Education business 23.5

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VOLUME 23.5

Business Information for Education Decision Makers RECRUITMENT

IT & COMPUTING

OUTDOOR LEARNING

CATERING

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Comment

The shortlist for the EB Awards is out The schools and academies that have been nominated for an Education Business Award have been revealed.

Working for an education publication, I see on a daily basis the negative headlines surrounding the sector: workload, funding crisis, pupil place shortages, recruitment issues – and so on.

The Education Business Awards are a welcome relief from the negativity. They celebrate the excellent work of heads, teachers and their teams, despite the challenges they may face.

The awards recognise the hard work it takes to run a school, not just through teaching, but through effective facilities management, procurement, catering, SEND Provision, technology, and so on.

The event takes place on 5 July in London and this year we will have Countdown’s Susie Dent as our celebrity host.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

Read a preview of the event on page 47, and for the full shortlist, visit www.ebawards.co.uk. I look forward to meeting the winners and commended schools next month.

Angela Pisanu, editor

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

Business Information for Education Decision Makers

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Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Contents

Contents Education Business 23.5 15

07 News

34 Health & Safety

15 Recruitment

37 Catering

Hinds announces measures to boost governor recruitment; Only two per cent of children can tell if news is real or fake; Wales raises and extends Pupil Development Grant The Department for Education’s response to the consultation on ‘Strengthening Qualified Teacher Status and Improving Teacher Career Progression’ is both welcome and brings lots of positive discussion points. But what does it mean, and how will it affect recruitment and retention? Emma Hollis investigates

19 Procurement 21

You can save your school or academy valuable time and money by reviewing your procurement process. Joanna Frost from Crescent Purchasing Consortium explains how

21 Outdoor Learning

27 34

Think the onset of summer reduces the risks faced by schools? Think again.

Fiona Riley, chair of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s Education Group examines some of the risks A whole-school approach to healthy eating means improving healthy choices across all aspects of school life, such as breakfast clubs, tuck shops and lunchtime provision, as well as making sure nutrition education runs through the curriculum. Alex White from the British Nutrition Foundation looks at what else can be done

41 Cashless Payments

With debit card transactions set to surpass cash payments this year, Education Business looks at whether schools are following suit, or if cash is still king for school payments

School grounds can become an integral tool for outdoor learning and provide opportunities for young people to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Groundwork’s Stacey Aplin considers what more can be done to ensure that more pupils have the opportunity to get outdoors

43 IT & Computing

27 Design & Build

The shortlist has now been revealed for the 2018 Education Business Awards, which will return to London on 5 July to recognise excellence in education across 22 different categories

The regional RIBA Awards celebrate architectual brilliance across the UK, and in London this year, several schools scooped the coveted title for their outstanding school buildings

31 Fire Safety

How good is your knowledge of fire safety law? And do you know your legal responsibilities? The Fire Industry Association shares the main points from fire safety legislation in the UK

Exam-only GCSE computer science is set to continue until 2020, while Ofqual continues to consider the fairest way to assess the subject in the future. Education Business reports on the changes

47 EB Awards

53 SEND Education

In April 2018, nasen was awarded the DfE SEND Schools Workforce Contract which will be delivered through the Whole School SEND Consortium. Dr Adam Boddison, chief executive of nasen, examines the contract’s aims

37

43

Education Business magazine

53

www.educationbusinessuk.net Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GOVENORS

Evidence-sharing project to tackle common education challenges across the globe

Hinds announces measures to boost governor recruitment

A new £9.8m project has been announced that will improve learning outcomes for disadvantaged pupils across the world by building a global evidence network.

The five-year project lead by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and BHP Billiton will bring together education systems and teachers in different countries to generate and share knowledge about the best ways to tackle common challenges and boost attainment. This could include how to teach reading, or how to engage parents in their children’s learning, for example.

Every day, teachers in different countries are working to solve similar problems, but with limited access to reliable information about what’s most likely to work. As a result, the quality of education children receive varies dramatically, both across and within countries, with children from disadvantaged backgrounds too often missing out on the skills and qualifications they need for adulthood.

The partnership with the BHP Billiton will allow the EEF to bring their approach to generating and using evidence to

The Education Secretary Damian Hinds has announced measures to boost recruitment and retention of governors.

This includes joining with the Institute of Directors to call on more than 30,000 leading British businesses to encourage their employees to lend their expertise in the running of schools and colleges.

The budget for training and support for governors will be doubled to £6 million up to 2021 to ensure more school leaders have access to training courses.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: “How would we run our schools without this army of volunteers? I want to do everything I can to help boost governor recruitment and retention. Because, quite simply, we need more great people.

“So I’m issuing a call to arms, appealing to people up and down the country to take on this vital role – to play their part in helping the next generation to thrive.

“I want to urge people from different backgrounds, different professions, to come forward – offer up your time, your energy, your skills, your expertise. I’m also making an appeal to the nation’s employers today.

“Because of course to become a governor, people with full-time jobs will need their employer’s support. I believe businesses can make a contribution to society here – and it’s not just schools either.

Governors of Further Education colleges are key to providing the skills and training businesses need, and will play a pivotal role delivering our new T Level qualifications.

“That’s why I’m writing to the 30,000 members of the Institute of Directors, urging them to encourage employees to take on this role, and give them the time it needs.”

The joint letter from the Secretary of State and the Institute of Directors has been sent to IoD members and will look to build on these existing relationships between schools and businesses.

improve teaching and learning to education systems across the globe.

The project will develop the Teaching and Learning Toolkit, an EEF resource for teachers and schools to help practitioners identify what works, for which students, and in which circumstances.

It will test different teaching and learning approaches across different countries.

A new global trial fund will accelerate the discovery of new evidence that is relevant both globally and to English schools.

The project will also build a network of evidence hubs similar to EEF’s Research Schools, in partnership with local education jurisdictions.

It will also establish EEF-style organisations in partner countries to act as evidence brokers and encourage the adoption of evidence-based policy at a national level.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ycycxsm8

LITERACY SKILLS

Only two per cent of children can tell if news is real or fake Only two per cent of children and young people have the critical literacy skills they need to tell if a news story is real or fake, according to a new report.

The report from the Commission on Fake News and the Teaching of Critical Literacy Skills in Schools, gathered evidence over the past year on the impact of fake news on children and young people, and the skills children need to be able to spot it.

The commission is run by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Literacy and the National Literacy Trust, in partnership with Facebook, First News and The Day. Half of children are worried about not being able to spot fake news and almost two-thirds of teachers believe fake news is harming children’s well-being by increasing levels of anxiety, damaging self‑esteem and skewing their world view.

Almost half of older children get their news from websites and social media, yet only a quarter of these children actually trust online sources of news. Regulated

sources of news, such as TV and radio, remain the most used and the most trusted by children and young people in the UK. Half of teachers feel that the national curriculum does not equip children with the literacy skills they need to identify fake news and a third feel the critical literacy skills taught in schools are not transferable to the real world. In response to the commission’s recommendations, the National Literacy Trust has published a series of fake news and critical literacy resources and posters for teachers, school librarians and children, as well as a top tips guide for parents.

The commission has launched a Children’s Charter on Fake News, encompassing five areas of change designed to give young people the skills to confidently navigate, analyse and assess the validity of the news they find online, in print and on TV and radio.

News

RESEARCH

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y74lgpmk

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ROAD SAFETY

Thousands of children march for improved road safety More than 100,000 school children from across the UK took to the streets to raise awareness of road safety and child road casualties.

500 schools and nurseries took part in Brake’s Kids Walk, in partnership with Co-op Insurance, calling for five key

measures to help keep them safe: footpaths, cycle paths, safe places to cross, slowtraffic and clean traffic.

Short, supervised walks took place on 13 June around schools and nurseries. Children walked in a crocodile formation and held hands

to highlight the importance of being able to walk without fear or threat from traffic.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ybabzn73

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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News

WELLBEING

Positive school experience can help abused or neglected children ‘bounce back’ A good school experience has a positive effect on the health and achievements of children who experienced abuse or neglect at an early age, according to research from the University of Bristol.

The research looked at the influence of community factors such as education for children to successfully adapt if they were maltreated before the age of five.

Using parental survey data revealing emotional or physical maltreatment of children from Bristol’s Children of the 90s longitudinal study, they were able to assess how the children had good health and

educational achievements despite their disadvantaged start in life. They found that factors such as taking part in after school clubs, being happy with school and not being bullied contributed towards good exam grades and general wellbeing as well as having strong communication and social skills.

Dr Nisreen Khambati at the School of Social and Community Medicine commented: “Fortunately many children who have been abused physically or emotionally can ‘bounce back’ with a rounded and positive experience at school.

“This research helps us understand more of the role of communities in protecting the resilience of individuals and how school-based interventions have an important role.

Overall, we found evidence that good communication skills, enjoyment of school and extracurricular activities were important factors for children experiencing emotional maltreatment benefiting both emotional health and educational achievements.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y8gva738

CATERING

FUNDING

MPs to dine on school food at the House of Commons

Wales raises and extends Pupil Development Grant

To make the 25th anniversary of National School Meals Week (NSMW), MPs will be invited to a special event at the House of Commons’ Jubilee room to sample school catering, with a specially created menu to mark the occasion.

Run by LACA and sponsored by Kraft Heinz Foodservice, NSMW takes place on 12-16 November and hosts a range of activities to celebrate great school food.

The event at the House of Commons will be co-hosted by School Food APPG Chair, Member for Washington and Sunderland West and Shadow Minister for Health, Mrs Sharon Hodgson MP and School Food APPG Vice-Chair, Member for the City of Durham and Shadow

Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government Dr. Roberta Blackman-Woods MP. In a joint statement Mrs Hodgson and Dr. Blackman-Woods, said: “We are delighted to once again support LACA and their NSMW along with the tremendous work that they do in promoting the many benefits of a healthy and nutritious school meal.

The earlier we educate our children to start eating a balanced diet on a daily basis – a life lesson that we hope will stay with them through their adult lives – the better.”

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y89p45kc

APPOINTMENTS

Interim National Schools Commissioner appointed Regional Schools Commissioner Dominic Herrington is to take over from Sir David Carter as interim National Schools Commissioner from September, following Carter’s retirement Dominic Herrington has been Regional Schools Commissioner for the South‑East of England and South London since being promoted from his role as director of the Academies Group at the department in 2014 and will continue to oversee this area of work.

He will lead the team of Regional Schools Commissioners and oversee their collaboration with the academy sector to nurture innovation and help improve education for every child.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ycqd52pw

A new £1.7m fund in Wales will help parents cover the cost of school uniforms, school sports kit and for wider activities such as scouts and guides and sports outside of school.

The new fund will also cover equipment for activities within the curriculum, such as design and technology, as well as equipment for out of school hours trips and outdoor learning.

The new fund, which will be in place ahead of the new academic year in September, will become another element of the Pupil Development Grant (PDG) and will be known as PDG – Access.

As well as making funding available for new uniforms and activities both in and outside the classroom, PDG – Access will be available to a wider range of pupils than the previous School Uniform Grant and attract a higher per pupil funding level of £125. For the first time, learners in both Reception and Year 7, who are eligible for free school meals will fall within scope of the funding. Unlike the previous school uniform grant, all looked after children in these year groups will also be covered.

As with the previous scheme, the funding will be distributed via local authorities. The Welsh Government has worked with local authorities to develop the grant and will continue to do so to make sure that the funding is being used effectively and that good practice is being shared amongst schools.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y7ktvns9 Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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News

COMMENT HEALTH & WELLBEING

Young people buying takeaway at lunch or after school at least once a week, research finds Sixty per cent of 11 to 16‑year olds say they buy food such as chips or fried chicken from takeaways at lunchtime or after school at least once a week, along with almost a third (31 per cent) saying they have an energy drink at least once a week.

This is according to new research from the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), which also revealed that 39 percent of secondary and 48 percent of primary school students report eating three or more snacks a day.

The research, conducted as part of BNF Healthy Eating Week, surveyed almost 5,000 primary and secondary school students aged 7 – 16 years.

When asked about the three snacks they eat most, encouragingly, fruit was the most popular snack with over half of both primary and secondary school students surveyed saying it was one of the snacks they ate most.

However, this was closely

followed by less healthy options, with almost half of children aged 7 – 11 years saying they snack on crisps (46 per cent) and chocolate (46 per cent). While both primary and secondary school students report getting most of their snacks at home about one fifth of primary and a third of secondary students also say they get snacks from a shop.

Although almost half (46 per cent) of secondary school students say that being good at sport motivates them to eat healthily, over a third (35 per cent) say that one of the main reasons stopping them from being active is that they are too tired after school.

A third of those surveyed said they eat healthily to have more energy (31 per cent), and 30 per cent to sleep better (30 per cent) and almost half wanting to feel healthy.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/yc4w2lue

AIR POLLUTION

Study into the effects of air pollution on primary children in London and Luton The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced he is supporting a new study into the health benefits of reducing air pollution on more than 3,000 primary school children in polluted areas of London and Luton.

The study will test how policies like the Ultra-Low Emission Zone can improve the growth of children’s lungs and reduce chest symptoms, comparing London children whose schools are placed within the ULEZ zone with children in Luton whose schools are in traffic-restricted zones.

All the children will have their lung health monitored over a

four-year period in the study led

by Queen Mary University of London. Researchers from the CHILL study (Children’s Health in London & Luton), funded by the National Institute for Health Research, are currently recruiting schools to take part in this new initiative.

This announcement comes as Khan confirms plans to expand London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the North and South Circular boundary in 2021.

DfE’s Jenny Williams

Making every pound count in Schools After Damien Hinds’ latest address at the NGA National Conference, Jenny Williams, Commercial Director at the Department for Education, updates Education Business readers on how the DfE is supporting schools to improve their buying of goods and services.

The Secretary of State, Damian Hinds has made clear that he is committed to helping schools make every pound count. Most recently, he addressed the NGA Conference where he discussed the Department’s latest initiative, a national deal to curb supply agency fees.

