and residential construction sites, and governmental and private business properties a safe and secure place to be in.

Firetech Pro prevents the spread of fire in destroying buildings, properties and lives by applying its extensive knowledge and trusted methods to the structure of a building or site.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.firetechpro.co.uk 02079988920

Facilitating de-escalation, learning and development

CLASSROOM RESOURCES

FIRE SAFETY CONSULTANTS

Medpac creates practical bags specifically designed for carrying and storing prescription and emergency medicine in school, Ideal for asthma inhalers, Epipens, epilepsy and diabetic medication and more.

Each Medpac comes complete with a Medpac Photo ID and a Medpac Treatment Card to include clear instructions on how to use the medication.

Insulated Medpacs are also available to help regulate the temperature of certain medicines when out and about.

In summary Medpac is designed to store medicines safely and efficiently; easily identify correct medicine for the correct child; save vital time in an emergency, help older children to carry own medication; and display expiry dates to save time for staff Medic is Ideal for use in school, on school trips, after school clubs, swimming lessons and school transport.

To discover more about this

As well as designing educational buildings to be fire safe, another dimension of fires in schools is arson, often committed by those ‘known’ to the school.

That adds another aspect to the fire safety strategies and design of the buildings, whether existing, refurbished, change of use or new build.

International Fire Consultants (IFC) has been involved in the educational sector for over 30 years. This has ranged from fire safety strategies to reports on the compartmentation and safety systems, through to undertaking Fire Risk Assessments.

With regard to its BB100, ‘Fire Safety Design Guide for Educational Establishments’, IFC has a unique education experience having worked with the DFES and advised it in conjunction with DCLG, on the development and revision of BB100, formerly DES 7.

As the lead author of the fire safety design guide for

Medpac: sturdy, secure and neat medication bags

innovative range of products visit the website and see how Medpac could change the way you store the medicines in your school.

There is no minimum order value, order online or download an order form if you would prefer to receive an invoice.

Medpac also offers a five per cent discount on orders over £200.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0845 0739430 www.medpac.co.uk

Products & Services

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION – www.educationbusinessuk.net

Rompa® provide the equipment and environment to facilitate de-escalation, learning and development. It has researched and has been advised the best methods to de-escalate a person who is agitated and it uses these principles in its design.

Winslow® provides teachers with a wide range of resources for education covering speech and communication, as well as emotional/social challenges, dyslexia and many more – find out more at www. winslowresources.com or visit the Rompa website, or call to arrange a free room design and consultation.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01246 211 777 www.rompa.com/schools

Fire safety for schools and educational centres

schools for the Department for Education and Skills, IFC have worked closely with the Building Regulations Division of the DCLG (formerly Office of the deputy prime minister) and the fire service. IFC is therefore in a very good position to advise you on current fire safety thinking for all kinds of educational establishments. If you are thinking about fire safety in your buildings then involve IFC to help ensure success.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01844 275500 www.ifcgroup.com

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Advertisers Index

www.educationbusinessuk.net – THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR EDUCATION

SCHOOL TRIPS

Striving to make the past come alive since 1992 Longship Trading Company has built a nationally known reputation for being one of the leading specialists in providing Viking & Saxon history days in schools and museums averaging over a 130 school visits per year.

Its workshops are designed to relate to Key Stage 2 of the History National Curriculum which states that pupils should learn about Saxon/Viking invasions, Saxon Kingdoms art, culture, law, religion, the Danelaw and Danegeld all the way to 1066!

Longship Trading has achieved this by giving the children the chance to see, touch, handle smell and wear our huge collection of period artefacts which cover all aspects of Saxon and Viking daily life. It engages the children through use of hands on experience role play. It is a professional company and not a re-enactment society and

New Launch Designed Specifically for Schools

solely concentrate on Vikings, Saxons and the 1066 period. It offers a full day workshop and covers the whole of the UK. All Longship Trading staff hold a current Enhanced/Disclosure CRB Certificate and are fully insured.

The company is also proud to have supplied workshops for the British Museum’s 2014 exhibition Vikings - Life and Legends.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01384 292237 schools@longship.co.uk www.longship.co.uk

A compact and stylish hot chocolate dispenser offering delicious healthier hot chocolate drink’s.

With 50% less sugar from one of the world’s leading brands Van-Houten.

A must for every school concerned about obesity.

Call us now for information on 01634 726163 E-mail: info@fairtradevending.co.uk Website www.fairtradevending.co.uk

ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service Andrew Simpson Sailing

72

FordingBridge

20

Secured By Design

18

ASE Corporate Eyecare

38

Grassform

BC

Selectamark Security Systems

40

Aspect Safety Mirrors

64

Groupcall

48

sQuidcard

10

Avanti Gas

32

Herts Full Stop

Stanley Security

38

Bodystat

64

Highline Adventure

63

Teachers 2 Parents

IFC Group

73

The Kings Ferry

62

Broadway Events

74

4

8

46, IFC

Carecheck

36

Ingenious Products

73

The Snugg

52

Circus Zyair

61

Kidzania

56

Tiga Creative Marketing

44

Clovis Lande Associates

31

Kyocera Document Solutions

6

Totnes Rare Breed Farm

72

Collinson

64

Longship Trading Company

74

Triflex

Connect2staff

IBC

Ringing Brothers

58

Trilux Lighting

16

DEB

52

Ripley Believe it or not

60

Twickenham Stadium

72

Diverse Travel

72

Rock UK Adventure Centres

61

Uni Stage

50

Double First

49

Rompa

73

Wildwood PR

22

Fairtrade Vending

74

Schneider Electric

28

World Teachers Recruitment

52

Firetech Pro

73

ScribEasy

47

YPO

14

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