Schools spent £1.17bn on supply teachers in 2015-16, 72 per cent of which was on agency supply. Schools have reported supply agencies demanding as much as 30 per cent of a teacher’s annual salary as a finder’s fee where the school wishes to hire them permanently. We know agencies can play a valuable role for schools but far too often, they are not getting a fair deal. Our new initiative looks to curb agency margins and restrict the use of finder’s fees to ensure schools are getting best value.

The Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA), an alternative to commercial insurance for academies, is a prime example of how DfE intervention of this kind has saved schools money. A few years ago a school could have paid £75 per pupil for all their insurance requirements. We created the governmentbacked RPA where members pay just £20 per pupil. Since launch, 64 per cent of academies have joined which has led to reduced pricing from commercial providers to remain competitive, benefiting non-members too.

Agency Supply is just one of the initiatives developed by the newly formed Schools Commercial Team. If a school were to use the DfE’s recommended deals for schools, we believe the average secondary school could save enough money to recruit a new teacher.

We want to help schools save time and money on both daily running costs and larger scale purchases and we know that, over the coming months, schools are likely to be planning IT projects for the next school year. School buyers can still make savings across ICT services and hardware frameworks and utilities. Similarly, if energy, water supply or print contracts are due to expire I’d encourage them to review the deals on GOV.UK before they finalise their budget.

Search ‘buying for schools’ on GOV.UK and you will find guidance, templates and of course, money saving deals recommended by the DfE.

FURTHER INFORMATION READ MORE tinyurl.com/ycfswzmk

www.gov.uk

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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News

TEACHER WELLBEING

Workload still major concern for teachers in Scotland, survey finds Eighty-five per cent of respondents to an online survey from union EIS stated that workload had either increased or increased significantly during the past year for teachers in Scotland.

The average level of satisfaction with workload levels has experienced minimal change since last year. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being least satisfied) the average level was 4 in both 2017 and 2018 90 per cent of respondents stated that they do not have sufficient time to

dedicate to professional learning. This has increased since last year (85 per cent).

The average level of wellbeing at work has also experienced minimal change since last year. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being “I do not feel well within my job”) the average level was 5 in both 2017 and 2018.

The level of respondents who would not recommend teaching as a profession has increased. A majority of 58 per cent of respondents stated that they would not recommend teaching as a profession.

The 2017 figure was 54 per cent.

Workload, changes to the curriculum and working hours are still the main cause of job dissatisfaction.

Achievements with students, interaction with students and interaction with colleagues still create the most job satisfaction.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/ya2e789y

TRAINING

Scotland announces extra funding for Catholic-school teachers Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced a £127,000 funding boost for the Catholic Teacher Education Programme, which will enable 322 trainee teachers to get their Catholic Teaching Certificate (CTC).

The CTC is a prerequisite for teaching in a Catholic school.

The funding will mean that the training will be available at Aberdeen University for the first time, alongside Glasgow, Edinburgh and Strathclyde.

The First Minister said: “2018 is the centenary of the legislation that brought Roman Catholic schools into Scotland’s state education system. In that time,

Catholic schools have made a tremendous contribution to Scottish education, and this is something we want to see continue.

“The Scottish Government is committed to ensure that all schools – both denominational and non-denominational – have the right number of teachers in place.

“I am therefore delighted that the increased investment I am announcing will fund 322 training places – giving additional career choice for trainee teachers, and making it easier for Catholic schools to recruit.”

The Catholic Teacher Education Programme is delivered by the University of Glasgow in

partnership with three other universities.

Last year, the Scottish Government co‑funded the Catholic Teacher Education Programme with the University of Glasgow, providing £28,000 towards the training of 93 students at Edinburgh and Strathclyde Universities.

A further 183 places were offered at the University of Glasgow itself.

The training will take place in Edinburgh, Strathclyde and Aberdeen, and Glasgow.

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y73qujjr

PSHE

RECRUITMENT

Report shows overwhelming support for statutory PSHE

Hinds launches free recruitment website to combat costly agency fees

children and young people to learn about key issues including physical and mental wellbeing, online safety, healthy relationships and preparation for the workplace.”

Sarah Hannafin continued: “It’s important that PSHE is given statutory status. The school curriculum is over-stretched but it is vital that we give space to preparing pupils for their lives in the real world, not just for exams. The government is due to announce a crucial decision on the future of PSHE soon, and we really hope that they will listen to educators and experts by making the subject mandatory in all schools.”

The report, called ‘The Statutory PSHE Education: meaningful change supported by busy teachers & school leaders’ is co‑authored and endorsed by organisations covering the breadth of PSHE education, from health to drugs education, financial education to relationships and sex: NSPCC; NAHT; NEU; Sex Education Forum; PSHE Association; Young Enterprise; British Heart Foundation, St John Ambulance, British Red Cross (Every Child a Life Saver coalition); Brook; Mentor UK; and Economy.

To combat excessive recruitment agency fees, Education Secretary Damian Hinds has announced a free website to advertise vacancies, which currently costs schools up to £75 million a year. It will include part-time roles and job shares.

Many schools rely on supply teachers to cover short and longer term vacancies, or pay for adverts to recruit the staff they need. Some agencies charge schools finder’s fees if headteachers want to make supply staff permanent and do not set out how much they are charging on top of the basic wages paid to supply staff.

Hinds will also launch a new nationwide deal for headteachers from September 2018 – developed with Crown Commercial Service – providing them with a list of supply agencies that do not charge fees when making supply staff permanent after 12 weeks.

The preferred suppliers on the list will also be required to clearly set out how much they are charging on top of the wages for staff. This will make it easier for schools to avoid being charged excessive fees and reduce the cost burden on schools of recruiting supply teachers through agencies.

A new report published by a coalition of education organisations shows overwhelming support for making personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education a compulsory subject for all pupils in all schools.

The report, which is co-authored and supported by school leaders’ union NAHT, the National Education Union (NEU), NSPCC, Sex Education Forum, and PSHE Association, outlines how making PSHE statutory would have a meaningful impact on children and young people’s lives, in return for only a modest impact on workload and timetabling.

More than 90 per cent of school leaders surveyed by NAHT support compulsory PSHE and 91 per cent of National Education Union members want regular space on the curriculum for the subject. It has been further called for by more than 90 per cent of young people, parents and experts alike.

Sarah Hannafin, senior policy advisor for NAHT, said: “Almost everyone involved with the care, protection and education of children believes that PSHE is the best way to help prepare young people for the challenges they will encounter in their adult lives and the current challenges they face beyond the school gates. With ever‑increasing expectations and responsibilities on schools, statutory PSHE would ensure some curriculum time is protected to enable

READ MORE tinyurl.com/y9bksdv3

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The key thing to note is the Department for Education (DfE) has set these proposals within a wider strategy around recruitment, retention, workload and professional development. This is demonstrative of the joined-up approach that NASBTT has been advocating. We are also pleased that the DfE plans to continue to work with the sector as the proposals set out in this consultation response evolve. As a profession, we have long been asking to be done ‘with’ rather than ‘done to’, and it seems these proposals take this approach.

Under the proposed changes, we are thrilled to note that QTS will remain where it is, at the end of the ITT year, with an extended induction period of two years. To support this, an Early Career Framework (ECF) is to be developed which aims to ensure “consistency of support in this crucial phase of their career”. Semantics are important here. If the changes are to have a positive, rather than

detrimental effect on teacher recruitment, it is important that everybody understands the intention behind these reforms.

The extended induction period is not about ‘more hoops to jump through’ or additional scrutiny over a longer period of time. If it perceived to be such, it may dissuade new entrants to the profession – the last thing anybody wants. In fact, the intent is that this is a longer period of support and guidance with clear entitlements (and entitlement is, I think, a key word) to professional development, access to mentoring and coaching and, potentially, reduced timetabling – although the extension of the Newly-Qualified Teacher (NQT) timetable has yet to be agreed.

An Early C Framew areer is to be ork (ECF) d which aeveloped ims ensure “consis to tency of supp o r t i n th crucial phase o is f the care er”

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Emma Hollis, executive director of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT)

The Department for Education’s response to the consultation on ‘Strengthening Qualified Teacher Status and Improving Teacher Career Progression’ is both welcome and brings lots of positive discussion points. But what does it mean, and how will it affect recruitment and retention? Emma Hollis investigates

Early Career Framework The ECF may well be the key to making these changes a success. By clearly setting out the entitlement to support that every early-career teacher should receive (note again that this is about what teachers should be getting, not yet more which they should be doing), clarity over professional development, coaching and mentoring relationships and guidance should become far more transparent and less dependent on the whims of a particular school leadership team.

There are, of course, potential pitfalls which must be avoided at all costs. The first is that the ECF must not become a political stick with which to beat teachers and schools. By committing to entitle early career teachers to more support, we must not create a system fraught with accountability and data gathering which increases workload and stress, exacerbating the very problem which it is trying to help solve. The language used in the framework must be about guidance, nurture, support and wellbeing and should not create a tick-list of training events which must be sat through for the sake of a paper trail.

Secondly, the E

Recruitment

QTS consultation: what does it mean in practice?

Crucially, the extended induction will not impact salaries and “teachers in their second year will have the same opportunity to advance through pay scales that they currently have”. There is no intention for the longer induction to create a perverse disincentive to potential teachers and this commitment to maintaining current pay scales is a welcome one.

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FFT’s KS2 and KS4 roadshows will cover the challenge of effective tracking and measurement of pupil progress As ever, change is on the horizon for schools, and FFT events this year will focus on key challenges facing schools and the ongoing issue of effective tracking and measurement of pupil progress, including a first look at the Fischer Family Trust’s new interactive progress tracking tool.

Alongside this, FFT will review the latest 2018 national performance trends and you will be provided with an exclusive FFT data report for your school.

You will also find out about all of the latest and future FFT Aspire developments, as well as new plans for providing schools with interactive access to FFT’s national research data.

The three-hour, presentation-led roadshows will cover the following: For primary schools there will be a session looking at the National Reception baseline assessment – which will look at the potential impact of the new assessment arrangements.

This includes an exclusive FFT ‘Early impact Alternative-Value-Added assessment report’ for each school, looking at progress from EYFS to key stage one and key stage two.

For secondary schools there will be a session on 9-1 GCSEs. 2018 is the first year of 9-1 GCSE results for most

subjects and this session will be looking at the impact this has had on school performance, entry patterns and national trends. It will include an exclusive FFT ‘9-1 GCSEs impact report’ for each school ‘A new way to measure and track pupil progress’ will be a first look at FFT’s brand new interactive pupil progress tracking and data exchange tools, which gives teachers the opportunity to monitor pupils accurately, helping to make more informed future predictions.

‘2018 national results analysis’ will be an analytical overview of this year’s assessment results, and what they mean for you and your pupils Brand new for 2018 will be an extended KS1 analysis report using scaled scores, and for secondary schools, an enhanced Key Stage 5 report.

The event will hold an ASP and IDSR

update, which will include an overview of the latest reports and analysis for schools in Analysing School Performance and Ofsted’s Inspection Data Summary Report.

‘FFT Aspire developments’ will be a chance to see all of the new 2018 developments for schools in FFT Aspire along with FFT’s roadmap for 2019.

The session on FFT research will be a change to find out all about the firm’s exciting new plans for bringing FFT Aspire and FFT Education Datalab closer together.

The roadshows are taking place all over the country and cost just £99 + VAT per delegate. Please visit the website below for further information on the roadshows and to book a place near you.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.fft.org.uk/training

FFT Aspire is the UK’s leading education data analysis tool. It is used by over 14,000 schools, MATs, local authorities and academy chains. Subscribe today on our webpage or book a demo to find out more.

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BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Recruitment

 temptation to cram in ‘more’ must be avoided at all costs. We would like to see the ECF developed in conjunction with a review of the expectations of the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) curriculum. Over the past few years, more and more has been crammed into those early nine months of training as new initiatives and expectations on teacher training have grown exponentially. When the framework of core content for ITT was created, every pressure group and subject association wanted more of the things that were important to them included – and were highly critical if they felt that things did not go their way. The same dangers could apply here.

What do we want from our teachers?

Every day I read another article which claims that teachers do not have enough training on x or y, and yet at some point it has to be recognised that teachers cannot singlehandedly cure all of society’s ills. What must happen next is an honest and open discussion about what really constitutes ‘initial’ training and which aspects could be picked up in more depth as a career progresses. The ECF gives us the ideal opportunity to rationalise what it is that we want from our teachers – and what it is that they really need to become confident in order to excel in the business of helping children to progress.

Perhaps most importantly, the ECF will need to strike that careful balance between ensuring a fair and equitable common entitlement for all teachers whilst giving enough scope for personalisation to prevent a generation of ‘cookie cutter’ teachers who are prevented from exploring their own interest and areas of expertise. What might work well in one area of the country, indeed – in one school, may not be what is needed in the school down the road.

Some teachers might need to spend a lot of time exploring pedagogies for teaching children with English as an additional language whilst others may need to concentrate on behaviour management techniques, child mental health or specific subject pedagogies. Of course, all of these aspects are important for all teachers – but the balance of priorities will differ according to the children they teach and the communities in which they work.

The framework will have the difficult, but important task of identifying what it is that we want teachers to become skilled in, without dictating to what extent and in what order of priority this must be approached.

Additionally, a new role of mentor in addition to the induction co-ordinator/ tutor will be included in the induction guidance, and the role and function of the appropriate body is to be strengthened to provide additional support for schools.

In practical terms, mentors will sit at the heart of successful induction programmes and schools should be encouraged to evaluate the status and time that is given to their in-school mentors. A focus on high-quality training and support for mentors will pay dividends later in terms of retention of staff, quality of outcomes and attractiveness of the career as one which nurtures its talent and grows excellent practice in schools.

A shift in thinking In practice, the ECF is going to require a shift in thinking for some schools. To date, the NQT year has been something of a lottery, with some schools and appropriate bodies providing excellent opportunities for development whilst others might do the bare minimum, sometimes leaving NQTs to flounder with very little support and guidance. Where this does happen, it is almost always down to lack of funding and time to create opportunities and is rarely a wilful act.

The focus on early career development will encourage schools to think differently about how their NQTs are supported, with a focus on high-quality mentoring sitting at the heart of the proposals.

There is support included within the proposals which will help schools to reevaluate the function and position of mentors in schools, including plans for supplementary work once the ECF has been finalised which will review mentor training and the organisations who are best placed to develop and deliver it in light of the requirements of the framework.

Funding The big elephant sitting none-too-quietly at the back of this room is, of course, this issue of funding. As yet, a firm commitment to the funds that will be allocated to schools to implement these changes has not been made. It is our understanding that this is dependent on the upcoming spending review and we watch with interest to see how the proposals are to be funded.

What is obvious is that schools are not in a position to provide the additional support that is required within existing budgets.

We are on the brink of a seismic change in early career development for teachers.

It would be devastating to see it fail at the final hurdle for a lack of appropriate funding. Now, more than ever, is the time to put teachers and schools back at the top of the pile again when it comes to allocating central funds, and giving the recruitment, retention, workload and professional development focus the backing it deserves. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.nasbtt.org.uk

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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There is significant opportunity to reduce administration and cost by reviewing your procurement process, helping you to get the most out of your budget and free up time to focus on your school’s priorities.

Using a purchasing consortium’s purchasing tools, such as the Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) Quote Tool, delivers a quick win without needing to complete a full procurement exercise and they are completely safe to use. Online quote tools are really easy to use and are designed to allow you access to the very best deals that public buying organisations establish with suppliers.

Purchasing consortiums complete a thorough background check on all suppliers before they can be added to a deal. Each supplier agrees to rigid terms and conditions which ensure complete safety for all users.

Each deal sets out the terms of the agreement under which the purchases are made with a focus on price and quality. These online tools are quick, easy and completely safe to use, saving time and money. Within just a few minutes your purchase request is added to the tool and sent to recommended suppliers, removing the need to contact individual suppliers to get multiple quotes.

The suppliers will respond with their prices and proposal, allowing you to choose the offer that best suits your needs.

Should you wish to complete a full purchasing review, the five key areas detailed below can help you to refine your procurement procedures. A review will take an initial outlay of time and resource but it will reward you in both reduced administration time and cost savings throughout the year.

Review your spending A good place to start is to evaluate who your suppliers are, what you are buying from them and how much you are spending.

Aim to reduce the number of suppliers to your school or trust; less suppliers means a reduction in the number of purchase orders raised and invoices received. Reducing your supplier base may produce economies of scale as usually suppliers will give you discounts for larger quantities, this is especially important for multi academy trusts.

benchmarking on goods such as paper, toner, stationery, cleaning supplies, food supplies and corporate wear. Also consider sharing spend analysis data with other schools or trusts and make use of the DfE Performance tables on areas such as catering, premises, and energy. Extensive savings can be achieved by undertaking benchmarking.

Competition – enables you to realise savings Instead of purchasing from the same supplier(s) – introduce competition. Plan your competition by first conducting some market research. This includes identifying potential deals, using the internet and/or other schools to identify new suppliers, and talking to suppliers prior to the competition to understand the range of options available.

You should also ensure you involve all stakeholders in the competition, especially in the writing of your specification and describe your requirements in terms of the outcomes needed. And steer clear of brand names to avoid limiting your options.

You should also conduct a request for quote or tender exercise ensuring you use your school’s standard terms and conditions to avoid signing up to unfavourable terms, as well as evaluate the quotes on a whole life costs basis using award criteria that reflects what is important to you.

Finally, you should ensure you conduct due diligence on suppliers before awarding a contract.

Alternatively use an online Quick Quote Tool and it will do all of this for you.

Deals – provide an easier purchasing process Deals set out the terms (particularly relating to price and quality) under which individual purchases can be made by schools.

The purchasing method varies depending on what you are buying but can often be as simple as comparing price lists and selecting the cheapest, or for bigger purchases,

Build a relationship with your supplier Now that you’ve put all of the hard work in to ensure you have procured effectively, it’s important to build a relationship with your supplier. This will not only help maintain performance and avoid disputes but it also gives the opportunity to identify areas of continuous improvement. Developing an open and constructive relationship with your suppliers will provide them with a greater understanding of your needs and style, providing the opportunity to discuss improvements to the contract that could bring savings and mutual benefit.

Written by Joanna Frost, regional procurement advisor, Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC).

You can save your school or academy valuable time and money by reviewing your procurement process. Joanna Frost from Crescent Purchasing Consortium explains how

Procurement

Five key areas to improve procurement

running a competition amongst the suppliers, evaluating them on quality, service and price in relation to your specific requirements.

Deals can generally be used either to buy one off purchases or to establish a contract with a supplier over a period of time.

The benefits of deals are numerous not least because they can help schools save money. By harnessing the collective spending power of its members, purchasing consortia like the CPC drive down costs from suppliers, delivering savings that couldn’t often be obtained by individual schools.

Deals are safe to use and the risks of getting tied into contracts more favourable to the supplier are also mitigated as deals come with a set of pre-agreed terms and conditions.

Schools can benefit from support and assistance from the organisation that set up the deal. Deals will often come with template tender documentation giving the school a head start in setting out its requirements in a way to get the best response from suppliers. CPC have a team of procurement professionals on hand to provide advice and guidance to members.

Crescent Purchasing Consortium Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) is owned and run by the education sector and provide specialist advice to members on how to obtain best value for money. They produce deals (EU compliant purchasing frameworks) covering a wide variety of products and services. CPC membership is free of charge to schools, academies and the FE sector. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.thecpc.ac.uk

Benchmarking – identifies potential savings Comparing your suppliers will identify if there is scope for doing things better both in terms of efficiency and savings. Benchmarking data can be obtained from a range of resources including CPC who can offer free of charge

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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In February this year, the Department for Making the case for change Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Since Groundwork was founded nearly four released the ‘25 Year Environment decades ago, the important focus on the link Strategy’, setting out the government’s between the outdoors and our wellbeing, vision for tackling the environmental both physical and mental, is paramount issues facing the country. to what we do and what we The document puts stand for as a charity.

Ninetyforward the government’s

It’s very apparent that nine pe plans to cement the there is an appetite for relationship between outdoor learning in schools of UK t r cent e the environment across the UK. The latest a c h s e u rs rveyed and its valuable role ‘Outdoor Classroom outdoo believe that Day’ findings, released in improving the health, wellbeing

by Project Dirt, found critical r playtime is for chil of communities that 99 per cent of UK across the UK. Part teachers surveyed believe reach th dren to of this strategy is that outdoor playtime e i r full pot targeted specifically at throughout the school ential young people, and the day is critical for children benefits of ‘encouraging to reach their full potential. children to be close to nature, “Spending time outdoors being in and out of school’ through a active, not only improves physical health, ‘Nature Friendly Schools’ programme but also boosts children’s mood; social skills; and various outreach activities with a particular focus on disadvantaged areas.

Making the most of space An integral part of making school grounds both accessible and functional is to both assess the needs of the school and the space on offer to see how plans can be accommodated.

“It doesn’t have to be expensive – you can create multifunctional spaces that work for all manner of activities,” says Nicola Murphy, Groundwork’s landscape architect.

“It’s about creating a space that works for the whole school.

Often we go into schools that have a ‘green desert’ of space which is good to allow children to run around, but they are not the most stimulating or inspiring of spaces. E

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Stacey Aplin, PR and Communications Officer at Groundwork

School grounds can become an integral tool for outdoor learning and provide opportunities for young people to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Groundwork’s Stacey Aplin considers what more can be done to ensure that more pupils have the opportunity to get outdoors

Outdoor Learning

Expanding learning beyond four walls

emotional intelligence and self-esteem and makes them more imaginative and creative individuals,” says Michelle Brodie, Groundwork’s community project coordinator.

“Often in urban areas, due to a lack of good quality green spaces, there are far fewer opportunities when compared to previous generations for young people to play freely. Giving children and young people access to the natural environment and information about how to use it more safely and productively can help to fill this gap.

“Even a very small outdoor area can provide a valuable learning space to the school community. With a little bit of hard work and minimal funding it can be transformed into a valuable resource,” Michelle concluded.

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Outdoor Learning

 “By breaking up the outdoor areas you can create flexible spaces. This can include spaces for quiet play, or a space to kick a ball around.

By consulting with the whole school body, including teachers, pupils and all faculty staff such as dinner supervisors, you then ensure that you are catering to different needs.”

Activities that take place outdoors can complement or even inspire classroom learning, giving teachers more options for creative learning.

“Using “real life” situations can make learning more meaningful for students as well as sparking their imagination,” says Michelle. “For example, following a lesson outdoors identifying the different species of trees that are present in their outdoor area, students could log the information on a tally chart and then a graph.

“By applying the skills they have acquired in the classroom to a real life situation students are much more likely to fully comprehend the topics they are learning and become more engaged in their own education,” she concluded.

Making the most of community In order to maximise the options to ensuring outdoor learning is a staple for schools, it’s important to expand our search further than the classroom walls and, in some cases, beyond school grounds.

In Salford, Groundwork has run innovative programme, ‘Mindsteps’ with young people aged 13-18. The programme uses a variety of coaching, mentoring and Forest School activities to help the mental health and wellbeing of the young people enrolled on the programme, helping to reduce stress and anxiety.

Since Groundwork was founded nearly four decades ago, the important focus on the link between the outdoors and our wellbeing, both physical and mental, is paramount to what we do and what we stand for as a charity Liz Edwards, senior training officer and Forest School practitioner at Groundwork has seen first-hand the benefits that the programme brings to pupils.“Young people today face increasing levels of stress and anxiety as a result of exams, media pressures, problems at home and meeting the standards expected of them by society. This often presents in the first instance as under-performance and poor attendance at school,” says Liz. “The Forest School element added a new dimension to the Mindsteps programme.

Sessions were held either at Groundwork‘s Trafford Ecology Park base, or at a suitable outdoor learning venue and provided a resource for schools that didn’t have the outdoor provision to offer outdoor learning.

“It appealed to those young people who wanted to get out of the classroom. The outside space acted as a great motivator and catalysts to self-exploration and problem solving,” Liz concludes.

Making the most of funding As the corset continues to tighten on local government budgets, schools often have to identify additional pots of funding to make outdoor learning a regular option for pupils.

Groundwork administers various grant

programmes that provide schools and nurseries funding to create and facilitate outdoor learning such as Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme. Since the scheme opened in 2015, it has funded 3,600 schools to the tune of £15.5million.

“Schools also need to have their finger on the pulse when it comes to awareness of different funding streams, such as grant schemes or local council pots of money, says Michelle. “And there is also the option of asking local businesses for sponsorship or asking the school PTA to help raise funds.”

“Funding like this has provided valuable cash to schools to help make improvements to their outdoor spaces by making them more inviting and safer for pupils to play on, as well as the opportunity to create school allotments, sensory gardens and Forest School opportunities.”

“By being alert to and taking advantage of the funding that’s available, schools can bring a new wave of innovative projects that aid learning.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.groundwork.org.uk www.groundwork.org.uk/tesco

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Advertisement Feature

Supporting the Education Sector to shine In recent years the cleaning industry has seen a downturn in recruitment. Facing this challenge, Nviro values cleaning as a career and has adopted a culture where it values its staff – which ultimately benefits the schools that use Nviro’s services

Education providers tell us they are facing tougher year on year financial challenges and it is having a significant impact on their ability to source quality facilities management.

With diminishing budgets (particularly in state schools), it is increasingly hard to meet the ever growing demands for high standards from parents and students. Education establishments, quite rightly, have their focus firmly on providing a quality education for their students on these limited resources.

With more and more constraints on their budgets, it is imperative that we work closely with our schools, colleges and universities to devise methods of partnership working that provide clean and safe environments in which everyone can work and thrive. As we understand the link between the physical learning environment and overall performance, we work hard to ensure we create clinically clean environments to mitigate the risk of infection outbreak, combating sickness and increasing attendance rates.

Nviro’s vision is to shine and our aim is to consistently provide safe, clean and hygienic environments in which our customers can thrive. Through our ethos of ‘cleaning with a conscience’ that is embedded in the DNA of our organisation, our mission is to look after our people so they look after our customers and this is ultimately how we will we assist in achieving our partners outcomes.

Our values of passion, collaboration, resilience and respect play a key part in everything we do and our preferred working approach is to mirror these in all partnerships we undertake.

We provide cleaning and hygiene services to

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a wide variety of educational facilities and understand the varying and complex demands of different educational establishments and campuses and how the requirements change throughout the academic year.

Our customers tell us we are more than your average cleaning company though.

They like that we care about driving continuous improvement for the benefit of our customers and that we want to be viewed as a strategic partner and as part of their learning community.

Customers share their concerns with us; they struggle to recruit facilities management staff and then with retention. The high turnover is time consuming for them, financially crippling and unsettling for staff and students. We are often asked to support a school with resolving this issue for them.

Bringing a tried and tested recruitment and retention strategy as the solution.

Recruitment and retention To keep ahead and remain stable in today’s economic climate, we work hard to ensure we invest in our staff and the machinery and products they use. This enables us to provide a stable, consistent workforce and an efficient, cost effective service to the customer. Under pinning this is our recruitment and retention strategy.

In recent years the cleaning industry has seen a downturn in recruitment, with the strengthened EU economy drawing our labour pool back into Europe. Facing this challenge with recruitment and retention, we have adopted a culture within Nviro where we value our staff and offer development and

support, and value cleaning as a career. Our staff retention rate is impressively 20 per cent higher than the industry average. Lower staff absence and turnover results in more time delivering a great service rather than recruiting new staff. We value the family feel our company has, despite our substantial growth over the last 25 years and know that a happy team means better productivity, better staff retention, better cleaning standards, and ultimately results in driving down cost.

Whilst being large enough to support our customers changing and varied needs and being in a position to strive for continued improvements, we retain our small company ethos of maintaining the close working relationships with our local teams and customers.

Our customers tell us they need more from their suppliers and that successful contract awards will be won by those not only delivering sustained quality and demonstrable value, but also by those offering intangible benefits. Our customer feedback tells us they value us for our unwavering focus on innovation and the environment, sophisticated quality monitoring technology, innovative and improved cleaning methods, investment in market-leading equipment, on-site staff training delivered by a BICSc Accredited Training Hub and accurate payroll processes ensuring all staff are paid correctly and on time – reducing staff turnover.

Recruitment and safeguarding Our solutions begin with a strong basis of the latest machinery, making lighter work of the tasks in hand and reducing the physical impact of such tasks on our cleaning operatives and providing exceptional end results. This means the recruitment requirements and concerns are mitigated as fewer personnel are needed at the outset.

In addition to the traditional recruitment avenues, we are lucky enough to be able to recruit through word of mouth from our staff who speak positively about their work and encourage others to join us. We also accumulate staff through TUPE when taking on new services and our in-house experts in this ensure we offer a smooth transition and much reassurance to staff at an unsettling time.

To reassure our schools and colleges about the safety of students, Nviro recognises that all staff who, during the course of their employment, have direct or indirect contact with children, families and vulnerable adults or who have access to information about them, have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. We have a detailed understanding

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Advertisement feature

of, and robust controls and procedures in place around the recruitment, selection and vetting of staff working at schools and sites with vulnerable children and adults.

Strict recruitment and vetting procedures are rigorously applied, including enhanced DBS checks and checks of the Children’s Barred List. All staff are employed in line with Right to Work and Safeguarding guidelines and all records are maintained.

To protect the students, teachers and building users and prevent people working illegally or fraudulently, Passport Proven has been implemented, a web-based document verification programme, which instantly checks and verifies right to work documents such as passports and EAA ID cards.

Training and development All staff go through a comprehensive employee induction training programme, which covers areas such as health and safety, safeguarding, the environment and a cleaning assessment in line with the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BISCs) guidelines. During a recent mobilisation, a Union Representative stated that it was “the best induction training they had ever seen.”

All operatives pass through our induction training course, regardless of how long they have worked in the industry. We look after our staff, giving them industry-recognised training so that they in turn look after our customers by delivering service excellence.

Continuous personal development and training are high priorities for Nviro. We view cleaning as a profession with progression routes. This career focus attracts personnel.

Ongoing and regular training ensures that our staff receive refresher courses so that they comply with legislation, work more efficiently and work safely. For staff morale,

our investment in training demonstrates that we care about our staff and it allows them to feel secure and knowledgeable in their roles.

Tools to do the job A crucial element of service delivery is the investment in new and modern equipment which all staff are fully trained in, enabling us to deliver a superior and enhanced level of cleaning.

As forward thinkers in our industry, we provide the best combination of experience and innovation. The equipment deployed in our buildings are designed to maintain high standards whilst increasing staff productivity resulting in direct savings and protects the fabric of the building through undertaking periodic tasks as part of the daily cleaning routine.

Adopting the best equipment we can also aids our recruitment and retention strategy.

Cleaning operatives are supported in their physically demanding duties with the correct tools, reducing work related injury and illness and increasing job satisfaction. Perfect examples of these beneficial tools are back pack vacuums to save operatives bending and carrying as the tub vacuums require and cordless technology to remove the need to pace backwards and forwards to plug and unplug – as well as the associated health and safety risks.

Management support Our workforce are our most valuable asset and as such we must recognise and appreciate their worth. We do this by ensuring a high level of supervision and support.

On and off site managers spend time with them ensuring clear lines of communication and feedback. Regular contact is kept with operatives that work out of hours to ensure

they hear how much their contribution is valued and appreciated. This enhances their job satisfaction and aids retention.

We monitor specifications with continuous improvement in mind, as well as operative’s personal development and where possible we will provide additional training to enhance their skills and enable them to utilise specialist equipment – allowing them to progress onto more specialist tasks. This provides a career path, routes to progress and varied roles.

Pay and reward Paying operatives a decent wage is important but often the rates of pay cannot be as high as we would like.

Offering other tangible and desirable benefits can make the difference. We offer staff living wage, attendance bonuses, assisted travel packages, options of equated pay and we are mindful to be considerate of our operatives benefit requirements.

Providing the best salary we can for them.

We enhance this with other non-financial benefits such as; training opportunities, career development and careful management and support for their day to day work.

So, the lesson is that by looking after our people, they look after you.

If you would like to hear more about how Nviro can support you with your cleaning we would love to hear from you, please contact us on the details below. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.nviro.co.uk shine@nviro.co.uk 02392 370044

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Not just decorating classroom spaces, but designing them to improve learning

Gratnells is proud to be working with these opinion formers

Sir Ken Robinson

Professor Peter Barrett

Dr Harriet Sturdy Photo credit: chadwickdryerclarke studio

Gratnells is privileged to be part of a global movement that is shaping the learning environment.

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The regional RIBA Awards celebrate architectual brilliance across the UK, and in London this year, several schools scooped the coveted title for their outstanding school buildings The regional awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champion and celebrate the best architecture in around the UK, no matter the form, size or budget.

Successful projects at their core display a commitment to designing and developing buildings and spaces for the improvement and enhancement of people’s lives.

This year’s regional awards have been announced, and in London, several schools were presented with a RIBA award.

Belvue School Belvue School’s new Woodland Classrooms by Studio Weave scooped a RIBA London Award for its buildings that act as a ‘retreat’ for pupils.

Belvue School is a secondary school for those with severe learning difficulties and a range of other needs. The school sits in a small patch of modest nature, and whilst not luxurious, represents a glimpse of nature with which the pupils, who mainly live in blocks of flats nearby, were otherwise unfamiliar.

The school was to be allocated two Portakabins to meet its need for more space but the head-teacher decided that a much more imaginative solution could be found. As such, she raised the money for the building independently and so the design direction was under her control. Her brief was to create 150 square metres of extra curriculum space, with a domestic quality and intimate scale.

Studio Weave developed a collective narrative with the pupils, to open up imaginative ways of engaging with the outside.

Ivydale Primary School

A central open, covered space frames the wood and the building has a tent-like outdoor quality. Either side are two rooms: one cosy with a wood burning stove, the other fitted out as a kitchen and dining area to help students develop independent living skills.

The building has an exposed timber frame, and is lined in birch plywood. The roof is an extremely elegant series of three formed roofs, with clerestory lights, that illuminate its very beautiful profile, while also allowing a straightforward stack effect for natural ventilation.

There are shelves for things students have made, cosy corners and student-made tiles as a splash-back to the sink. Every effort was made to involve the students.

This building is naturally ventilated, thoughtfully orientated to maximise sunlight and avoid overheating, fully wheelchair accessible and all the timber is from reliably renewable sources. It acts as a retreat where students can go to connect with nature and be themselves.

Design & Build

Praise for excellent school buildings

first floor above the new hall, a reconfigured entrance to provide level street access and the refurbishment of the existing school building providing new classrooms, resource spaces and WCs. The school now has a welcoming and clear entrance with space for parents to sit and talk to one another as they wait to pick up their children.

The new hall is a large versatile space which can be divided into two separate spaces. Heating in the hall is on the ceiling so no floor space is lost.

The playground above feels safe and fun and contains two sheltered canopies. High mesh fencing surrounds the playground to prevent balls and other toys leaving the space. The mesh changes density to prevent overlooking at certain points.

The construction work was designed about a phased programme utilising school holidays and weekends. Every effort was made to not effect the school routine and to prevent the school wasting money on temporary accommodation for student while construction work took place.

Grange Primary School The new building at Grange Primary School, designed by Maccreanor Lavington, scooped a RIBA London Award for the ‘series of characterful pavilions on the street front, providing a dramatic public presence’. This project involved the addition of 105 pupil places and an improved school entrance, as well as a dining hall, kitchens, nursery, library, offices and new school house.

A series of eye catching roof profiles run along the street facade, providing a ‘fun and friendly entrance.’

The selection of light stock brick and Charles Dickens School dark metal roof of the new building Charles Dickens School in Southwark won references the original school and are a London RIBA Award for its expansion detailed to present a civic character. to create 130 additional pupil places The new hall is a large church like space and increase its outdoor play space. with a large picture window at one end By architects Maccreanor Lavington, the looking onto the trees in the green space four main aspects of the project were a opposite the school. Student bathrooms generous new hall against adjoin the hall with the school canteen. the site boundary, the The new ribbon of buildings around ‘lost’ playground T he the perimeter wrap the site like a wall elevated to RIBA making the interior safe and protected. awards The new reception is light, bright building recognise and welcoming. Two large roof s that im lights flood the space with light. and enh prove The new library is designed to a n c e people’s lives. Se be rented out to the community vera for evening and weekend classes.

London l schools in The nursery has saw-tooth picke shaped roof letting natural light an awa d up rd in, with long small rectangle in 2018 windows at children’s heights. The nursery can function self-efficiently with toilets, washing machine and own sheltered playground which connects with the reception and year 1 playgrounds.

Ivydale Primary School Another winner of a London RIBA Award was Ivydale Primary School for its new building designed by Hawkins\Brown.

This new building doubles the school’s existing capacity to accommodate E Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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 key stage two children in a four form entry primary school. The new school sits nearby the existing Victorian school building yet still feels part of the same school.

The strong distinctive graphic and colour scheme on the front facade continues within. This colour palette is calming and welcoming, while providing students with a more ‘grown up’ feel as a stepping stone to secondary school.

The entrance to the school over a zebra crossing is large, secure and works well for visiting classes of thirty children from the existing Victorian building. They enter into a large circulation room with a staircase leading up to the first floor. This space doubles up as another hall space for whole school assemblies with the stairs used as tiered seating.

The plan of this new school works very well and is easy to navigate for students, staff and visitors.

A large school hall is at the heart of the school. It can be divided into two rooms with a sliding wall or used as one large space. Large shop window panes are used to see into the hall on all four sides from circulation spaces. The school eats lunch in the hall with the canteen adjacent.

Each classroom is a good size with plenty of light flooding from two sides that can be reduced with blinds on all windows. By each classroom window there is a reading nook providing a cosy space for a student or two to sit, read and ponder. Large shop windows in each classrooms in the circulation spaces make the rooms feel less enclosed so students do not feel trapped in one room.

Circulation spaces are light with roof lights and voids on the first floor down to ground floor allowing for connectivity and an open friendly feel.

The playground is part of the design including different play zones of a woodland garden and a wide range of play equipment. Each ground floor classrooms have an ‘outdoor’ classroom.

Kingsgate Primary Lower School Kingsgate Primary Lower School by Maccreanor Lavington Architects in the London Borough of Camden was another worthy winner of a RIBA London Award 2018.

This inner city school and new public space is significantly set back from the street, providing an intelligent urban design solution for parents to drop-off/ pick-up without causing congestion on the residential street.

The public space also opens up a new connection to the neighbouring park, which was once a dead-end and under utilised green space.

The large covered entrance to the school offers glimpses into the playground while providing a protected environment for the children.

The distinct roofline of the saw-toothed and double-pitched roofs pays homage to the industrial past. This is also picked up in the children’s drawings of the school. It also helps to bring excellent levels of daylight through the north clerestory windows into the teaching spaces, offering a spatial and serene quality throughout the school.

The robust, lightly stained timber surfaces and panelled walls conceal storage spaces and a careful layout of lobby areas for cloaks and storage also buffer the space between the ground floor classrooms and the outdoor play space in the colder periods.

The grand assembly hall is impressive and reminiscent of the scale of a Victorian school hall with its huge volume and pitched roof. It is flexible and can be divided and used as a dining and sports hall with plenty of integrated storage space for equipment to be tidied away.

Kingsgate makes successful use of the site, within a carefully considered masterplan that addressed the adjacent railway line and benefits from a southern aspect, creating a ‘connected’ public space Sandringham Primary School Sandringham Central at Sandringham Primary School, designed by Walters & Cohen Architects also scooped a RIBA London Award for challenging the normal assumption that a ‘building for children should fortify and obscure itself from the public street it shares.’

Sandringham Central is a new building and playground providing specialist nursery, pre-school and arts spaces for Sandringham Primary School.

Design & Build

Ivydale Primary School

The new building replaces an old, poor quality nursery building that was set well back from the street edge, and had a cramped, awkward entrance tucked away from the street that seemed to turn its back on the school.

It embraces its location within the existing terrace of two storey houses aligning its building frontage with the houses adjacent and replicating the form of the neighbouring pitched roofs.

The contemporary building has a façade and pitched roof clad in zinc with deep recessed entrance windows, welcoming and transparent to the street, providing views in to the nursery’s activity and energy within.

As the façade aligns with the neighbouring façade, but without the need for a front garden, the pavement was widened to double the width, demonstrating the project’s generosity to the surrounding area.

The main nursery space is well proportioned with robust materials and touches such as the star patterned acoustic ceiling and green grass carpet rugs alongside the large areas of glazing connecting the room to the playground outside.

The upstairs rooms include the eaves of the pitched roof ensuring they are spacious, tall and airy. The timber panelling softens the spaces and gives them a quality.

The quality of finish is very good, and the attention to detail evident. The influence on the brief, and the deliberate overlapping of nursery and primary school functions is cleverly handled and effective at preventing the nursery’s isolation from the rest of the school.

Streatham and Clapham School Streatham and Clapham High School, by Cottrell and Vermeulen Architecture, were also presented with a RIBA London Award.

The sixth form centre is a new structure predominantly made of timber. The new floor is book-ended by study and common spaces connected by a spine of classrooms, offices, a science laboratory and service spaces.

Stair towers connect the sixth form centre with the rest of the school, incorporating new plant areas, escape staircase and fully accessible passenger lift.

The internal spaces of the class room and study areas are characterised through a prominent use of timber, finished in exposed cross laminated timber panels. Internal window mullions and impressive tree-like cross-columns feature within study and common rooms.

The rooms have very good natural light with eaves hung over the main windows and skylights. It is an overall rational design with some irrational/playful exposed timber structures in the common and study spaces.

The new ground floor addition, while forming a new entrance and a new public face for the school, acts as a focal point in a different a baroque type architectural, language, enlivening the first point of contact with the school. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.architecture.com

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False fire alarms disrupting valuable teaching time?

Any type of false alarm can result in costly, inconvenient and unnecessary evacuations. False alarms also affect valuable teaching time and cause unwanted disruption.

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How good is your knowledge of fire safety law? And do you know your legal responsibilities? The Fire Industry Association shares the main points from fire safety legislation in the UK Fire safety legislation in the UK is enacted differently under the three jurisdictions of England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

These differences are nothing to worry about as they are largely identical in terms of where they apply and what people have to do to comply with them. This is a gentle introduction to the subject and is not a substitute for more detailed government advice which is referenced towards the end of this article.

Where does it apply?

The law applies to virtually all premises and covers nearly every type of building, structure and open space, including schools. It applies to offices and shops, care homes and hospitals, community halls, places of worship and other community premises. It

also applies in pubs, clubs and restaurants, sports centres, tents and marquees, hotels and hostels, factories and warehouses.

Where does it not apply?

The law does not apply to people’s private homes, including individual flats in a block or house.

In England and Wales the law applies to the common parts of flats and HMOs, but not in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Broadly, the law does not apply to the underground parts of mines or off-shore installation. It also doesn’t apply to anything that flies, floats or runs on wheels unless it is static and being used like a building,for example, work in dry dock.

You should rec findingord the fire risk s from the as well assessment safety m as the fire have ta easures you ke going tn and are o take

Who is responsible?

The person responsible for fire safety is anyone who has, to any significant degree, control of the premises, control over the activities on the premises, or employs people.

They are responsible for the safety of people who may be legitimately, on

Fire Safety

Know your fire safety law

the premises or not on the premises but might be directly affected by a fire on the premises.

In many cases, responsibility may be shared between several people but it is not the responsibility of the fire service or any other statutory body.

More on fire risk assessments The guidance documents that support fire law recommend a five stage approach to fire risk assessment.

Identify the hazards within your premises including; sources of ignition, sources of fuel and any oxidising agents other than air.

Identify people at risk. You must consider everyone who might be at risk from a fire on your premises, whether they are employees, visitors or members of the public. You should pay particular attention to people who may be at particular risk such as people working near to fire hazards, lone workers, children, parents with babies, the elderly, the infirm and people with disabilities or anyone who may need special help.

Evaluate the level of risk in your premises. You should remove or reduce fire hazards where possible. The residual risk should be minimised.

You need to look at means of detecting fire and how you’ll give warnings. You’ll also need to look at fire fighting, including first aid fire fighting and summoning the fire and rescue service. You need to look at escape routes including fire exits, emergency lighting and escape route signs, as well as the training of staff. Information on fire safety for anyone who may need it (e.g. staff and visitors) must be given. What’s more, a management system should be deployed to make sure that your fire precautions, including your risk assessment, remain effective.

Record, plan, inform and train You should record the findings from the fire risk assessment as well as the fire safety measures you have taken and are going to take.

If you haven’t already got one, make an emergency plan, tailored to your premises.

Give staff and occasionally others, such as guests or volunteers, information.

Provide employees (full time, part time, temporary and unpaid) with training about the risks, the actions they should take to prevent fires and how to respond to fire if it occurs. Some, such as fire marshals, will need more training.

Review your fire-risk assessment to ensure it is up to date. You will need to re-examine your fire-risk assessment if you suspect it is no longer valid, such as after a near miss or if there is a significant change E

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BYD Solutions Launch Indoor Air Cleaning Solution Essex based company BYD Solutions Ltd have recently launched a solution to clean your internal air of VOC’s & Bacteria. Following a simple application your internal air will be cleaner and fresher.

Officially launched in the UK at the Contamination show in September last year BYD have seen a lot of interest with customers liking the easy application procedures and no building alterations required.

To give you an example of its affect, only 20m2 of ceiling treated with titan effect can remove up to 400’000 litres of ambient air from its pollutants without resorting to complicated and costly techniques.

BYD say this effective and especially economic way to remove air pollutants, bacteria, germs and odours by treating surfaces of premises, preferably ceilings with titan effect. The treatment is totally invisible and works according to the principle of Photocatalysis.

The VOC’s decomposition effect of our titan effect treatment has been verified by a certified laboratory and can be requested any time. BYD say the application will last up to 10 years and not require any maintenance at all.

One of BYD’s directors Lee Bywater said: “This unique process is such a simple an affordable way of cleaning internal air.

It can be available not only for offices but private homes, restaurants, public transport basically anywhere that requires the need for cleaner fresher air”

With the help of light, titan effect virtually decomposes all air pollutants.

BYD adds that in order to produce this effect, daylight transmitted through windows is as well suited as the artificial light from all electrical lighting.

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The following are the principal pieces of legislation which govern fire safety in the UK and are the ones specifically referred to in this document.

Fire Safety

Fire Safety Law

England and Wales: The Regulatory Reform (fire safety) order 2005 Scotland: The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 Northern Ireland:

 such as a change of processes occupants or the layout of the building.

Enforcement Fire authorities are the main agency responsible for enforcing the law. Fire authorities will look into complaints, carry out investigations after fires and carry out targeted inspections.

Where poor fire safety management is discovered they may prosecute.

If there is a very serious risk to life, the fire authority can issue a notice preventing the premises being used for certain things, or preventing people from using all or part of the premises.

Fire certificates The Fire Precautions Act required the fire brigade or local authority to issue a fire certificate for certain classes of premises. The authorities no longer issue fire certificates and those previously in force will have no legal status but don’t throw them away. Any fire certificates you have may be useful as a starting point for your fire risk assessment.

What do you need to do?

The person (or persons) responsible must make sure that everyone is safe from fire.

If that is you, you or a person engaged by you must carry out a fire risk assessment to determine what the risks are and to identify those measures necessary to minimise the risk to an acceptable level.

If you purchase goods or services you want to be confident that they are fit for purpose.

Not just that; it is a legal requirement for the purchaser of fire safety services to ensure that the person or organisation carrying out the work is ‘competent’.

As most people commissioning this work are unlikely to be experts in fire safety, how can they be sure that the individual or organisation they are hiring is competent to do the job?

Third Party Certification (TPC) is evidence that a service or product adheres to certain standards. An independent expert, the third party, has assessed the service or product and certified that it complies with those standards.

TPC can cover the technical qualities of what is being provided, but it can also relate to environmental, ethical or other qualities.

This allows purchasers to be confident that what they are purchasing is fit for purpose or that the supplier is capable doing the job.

TPC – the detail TPC is when a Third Party Certification Body (CB) assesses the qualities of a supplier by comparing them with the requirements of a particular scheme. If the organisation meets these standards then it is issued with a certificate detailing the scope of its certification.

The supplier (now a Certificated Organisation) is permitted to claim compliance with the scheme, display copies of their certificate and, in most cases, display the logos of the scheme and the CB. Depending on the scheme, then they will also issue certificates of conformity for the product/ service they provide, such as a complete fire alarm system or extinguisher service.

There is a wide range of TPC schemes covering such diverse areas as the installation and maintenance of fire alarms, extinguishers, sprinklers, emergency lighting, fire risk assessments, fire doors and passive fire protection so you need to make sure you use a supplier with certification to the relevant scheme for your needs.

The Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 The Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 Fire Certificates and old legislation The above legislation amended many other pieces of legislation. It also repealed or revoked, among others: The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 Fire Precautions Act 1971

It is recommended that you choose a supplier with certification. A list of certified companies is available on the FIA website under the ‘Find a Member’ section.

For more information on fire safety law and your legal responsibilities, visit the website where you can download our Best Practice Guide to Fire Safety and also a Fire Safety Law leaflet. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.fia.uk.com

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Health & Safety

Different seasons bring different risks

Written by Fiona Riley, chair of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) Education Group

Think the onset of summer reduces the risks faced by schools? Think again. Fiona Riley, chair of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s Education Group examines some of the risks

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Different seasons bring about different health and safety risks for schools.

We have all heard how allowing children to play outside is good for them – and it is – and seen images of youngsters enjoying an ice cream while the sun beats down on them. However, we need to be aware of the risks brought about by the warmer weather and how they can be controlled.

Solar radiation The impact of solar radiation can be devastating. Exposure to the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. It is linked to 65 per cent of malignant melanoma and 99 per cent of non-melanoma skin cancer.

In schools we have to manage the risks for both adults and children.

How, then, do we manage it? We cannot keep children indoors all of the time, though when temperatures are extremely hot it can be beneficial to prevent them from going outside.

When children are outside there are a number of control measures which can be put in place to prevent them – and indeed staff – from being harmed.

In my role at an independent day school, I have used the free resources provided by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Solar radiation is one of the focuses of its No Time to Lose campaign on occupational cancer. These resources, available at www.notimetolose.org.uk, look at the risks and provide easy steps for organisations, including those in the education sector, on how to manage them.

Many people assume that applying sunscreen is all they need to do if they are spending time in the sun. However, this is very much a last line of defence and schools should consider other measures first.

In a lot of settings, especially early years ones, canopies have been put up to provide large amounts of shade. This is just one way of removing the risk and still allowing children to be outside.

Covering up with suitable clothing is also a key way of avoiding skin damage by the sun. Clothing should not leave parts of skin exposed and special consideration must be given to people’s heads. Many schools I’m aware of have a protocol in place where children must wear hats if they are outside during warm weather.

Particularly useful are hats which cover the back of the neck and ears.

These are some of the first considerations that must be given. But we cannot forget sunscreen, while also reiterating the fact that we shouldn’t rely on it by itself.

Children of course should use a very high factor sunscreen of 50, while adults are recommended to use one of around 30 to offer them protection.

An important point with sunscreen is that it doesn’t offer protection for the first 20 to 30 minutes after applying it as it needs to be absorbed into the skin. Of course it needs to be reapplied regularly at least every two to three hours. Another key point a lot people do not realise is that sun protection can have a very short shelf life so check the expiry date.

There are issues however in schools with applying sunscreen to children as it involves actually touching them, so this is a quite a challenging situation.

And in addition, schools must remember that it doesn’t have to be sunny for skin to be damaged, so these steps should be followed in cloudy conditions – as up to 80 per cent of dangerous UV rays can get through cloudy skies.

The recommendation is that the sun’s rays in the UK can be harmful for longer than just the summer months and sunscreen is recommended for children from March to October.

Other heat-related risks The risk of skin cancer isn’t the only issue we have to contend with. Heat exhaustion can be a serious issue in children, as can sunstroke.

It is important therefore that staff in schools are able to get a grip on what the signs are so they can spot them and take action before major issues arise.

The onset of heat exhaustion in children can be very sudden and can lead to febrile convulsions. This is particularly the case in small children – those aged up to five or six – as they are unable to control their body temperature.

Early years providers have got a real handle on this, as part of the requirements for the Foundation stage framework since April 2016. Staff now having to be trained in paediatric first aid, but when you move further up the educational ladder this is not always the case.

According to the NHS website, the main signs of heat exhaustion in children are headache; dizziness and confusion; loss of appetite and feeling sick; excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin; cramps in the arms, legs and stomach; fast breathing or pulse; temperature of 38C or above; and intense thirst.

An importa point w nt ith sunscre e n it doesn is that protect ’t offer io first 20n for the minute to 30 s applyin after g it

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It isn’t just outside where the effects of warm conditions can be felt. The inside of some schools can be incredibly hot.

New school buildings, including the younger years building where I work, often have air conditioning. However other buildings, including our 105-year-old building, do not have such luxuries so we have to look at other means of keeping cool.

In these circumstances you need to look

managing the risks associated with the upper temperature ranges be it bringing in fans, opening the windows and other means of keeping a room cool. There is no upper limit for workplace temperatures but it is important that they do not get too hot.

Taking classes outside can be considered, especially if you have got shaded areas. As discussed, we are trying to avoid exposing children and staff to solar radiation here.

Health & Safety

One place in schools such as ours where we have issues with heat is the kitchen. In the summer months it gets very hot and we have no choice but to rotate staff frequently, consider what the menu is to manage related risks.

Away from schools We have a responsibility in schools to ensure that children stay safe when they aren’t in school.

Older children often spend a lot of time during summer holidays without the supervision of parents and it is crucial, therefore, that we educate them on particular risks.

These include water hazards. There are so many stories of young people getting into difficulty while swimming in water where there are no lifeguards around.

On a hot day it can be very tempting to jump into some water just to cool down. This is incredibly dangerous so we have to ensure that young people are clued up about these risks.

The same goes for playing around building sites. Most construction firms are getting very good now about having good perimeter security around their sites but, as schools, we still have a role to play in educating children of the risks that may be present on these sites.

So, as we head towards the summer holidays, we have to keep managing risks. We have to do all we can to ensure children’s health as well as safety is not compromised in any way, whether that be on the school’s grounds or away from it. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.iosh.co.uk

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There is ongoing concern about the number of overweight or obese school-aged children in England, with figures from 2018 showing 16 per cent of pupils aged 2-15 years to be obese and a further 12 per cent overweight.

According to the National Child Measurement Programme (2016/17), when children start school in reception already around one in five are overweight or obese, with this number rising to one in three pupils by Year 6. These figures are similar elsewhere in the UK. Recently, Public Health England (PHE) published estimates of the level of excess energy (calorie) intake amongst children (compared to current recommendations) suggesting that overweight or obese primary school pupils are consuming, on average, over 140 excess calories a day. This is even greater amongst secondary school pupils, with overweight or obese pupils estimated to be consuming up to 500 extra calories per day, depending on their age and sex.

A whole-school food approach The attitude, ethos and environment of a school can influence the health and wellbeing of pupils. A whole-school focus on healthy lifestyles, from school food providers and the whole school community ranging from head teachers to parents, chefs, teachers and classroom assistants, helps provide a consistent approach to support pupils in developing healthy habits.

A whole school approach goes beyond the classroom, improving healthy choices across all aspects of the life of a school, such as breakfast clubs, tuck shops and lunchtime provision. This includes high quality nutrition education offered through the curriculum, teaching pupils the importance of healthy living E

The National Diet and Nutrition Survey shows that school-aged children are consuming too many free sugars and too much saturated fat, but not enough fibre, oily fish, fruit or vegetables. Evidence that intakes of some micronutrients may be insufficient in the diets of some young people, particularly teenage girls, also highlights the need to focus on the quality as well as quantity, of foods and drinks they consume.

As dietary habits are established early in life and weight has been shown to track over the life course (i.e. overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults), providing children and adolescents with the skills, environment and support to develop healthy eating behaviours will impact on their health throughout childhood and beyond.

Whilst it is not ma many s ndatory, c adopte hools have lunchbo d healthier encour x policies to a eating ge healthy in scho ol

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Written by Alex White, assistant nutrition scientist, British Nutrition Foundation

A whole-school approach to healthy eating means improving healthy choices across all aspects of school life, such as breakfast clubs, tuck shops and lunchtime provision, as well as making sure nutrition education runs through the curriculum. Alex White from the British Nutrition Foundation looks at what else can be done

Catering

A consistent message about healthy eating

Government direction In 2016, the government’s Childhood Obesity Plan outlined a number of activities to help create a more supportive environment for young people to make healthier choices.

These included the soft drinks industry levy (which began in April 2018) and the Sugar Reduction Strategy, to reduce the sugar content of products contributing most sugar to children’s diets by 20 per cent by 2020 (launched in 2017).

Within England, the School Food Plan was published by the Department for Education in July 2013. Since then there has been the introduction of universal infant free school meals, the introduction of cooking and nutrition on the curriculum for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 and mandatory school food standards. Similar approaches have been made in other areas of the UK.

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Catering

Many schools also suggest to parents and carers that foods high in fat, salt and sugars should not be included (such as crisps, confectionery and sugar-containing carbonated drinks) and some schools have identified non-food based incentives for pupils to follow the healthier lunchbox policies; offering rewards such as stickers, certificates or team points. These policies aim to complement the provision already in place for school meals to help achieve a whole school food approach.

BNF has produced some healthier packed lunch ideas, which can be found on its website.

Curriculum Lastly, the teaching and learning through the curriculum needs to reflect the commitment of the school to promote health. It is therefore important that pupils have the opportunity to learn about where food comes from and how to cook, as well as how to apply healthy eating messages to their food choices. In order to support primary teachers’ delivery of high quality food education, BNF has created a range of free resources, for pupils aged 3 to 16 years, via its Food – a fact of life website for schools. In addition, the site offers training and support for teachers – with a current offer of free training for all primary school teachers throughout the UK.

 and how to apply this in practical terms. As well as impacting on nutritional status and overall health, this may influence learning as there is some evidence that pupils with better health and wellbeing are likely to achieve better academically.

At the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), we encourage all schools to take a whole school food approach. One way of achieving this is to become involved in our annual BNF Healthy Eating Week (running this year from 11-15 June 2018) which demonstrates commitment to pupil health and wellbeing. In 2017, 9,681 nurseries and schools representing 4.2 million pupils registered for the week which focusses on five challenges; have breakfast, have five a day, drink plenty, get active and make a change to help make a positive difference.

Food and drink provision Providing healthier choices within school can be achieved through breakfast clubs, healthy tuck shops, school meals and packed lunches, ensuring they provide healthy, balanced and nutritious meals with the appropriate amount of energy and nutrients pupils need. There are school food standards in place throughout the UK to help achieve this; based on both the types of food and drinks that pupils should be offered at school (food-based) and the proportion of nutrients that pupils should be provided by school food (nutrient-based).

Whilst the standards differ throughout the UK, they all seek to improve school food. They also include standards for healthier drinks; ensuring that free fresh drinking water is provided at all times, and restricting drinks that should be consumed less frequently, for example by limiting serving size and added sugars. Policy in the UK also states that crisps, chocolate or sweets cannot be offered within school meals or vending machines and there are limitations, in England, on deep-fried and battered foods (with similar legislations in place in the rest of the UK). Whilst these standards are mandatory for most schools and academies throughout the school day, they do not apply to packed lunches brought into schools by pupils.

Healthier lunchbox policies Whilst it is not mandatory, many schools have adopted healthier lunchbox policies, which have been shared with parents and carers to encourage healthy eating in school. These are usually based upon the principles of the Eatwell Guide, encouraging a lunchbox to contain a starchy food, such as rice, pasta, bread; plenty of fruit and vegetables, a source of protein, such as beans, pulses, egg, fish, meat, as well as a healthy drink, such as water or semi-skimmed milk.

Next steps In order to ensure our school pupils are having the best start in life, it is essential that schools promote a whole school approach, and that food and nutrition education plays a pivotal role in teaching pupils about food and ensuring consistent healthy eating messages are taught throughout the school. We believe a whole school food approach focussed on high quality food education is the best way to improve the health and wellbeing of pupils.

For nutrition information to support your school and classroom resources to support food and nutrition teaching, see the websites below. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.foodafactoflife.org.uk / www.nutrition.org.uk

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WE STARTED THE CASHLESS REVOLUTION IN SCHOOLS... ... AND WE’RE STILL TOP OF THE CLASS

ParentPay is the original school payment system and we’re constantly pushing the boundaries to deliver a premium payment experience.

Creates safer cashless environments for children Simplifies administration and dinner management Saves time and improves financial reporting Our goal is to free schools from the burdens of cash so they can focus on what they do best, teaching!

The result is freedom for schools, parents and students.

To find out more or to book a consultation call 02476 994 870 or go to www.parentpay.com/schools

parentpay.com

94%

of parents want to pay schools online only

6%

prefer cash LACA/ParentPay school meals research survey

With debit card transactions set to surpass cash payments this year, Education Business looks at whether schools are following suit, or if cash is still king for school payments UK Finance has predicted that debit cards will become the most frequently used payment method in the UK by the end of 2018, overtaking cash.

What’s more, contactless payment technology celebrated its tenth year in the UK in September last year. Since contactless cards were first used in 2007, they have grown to become a widely-used and sought after way to pay, with people wanting the convenience.

Contactless usage is also expected to increase four-fold by 2026, according to UK Finance.

So are cash transactions seeing their final day? And what about schools – is there a change in how they accept payments?

An increasing number of schools have introduce cashless payment systems, which allow parents to top up an electronic account online or at a local pay point, instead of sending their children to school with a cheque or a pocket full of cash to pay for school dinners, trips, fees, fundraising and other services.

ParentPay’s recent Income Collection Survey, which obtained responses from over 800 schools, found that only six per cent of parents still pay by cash only. 46 per cent of parents pay for school meals online, and 48 per cent pay online or occasionally with cash. Indeed, more than 90 per cent of parents stated they preferred to pay schools online, according to the LACA/ParentPay School Meals and Daily Lifestyles Research Report.

children are eligible for free school meals (FSM), but if all meals are paid for the same way, then this is no longer the case.

Case studies Last year, schools in Swansea welcomed online payments that allow parents or guardians to pay electronically for school meals and other school items.

Swansea Council covered the cost of introducing the new online system provided by sQuid following a trial at a school which proved popular with parents and pupils.

Kings’ School in Hampshire implemented a ParentPay online payment system, primarily to reduce the amount of cash coming into the school. Helen Tyrrell, the school’s senior finance officer said: “We needed to reduce the amount of cash coming into school.

With the large amount of students we have, it was too time consuming to process cash payments. There had to be another, more efficient way to manage

Many schools have in cashles troduced systems s payment don’t h so parents a their ch ve to send ild school ren into with cash

Cashless Payments

The end of cash transactions?

this process, whilst also making it easier for parents to make payments to the school.”

Guy Wolfenden from Bishop Henderson C of E Primary School in Taunton, which also has a ParentPay cashless system, singled out the reduction of food waste as another benefit. He said: “Using the online booking facility for meals has enabled the school to reduce its food waste significantly, which has enabled us to introduce more interesting and varied menus.”

“The reporting module shows the meals which have been booked. This has been a great benefit to our chef, as well as helping our lunch time staff ensure each child receives the meal they have selected.”

Better eating habits George Spencer Academy introduced a cashless payement system to reduce the amount of money pupils were spending on their way to school on unhealthy food and drink.

By allowing parents to pay for meals online through the sQuid system, pupils were coming to school with less money in their pockets, meaning it was spent more responsibly.

As a result, the school saw an increase in canteen takings and healthier choices for pupils. What’s more, the school cites substantial cost savings and reduced admin time as additional benefits.

George Spencer’s catering manager, Tanya Flinders, commented: “Online payments has really helped us reduce our costs and the amount of time we spend counting cash; we’ve seen our takings increase by over 20 per cent.”L

Why go cashless?

For schools, cashless payments reduce the time it takes to handle cash in school, which saves money and frees up resources to be used in other ways. Many systems will automatically generate emails, texts and letters to remind parents of when balances are due, reducing the task of chasing parents for money.

For parents, cashless payments gives them the peace of mind that money is being spent in the way it is intended – on a school dinner, club or trip – rather than a visit to sweet shop at lunchtime or after school, for example.

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

In the dining hall, a cashless system can potentially prevent discrimination; paying by cash makes it very obvious which

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The UK’s best parent app just got better Brand the app with your school logo and colours

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To see a preview of what your app could look like or for more information call 0333 332 7147 or visit schoolcomms.com

Exam-only GCSE computer science is set to continue until 2020, while Ofqual continues to consider the fairest way to assess the subject in the future. Education Business reports on the changes Due to evidence of coursework malpractice, Ofqual decided at the start of the year that GCSE Science would be assessed by exam only.

Prior to this, practical assessments accounted for 20 per cent of the GCSE grade. However, it was discovered that information for practical assessments was leaked online, which is contrary to exam board rules.

It was deemed so serious a problem that Ofqual said it would be impossible for exam boards to ensure that grades awarded would fairly reflect ability. In November last year, Ofqual launched a consultation to get views of alternative assessments, and after receiving over 2,500 responses, came to this decision.

Ofqual has since confirmed that students studying GCSE computer science from this September will be assessed by exam only in 2020. This clarification was to give teachers early notice so that that they can begin preparations ahead of the summer and plan for the next academic year.

This extended timetable also allows Ofsted to consider a full range of options.

The problem Pupils were required to complete a practical computer science project under strictly controlled conditions. It was put in place in addition to the exam to enable pupils to demonstrate their skills in a more ‘real-life’ context.

However, the exams’ watchdog had gained evidence that tasks and solutions were available on online forums and collaborative programming sites, which is contrary to exam board rules.

Some sites were viewed thousands of times and it is difficult to know how many pupils may have gained an unfair advantage.

More than two thirds of respondents (70 per cent)

IT & Computing

Assessing computer science GCSEs

to Ofqual’s consultation agreed that the qualification’s non-exam assessment had shortcomings and most (75 per cent) thought changes should be made.

However, views on what action to take were mixed, with no consensus either for or against Ofqual’s suggestions.

Ofqual said in its statement that if they did not make the change to the practical assessments and the results this summer were felt to be unfair as a result, they would not be able to address the issue.

Ofqual have stressed that the practical assessment is still an important part of the course and contributes to student learning and progress, so all schools should continue with it.

Schools and colleges must, therefore, confirm to their exam board that they have set aside the required amount of time for students to complete a task and given them the opportunity to do so.

However, more than half (54 per cent) of respondents disagreed with doing the assessment if it does not count towards the GCSE grade.

Sally Collier, Ofqual Chief Executive, E

Ofq has saidual that student s s t GCSE c udying science omputer Septemfrom this be asse ber will ss exam oed by n in 2020ly

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Are your past IT choices now depreciating in the cupboard? It could be time to consider outsourcing What’s in your ‘old kit cupboard’?

You know the one. In the corner of a classroom or office somewhere, full of expensive technology that was purchased with glee, looked so shiny and impressive and now languishes in the cupboard, forgotten and unused, because no one could make it workable in a lesson.

If the IT choices you’ve made in the past weren’t aligned to your schools strategic development plan, weren’t underpinned by an understanding of all the technologies available and how they suit your pedagogy, and weren’t embedded with a thorough change management process to update the school culture, then most likely, they’ll be the devices depreciating in the cupboard.

By partnering with an IT support provider who works in partnership with you to fully manage your strategy, and risks and costs of your ICT, you’ll find your IT costs become predictable, and your technology becomes more cost effective and future-proofed.

It also helps stop those ‘hobbyist’ and expensive IT investment mistakes of the past.

Specialist IT support companies make it their business to be at the forefront of technology use in education; they have true specialist skills. By contracting them

to look after your school IT, you get the benefits of their focused innovation after all the research and testing has been done and the bugs have been ironed out, and because the development and support teams are separate, the response rate of your IT support provision to teachers is unaffected.

In comparison, the process of innovation using a school’s in-house IT team will typically have a much longer research, development, and implementation time.

Frequently we see IT teams who get excited about a new project and work solely on the ‘fun’ job, at the detriment of the day to day tasks, or support requests and operational processes.

This doesn’t mean however that your IT team should be excluded from the

‘fun’ jobs though. This is where 1+1 can equal 3. Your IT and leadership team’s knowledge of the school and an expert third party perspective on the possibilities is a truly winning combination.

Today, many forward-thinking schools are also outsourcing part (we call this co-sourcing) or all of their IT support (outsourcing) and are enjoying the improved provision, cost savings and teaching and learning benefits that a specialist technology partner can bring.

A free IT healthcheck is available to schools on the website below.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.rm.com/freehealthcheck

IT support is changing in forward-thinking schools Increasingly, senior leaders are choosing to work with an expert IT partner like RM to advise, support and enhance their technology provision, reducing the risks of IT management and ensuring your chosen ICT delivers impact in the classroom.

Try our free IT healthcheck to see how your school vision can be realised with technology support and advice from RM that supports your school goals and delivers value for money and true impact in the classroom.

44

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

IT & Computing

 commented: “A clear majority of respondents agree that there are currently shortcomings with the non-exam assessment that could unfairly advantage some students.

“While the tasks themselves will no longer contribute to students’ grades, we strongly believe that learning about a high-level programming language and having the opportunity to show how it can be used to solve problems is hugely important. We believe these changes will make the qualification as fair as it can be for all students.”

arrangement for GCSE computer science fits in with the UK Digital Strategy.

Later this year, Ofqual has said it will invite computer science teachers to provide feedback on the new arrangements and to consult on any proposals for the longer term. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk

Penalties The investigation into the matter of malpractice in computer science GCSEs was heightened by the fact that the subject received the largest number of exam penalties issued to staff and students last year.

Overall, the number of penalties for malpractice issued to school college staff has risen by 149 per cent between 2016 and 2017, according to Ofqual data.

Plagiarism was the second largest category of student malpractice (after unauthorised materials), and accounted for 17 per cent of penalties. The vast majority of these (86 per cent) were in computing. Mathematics and computing combined account for over a third of all student malpractice penalties in 2017.

For staff malpractice, computing was also the subject with the largest number of penalties.

Further problems The subject of GCSE computer science was shrouded by more dark clouds, when recent news emerged that the exam board OCR had been fined £125k by Ofqual after GCSE computer science exam answers were found in textbooks.

It was discovered in April 2016 that some textbooks included partial answers that were similar, or even the same, to some test answers in the exams.

The fine also related to the fact that OCR had not reported suspected malpractice in its tests, and that they gave incorrect guidance about the level of supervision needed during the exams.

The exam board however insisted the errors had no impact on exam results but has apologised.

Going forwards Ofqual is now considering options for the longer-term that would support the curriculum intentions and provide a valid means of assessment.

As well as considering the feedback on longer term options Ofqual received in response to its consultation, it is also gathering more input and evidence from stakeholders on the issue. Ofqual also plans to evaluate how the new arrangements work in practice and consider how the

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The shortlist has now been revealed for the 2018 Education Business Awards, which will return to London on 5 July to recognise excellence in education across 22 different categories Taking place on 5 July at London’s Grange Hotel in St Paul’s, the 2018 Education Business Awards will recognise outstanding achievements in the UK education sector, as well as the hard work and dedication of teachers, department heads, business managers, and support staff which contribute to the success of an educational institution and outcomes for pupils.

This year, 22 awards are up for grabs which focus on academic progress, facilities, best practice and innovation.

Shortlisted organisations will attend the ceremony, which will be hosted by celebrity guest, Countdown’s Susie Dent.

A drinks reception will kick off the day, followed by a three-course lunch before the winning schools are revealed.

Outstanding progress There are three categories for outstanding progress: primary, secondary and independent.

These awards will be given to the educational establishment that has made outstanding progress in the management of its facilities, finances and human resources and can demonstrate an increase in the educational performance of the school.

One such school that has been recognised for its significant progress is Deighton Primary School in Wales. In 2011, the school required significant improvement

by Estyn, the Welsh schools’ inspectorate.

After the head resigned and a new head

was appointed, it was removed from the category in 2013.

In 2014/15 Deighton was part of Welsh Government’s Lead-Emerging School Programme and the improvements made were recognised in a Welsh Government case study.

In July 2015, Deighton was visited by Esytn again and all elements were recorded as being ‘Good’. As a result, the school was included in a 2016 Estyn case study on rapid school improvement and leadership.

In January 2017, Deighton was awarded ‘Green’ status in the Welsh Government’s categorisation. This was recently replicated in January 2018.

In May 2017, Deighton’s deputy headteacher, Lynsey Wangiel won Welsh Government’s Teacher of the Year award and was a Pearson’s Silver Award winner in the UK finals.

Better outcomes for pupils Stalham Academy in Norfolk is also in the running for the Outstanding Progress award in the primary category. It was once a school that was unliked by parents and the local community, but is now a lead member of the Norwich Teaching School, and regularly offers support to other schools that need it.

Rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, the school shares its experiences of turning the school around at open mornings and workshops for the Regional School Commissioners office.

91 per cent combined outcomes for reading, writing and maths at KS2 SATs has resulted in the school being in the top 10 per cent in the country for outcomes, top 20 per cent for progress,

The Educati Busines on cover 2 s Awards and wil 2 catergories l be celebrit hosted by Susie D y guest e Countdnt from own

EB Awards

Education Business Awards 2018

and it is recognised as one of the highest performers for achievement of pupil premium children. The school also appeared in the Telegraph top 1,000 performing schools (ranked at 316) achieving in the top 2.6 per cent of schools across the country.

Another contender for the Outstanding Progress Award is Parkland’s Primary School in Leeds.

In 2014, the school was rated ‘Inadequate’

by Ofsted, there had been 150 exclusions in the previous 12 months and five different head teachers. However, thanks to the new head and dedicated team, the school has turned itself around – it became the first Local Authority School in five years to go from Inadequate to outstanding, as well as scoring the highest Progress scores in the country.

The school is in an a highly deprived area, yet it does not use it as a barrier to learning.

By giving opportunities to deprived children, the results at Parklands sees them perform at the end of KS2 in the top ten per cent of schools in the country for writing; the top five per cent for reading – and Parklands is the single highest performing school in the country with regards to maths.

Beating challenges Surrey Square Primary School in London has also been shortlisted for the Outstanding Progress Award.

Despite serving one of the most challenged communities in London, Surrey Square supports and inspires its pupils to achieve at the very highest level.

Through deeply understanding the needs of every child and their family, and the school’s exceptional commitment to pastoral care and interventions, it empowers students to achieve and thrive, both academically and personally. Results in 2017 were particularly impressive, with progress scores that put the school in the top two per cent nationally.

Surrey Square’s approach has resulted in children achieving at a very high level by the time they leave us. Given their often very low starting points, this represented exceptional progress, which was recognised in a letter from Nick Gibb MP to the school.

Queen’s Park Primary School in London is also in the running for the Outstanding Progress category. The school falls within E

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48

The REC’s Good Recruitment Campaign

An award-winning foodservice wholesaler

Jobs transform lives, which is why the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) is helping to build the best recruitment industry in the world. As the professional body for recruitment, REC is determined to make businesses more successful by helping them secure the talent they need. The organisation is absolutely passionate and totally committed in this pursuit for recruiters, employers and the people they hire.

The REC represents the interests of the UK’s £32.2 billion private recruitment industry to government, business and media in both the UK and Europe.

The REC represents businesses through its corporate membership and individuals through the Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP). All corporate members abide by a code of professional practice and individual members abide by a code of ethics

JJ Foodservice is an award‑winning independent foodservice wholesaler delivering from eleven UK branches.

JJ Foodservice’s point of difference is its use of technology to improve service. The wholesaler has an award-winning website and customer app which uses predictive ordering to know what customers want to order.

JJ’s app now has fingerprint ID and One Tap payment to make the checkout process even faster.

As a national operator with more than 60,000 customers, JJ has the buying power to negotiate and sustain highly competitive prices. The wholesaler offers a wide range of gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and ethnic halal options and works with regionally sourced, fully traceable suppliers. JJ Foodservice offers schools and universities the ‘total package’ and currently holds a position on the NHS framework

and professional conduct.

The REC’s Good Recruitment Campaign helps organisations’ benchmark their current recruitment methods and reinvigorate their strategies in order to attract the right candidate. With direct access to a network of HR/In-house recruitment professionals, those involved benefit from a wide range of support, including key pieces of data that will help their business reach new heights in talent acquisition.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.rec.uk.com

agreement as one of its trusted multi‑temperature suppliers. The business has its own in-house nutritionist, dedicated to helping education caterers to build nutritionally balanced menus.

Environmental credentials are critical to JJ’s and solar panels have been installed on to the roofs of three of its branches to generate renewable, sustainable energy.

Telematics have been employed for JJ’s vehicle fleet, helping to improve fuel efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of the business.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.jjfoodservice.com education@jjfoodservice.com

Financial management and compliance services

Zenergi can assist with every energy need

Alan Patient & Co is a firm of Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors based in South Woodford, East London who have been in practice for 29 years and is a fellow member of the ICAEW. Alan Patient & Co mainly specialise in providing financial management and compliance services to schools. It also offers wide range of services within the education sector, which includes pre conversion to an academy, post conversion, changes in your corporate structure and help updating financial management procedures. Essentially, help make your funding go further.

With its expert team, Alan Patient & Co has a thorough understanding of the challenges within this changing environment and have the experience needed to support school leaders, chief financial officers and business managers and give them peace of mind.

Zenergi is a customer service company specialising in energy procurement, invoice validation and contract management.

Zenergi has saved its customers over a million pounds in the last academic year alone in energy costs and with its flexible contract options, the company has solutions to assist every education energy need.

Your dedicated account manager will audit and validate your bills, meaning you never have to pay for more energy than you use and deal with any queries relating to your account.

Whether it be a VAT query or a new meter connection, Zenergi removes the stress from a complex industry, bringing clarity, budgetary certainty and best value to your school. Preferred partners to ISBL (Institute of School Business Leadership) and ASCL (Association of School and College Leaders) Zenergi offers a trusted and

The support, guidance and advice from Alan Patient & Co is designed to help meet the requirements of the EFA and the Academies Financial Handbook.

Clients include Educational Trusts to varied types of schools, in and around the M25 area.

Alan Patient & Co recently exhibited at the Academies Show, London Excel, where the team benefitted from insight into all education areas. At the time, a Free Financial Health check for all schools and colleges was offered, which is still currently available.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.alanpatient.com

fully OJEU compliant service to its valued customers who are part of the Zenergi family.

Zenergi can provide you with a free Utility Health Check with no obligation. Call us for more information on 0845 873 4463 and you’ll get answered by a real person.

Make the Positive Change and speak to Zenergi today.

FURTHER INFORMATION enlightenme@zenergi.co.uk www.zenergi.co.uk

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

EB Awards

 the top percentile in the deprivation index with higher than national average children accessing pupil premium and EAL. The school is located in an area with an active gang culture, which has had a personal impact on staff and students within the school.

However, the school has seen a three year trend of continuously improving results, placing it in the top three per cent for the country for progress. With improving absence percentages for both children and staff and a focus on mental health and wellbeing, the school has gone from strength to strength in achieving the best for its pupils. This has resulted in staff retention remaining at an all time high and the school now has a waiting list.

The final school that may scoop the award for Outstanding Progress in the primary catergory is Ernesettle Community

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School in Plymouth. It is in an area of high deprivation, and when the school was deemed as ‘requiring Special Measures’ for the second time in less than three years in May 2010, the legacy of low aspiration, low academic standards and high levels of local unemployment were only compounded.

A new headteacher was appointed in May 2010 to address these issues and seven years later, the school is now very proud to be the highest performing school on average in the authority over the past six years and the regional winner of the Pupil Premium Award in 2016. This journey has been enabled by a staff team and a community of children and families, who now have the potential to live happy, prosperous and rewarding lives.

As a result of the school’s outstanding reputation, it now has 485 children compared with 240 in 2010.

The school was named in the top 1,000 schools nationally for the last three years in a row, and was the winner of the regional Pupil Premium Award in 2016, as well as winning the title of ‘Best School in Plymouth’ in 2018.

ICT Innovation Award Leighton Park School in Berkshire is up for three awards this year: ICT Innovation, STEM and ICT Facility awards. The school has delivered a two year strategy to promote and integrate STEM learning through an innovative vision and framework. Working with industry, charities and not-for-profit organisations, the school has provided creative experiences for its students, as well as 730 students from local primary and secondary schools.

One of the many outputs of this framework has included students engaging with the latest technologies including augmented reality, simulators, artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Experience and skills with these emerging technologies are fundamental to the school’s values to enable students to be confident, competent and to be highly employable for future STEM careers.

Leighton Park School aims to be a centre of innovation, inviting local primary and secondary schools to benefit from these technologies. It is also a lead school for technology in the Thames Valley. To help achieve this, the school is creating STEM innovation collaborative classrooms for the 20182019 academic year. These innovation zones will provide unique, collaborative and dynamic learning environments which make the best use of the installed technology.

Leighton Park School has become the winner of the Ripple Effect campaign which has delivered cutting edge technology from manufacturers such as HP, Intel, Misco, Softcat and XMA. L

To see the full shortlist, visit www.ebawards.co.uk FURTHER INFORMATION www.ebawards.co.uk

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Advertisement feature Written by Bethan Cullen, commercial director, ISBL

The benefit of engaging with fellow business leaders There are many parts of the country that have local school business professionals’ groups that have been operating for over 20 years. This may come as a surprise to many practitioners, who have until more recently, received most advice and support from their local authority. Bethan Cullen from the ISBL explains further There surely isn’t a professional in the country, in any sector that can’t benefit from support and guidance from another practitioner at some point in their career.

Being a professional includes the recognition that you do not have all the answers and constantly working to develop and grow your knowledge and experience.

One method of achieving this is through the engagement and networking with other school business leaders, education leaders should be no exception to this. In fact, they are not and there are many parts of the country that have local school business professionals’ groups that have been operating for over 20 years. This may come as a surprise to many practitioners, who have until more recently received most advice and support from their local authority (LA).

It is often the awareness and identification of these local networks that have limited school business leaders from benefiting from these groups, which are run by practitioners.

That is where the department’s schools commercial team is working on several projects to support networks for school business professionals, as set out in the Schools’ Buying Strategy (DfE, January 2017).

They want every school business professional to have access to an effective local network, and every network to offer a broad range of advice, guidance and peer-support.

They recently published two related documents on gov.uk to support these

ambitions. Their networks directory (search ‘networks directory’ on GOV.UK) lists more than 50 networks’ contact details, so that SBPs can find a local network local. We expect this list to grow as more leaders provide information to us. If you lead a network that is not listed, you can complete a listing survey whereby your group will be included in the next update.

Their guidance (search ‘create a network’ on GOV.UK) on how to form a network sets out hints and tips from network leaders, sharing their insights from their experience of setting up and growing their own networks.

Why network?

So, we have covered the how to find a local group. Now we need to highlight the benefits.

Research of the existing local groups has shown that by joining and participating in a local group, professionals’ can benefit from peer-to-peer support, opportunities for local collaborative procurement, and insight into potential local issues and strategy development to alleviate impact. They can also benefit from being able to debate current challenges such as funding or SEN and share good practice and guidance, as well as benefit from CPD opportunities, and gain coaching and mentoring support from other colleagues.

If you are a school business leader reading this article and you are not yet part of a local group, then I would urge you to join to expand your access to other professionals experiencing

the same challenges. By attending a local group meeting you can help to support one another and minimise duplication as you share good practice and support the growth of knowledge across the sector.

Continue professional development Another method of professional growth, which as the school business leadership professional body, ISBL also promotes is the importance of practitioners keeping their practice up to date through training and attendance at key conferences for school business leaders. This provides further opportunity for networking as well as building practitioners competency and knowledge.

Through research that we have undertaken at ISBL, we have identified that being a school business leader can act as an inhibitor to you investing in your own professional development. You are all too aware of the financial tightrope the school is walking and take on personal responsibility for the outturn, so you are therefore, less likely to propose investment in your next area of continued professional development.

As a professional it is vital for you to maintain your knowledge for you to deliver effective practice, which will benefit your school setting. No school in the country would fail to invest in its teaching staff, which is of course a statutory requirement – but they should also be doing this for school business professionals, who are as critical to the delivery of an effective and efficient school.

That is why the ISBL national conference will this year focus on addressing this imbalance and will focus on equipping delegates with the necessary tools to positively promote the impact that they make in their school. Titled Projecting Professionalism, delegates will be empowered through the inspirational speakers, tailored workshops specifically for school business professionals and networking with like-minded colleagues to return to school determined to demonstrate the impact they have in the delivery of quality teaching and learning in their school.

Change is coming and now is the time to respond. Expand your networks, grow your knowledge and be front and centre when new opportunities arrive.

For more details about membership, our specialist training, advice or to attend conference, visit the website below. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.isbl.org.uk

50

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

Advertisement Feature

EduTech Show 2018 returns to Olympia EduTech, which takes place on 12 October, aims to bridge the gap between technology, the curriculum, and learning by demonstrating how technology can support them and drive engagement in the classroom

With continued pressure on school funding, how are schools bridging the gap in CPD provision? Bought-in expertise and training have become the go to route – however this too is increasingly under pressure with narrowing choices and options. In the world of educational computing, getting the right people in for a school’s particular needs can be a minefield, not just in terms of CPD but also in getting the right advice and guidance on which ‘kit’ to purchase.

EduTech Show 2018 aims to build on year one experience and provide an exhibition that is designed around the needs of the teacher and with the aim of bringing together good quality suppliers with practical, meaningful professional development.

The renewed Advisory Board who are supporting event development comprise of experienced event planners and educators with many years experience in the field of education technology. Event themes are based on real-world issues that many professionals are currently grappling with, including: e-safety, learning models, technology in the classroom and Big Data. Sessions will speak to professionals in the early years to sixth form age groups, including sessions for SEN, and delivering the computing requirements in a meaningful context.

Speaker sessions The event is designed to connect teachers with other teachers and to share best practice.

To this end, the presenters at EduTech 2018 consist of a mixture of experienced and well known speakers, and classroom practitioners who are inspiring children every day in their schools and classrooms.

For EduTech Show 2018, speaker sessions are divided into keynote, seminars and master classes. Sessions are designed to give attendees some key ‘take-aways’ to use back on the classroom, and teachers will gain some hands-on, practical experience and a lot of fun in the master classes. Keynotes will tackle bigger question, while still being interactive with visitors. Current speakers include: Ken Corish (SWGFL), David Weston, (Teacher Development Trust) David Mitchell (Deputy Mitchell, QuadBlogging), David Horton (Orwell Park School) Presenters who are class teachers and practitioners are drawn from across the country and will inspire you with the work they are doing in their schools and classrooms.

A quick look at the seminar sessions shows the vast experience and wideranging subject matter the speakers will bring over the two days. At thirty minutes each, they are set to be packed full of information. Themes and areas of focus include: unlocking enthusiasm and impact: the secrets to implementing ed‑tech for acceptance and expertise, a wealth of online safety, different approaches to your computing curriculum, IT in special schools settings, technology in early years, blogging, mastery in computing, engaging parents, creative coding, progression, collaborative learning in leadership and much more.

Over on in the keynote theatre, current session leaders include Ken Corish, who will take visitors through ‘5 steps to building an effective online safeguarding strategy and deputy Dave Mitchell who will take visitors on a journey that goes beyond display boards.Master class sessions,

which are more hands-on are coming soon – so keep checking the event web site for developments over the coming weeks.

Exhibitors A central component to EduTech Show 2018 is the exhibitors who attend to support schools in making informed choices before buying supplies. Event supporters and professional associations will also be represented, including The Teacher Development Trust, Education Technology Magazine, and the Independent Schools Portal.

With a growing speaker – line up delivered by connected experts and practitioners, EduTech Show 2018 is gearing up to be a must‑attend event for educational professionals who have a keen interest in driving technology across the curriculum.

This kind of CPD is important, as it gives classroom teachers and computing coordinators a taste of what is out there, and of what other practitioners are achieving in their own settings.

This will give them an informed choice about how to develop the subject back in school.

The event takes place on Friday 12 October at Olympia London. So, save the date to get access to great CPD content and demonstrations from top suppliers.

Bring your colleagues and teams – they just need to pre-register in advance to guarantee free entry to seminar/keynote sessions and to the exhibition. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.edutechshow.co.uk/pre-registration

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

51

SEND Education Written by Dr Adam Boddison, chief executive, nasen & chair of the Whole School SEND Consortium

52

The SEND Schools Workforce Contract

worth £3.4m over two years and the delivery of this contract will be through the Whole School SEND consortium. The contract has four broad aims. The first is to drive education institutions to prioritise SEND within their CPD and school improvement plans including facilitating greater links between mainstream and special schools.

The second aim is to equip schools to identify and meet their training In April 2018, nasen was awarded the DfE SEND Schools needs in relation to SEND. Workforce Contract which will be delivered through the Whole The next aim is to build the skills of teachers School SEND Consortium. Dr Adam Boddison, chief executive of working in mainstream and special schools and of SENCOs and teachers of classes of nasen, examines what the new contract aims to achieve children and young people with sensory impairments by promoting best practice.

The final aim of the contract is to identify The Whole School SEND (WSS) Consortium There is general agreement that the workforce and respond to any gaps in the training is a growing community of practice of is not yet where it needs to be in order to and resources available to schools. more than 4,500 schools, settings and realise fully the ambitions of the Children Underpinning these four aims are a number providers that are committed to improving and Families Act 2014 and the work of the of key principles. Firstly, WSS will continue outcomes for children and young people consortium is currently focused on this area. to grow the community of practice to reach with SEND. The consortium is built on the To date, WSS activity has been centred 10,000 schools and settings by March 2020. premise that much of the knowledge, skills on embedding a reflective, review-based To date, much of the work in growing the and resources needed already exist within approach in schools through use of the SEND community of practice has taken place at the system and that the answers can be review tool and a suite of other review tools, a national scale, but through this contract unlocked through effective networking and including a MAT-level review guide and a WSS has been able to appoint 16 regional collaboration between providers, schools, SEND Governance Review guide.

SEND leaders who can look specifically at settings, families, children and young people.

As a direct result, WSS has been growing linking together existing networks within The consortium was founded in 2016 by and developing a community of practice of their regions. All of the regional SEND leaders Anita Kerwin-Nye and was originally hosted schools and settings who are committed are school-based and are seconded out of by the London Leadership Strategy, building to prioritising SEND. Currently, more than school part-time to undertake these roles, on their expertise in school improvement.

4,000 schools have pledged to prioritise similar to the model used for In January 2018, Dr Adam Boddison became SEND and inclusion and this National Leaders of Education. the Chair of WSS and the consortium is number is growing daily.

In This regional now hosted by nasen with strategic partner school‑led approach also University College London’s Institute of SEND Schools April demonstrates one of Education’s Centre for Inclusive Education.

Workforce contract 2018, n the ways in which The consortium represents an important In April 2018, nasen was aw asen WSS is putting money alliance at a critical stage of the SEND reforms was awarded the a r d DfE SEN ed the from this contract with the transition phase now completed and DfE SEND Schools D Scho directly back into policy being developed to embed the reforms.

Workforce contract Wor ols

kforce worth £ contract 3. over tw 4m o years

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKERS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | www.educationbusinessuk.net

The SEND Gateway was originally designed to be a one-stop-shop for the SEND community. This contract will bring together research, resources and best practice from across the sector the school system. Where the DfE have funded activity, WSS will continue to ensure that this available to schools for free.

Secondly, the SEND Schools Workforce contract will build on the previous work of the consortium, which includes sustaining the focus on a review-based, reflective methodology. By supporting high quality reviews and reflective practice, the intention is that schools and settings will increasingly see the rationale for prioritising SEND and inclusion. However, in creating this demand in the system, we need to be mindful that other schools and providers should be ready and willing to offer support where necessary.

This is where the model of a consortium of providers working in partnership with the wider community of practice can be successful as both supply and demand is increased within the system.

Thirdly, the importance of evidence-based provision and a fuller understanding of the drivers, supply and demand for SEND CPD is crucial for the work of the consortium to be effective. For this reason, there is a significant element of research and evaluation activity underpinning with work of WSS.

This will allow us to track key trends and changes over time and to share them with policy makers and the wider sector.

The SEND Gateway will see further development. It was originally DfE-funded and designed to be a one-stop-shop for the SEND community and this contract will bring together research, resources and best practice from across the sector, including the development of a new platform to host the National SENCO Forum.

The suite of review guides developed to date will continue to be available for anybody to download for free and we will be offering reviewer training for our newer guides. We will also be exploring

SEND Education

how well the existing guides work in foundation stage and 6th form settings.

There will also be a number of free conferences hosted by WSS, including research SEND and knowledge exchange conferences for special and mainstream schools. Similarly, we will be providing open-access to a selection of peer-reviewed SEND research as well as a developing a digital induction pack for SENCOs. There will be a review of the learning outcomes of the National SENCO Award as well as a review of mandatory qualifications for specialist impairments.

Dr Adam Boddison, chief executive of nasen and chair of the Whole School SEND (WSS) Consortium

Governance A programme board has been formed to provide governance to work of WSS in relation to the SEND Schools Workforce contract. The board will include representation from schools, providers and parents and will be chaired by somebody with current or contemporary school leadership experience, which is again in line with the school-led approach of WSS. If you would like to become more involved with WSS or nasen, there are a number of ways that you can get involved. You may wish to become a member of nasen (www.nasen.org.uk/why-join) or you can join the WSS community of practice (www.wholeschoolsend.com/ join‑consortium).

You can also visit the SEND Gateway to download the suite of review guides for free, including white-label versions (www.sendgateway.org.uk/send-review).

The success of this work is reliant on both the reach and quality of the community of practice, so please do feel empowered to become more involved by sharing your expertise and by sharing the work of Whole School SEND more broadly through your own local networks to encourage as many schools and providers and possible to take part. It’s time to join up the sector. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.nasen.org.uk

The consortium’s activity The full list of activity to be delivered by the consortium is too lengthy to be included here, but here are the key highlights.

The first is the establishment of a SEND Index. This six-monthly state-of-the-nation report will be produced to provide some key statistical and contextual information about SEND and inclusion in schools in England based on data from the WSS consortium and the wider community of practice.

Volume 23.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

53

Advertisers Index

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26/03/2018 09:24

Supporting administration and improving the learning experience

As schools, colleges and universities attempt the tricky balancing act of cutting costs while improving service levels, more and more are discovering the benefits of deploying Fujitsu scanners in the classroom and administrative offices.

Enhance collaboration, productivity and GDPR compliance.

Fujitsu offers a wide range of scanners, including sheetfed, flatbed and overhead models. Different models are suited to different applications, but all perform the same essential function, the conversion of printed and handwritten information into digital images that can be shared, stored and distributed digitally.

Visit http://emea.fujitsu.com/scanners-in-education to find out more

ScanSnap iX100 ■ Battery powered scanner for

scanning in the classroom, office or at home ■ Wirelessly scan to a cloud account, smart device,notebook or email address ■ Scan small documents such as permission slips or notifications simultaneously ■ Choice of paper paths for flexible operation

ScanSnap iX500

ScanSnap SV600

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■ Scan everyday documents such ■ Overhead contactless scanning ■ Designed for easy & quick ■ ■ ■ ■

as forms & permission slips up to A4 & even A3 Scan colour, double sided & mixed batches of documents Simple in its operation, connection via USB to PC or Mac Intuitive & automated scanning & seamless distribution to a host of destinations such as email Bundled with OCR software for creation of searchable & editable files

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of loose documents up to scanning of small documents A3, bound material & pupil up to A6 ■ Scan items such as a passport, produced material such as ID card, driving license or craft items Simple one button approach, small slip ■ Scan in colour or black & compatible with both PC & Mac Continuous scanning possible white, can be optionally with page turning detection & powered by USB ■ Small footprint for installation timed scanning Automated image enhancement in any environment Bundled with OCR software for creation of searchable & editable files

Please scan here for a YouTube hosted video featuring teachers talking about using scanners and the benefits of them in the classroom and for admin