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ISSUE 24.5

Business Information for Education Decision Makers EDTECH

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www.educationbusinessuk.net

A member of

ISSUE 24.5

Business Information for Education Decision Makers EDTECH

DRAMA

CYBER SECURITY

DESIGN & BUILD

THE BEST APPROACH TO SCHOOL DESIGN Designing from the inside out to fit the needs of learners and teachers

Cherry Hinton School, Cambridge © Daniel Shearing Photographer

Getting ready for technical qualifications Perhaps in reaction to Brexit, the government is serious about up-skilling the nation so that we have a future workforce with sector-specific skills. As 2020 approaches, the government is stepping up promotion of T-Levels – the new technical qualification. The courses, which will be equivalent to three A Levels, have been developed in collaboration with employers so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares students for work. To increase awareness of the new qualifications, the government has launched a campaign called ‘NexT Level’, which will feature across social media, on-demand television, posters and other digital platforms. There will also be a new website so that GCSE students next year will have all the information they need. The DfE has also provided an extra £120 million to open an Institute of Technology in every part of the country to provide university-level technical qualifications.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

Engineering is one of the sectors that suffers a skills shortage. To tackle this, there needs to be an increase in the diversity of students on STEM education pathways. EngineeringUK explains ways to achieve this on page 85. Angela Pisanu, editor

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Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Contents

Contents Education Business 24.5 23

07 News

61 Sport

15 Academies

65 Childhood Obesity

Bursaries for chemistry, physics and modern foreign language teachers; Teenage mental health targeted in £35m research programme; Campaign launched to increase knowledge of T-Levels before 2020 start Academy trusts are at the centre of the government’s plans for a self-improving school system. But trust leaders often talk about the ‘growing pains’ associated with effectively recruiting and incorporating new schools. Nicola West Jones, head of market research at The Key, teases out some issues facing trust leaders

With many parents reporting a poor food culture in their children’s schools, what can schools do to ensure their pupils are nurtured in a healthy food environment? Barbara Crowther, co-ordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign, shares some ideas

23 Design & Build

Are you involved in a new school building project? Irena Barker investigates the best approach to create exceptional results

When it comes to a child’s sugar consumption, SUGARWISE looks at what’s legally required, what Ofsted inspectors look for, and how the SUGARWISE scheme works?

29 Modular Building

73 School Trips

Sponsored by

The prospect of undertaking a modular building project can be daunting, therefore ESPO has created this guide and a time-saving procurement framework to help schools and academies navigate the modular building world

30 Security

Former-superintendent Nick Davies shares his experience of dealing with youth violence, gangs, county lines, anti-social behaviour and property crimes in schools

35 Fire Safety

With hundreds of schools having a fire each year, the fact that fewer than one in six new schools have a sprinker system is worrying. Iain Cox from the Business Sprinkler Alliance explains

40 Play 81

Research by the Association of Play Industries (API) shows that parents are increasingly concerned about the shift from outdoor play to indoor screen time. API Chair Mark Hardy explores the effect the decline in public playgrounds is having on children and the role schools can play in minimising the impact

45 IT & Technology

Earlier this year, three government departments outlined a new plan for school sport and tackling inactivity. With a further update promised later this year, children’s charity Youth Sport Trust gives guidance on what you need to know

51 IT & Technology

The process of plugging the digital skills gap should begin at school in order for students to learn and understand the requirements of the digital world of work, writes Sheila Flavell, Chair of the Institute of Coding’s industry advisory board

57 Cyber Security

In September, edtech charity LGfL published the results of its audit into school cyber security. Mark Bentley, LGfL safeguarding and cybersecurity manager, shares the findings of the report

Education Business magazine

69 Catering

When planned well, school trips give students unrivalled opportunities to learn in the real world, enable them to grow in confidence and self-belief and can lead to better engagement when back in the classroom. Justine Lee from the School Travel Forum gives five tips for successful trip planning

77 Outdoor Learning

Access to nature provides both physical and mental health benefits, as well as allowing children to develop confidence, resilience and an increased focus for learning. Becky O’Melia, engagement manager at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust shares way to make the most of the outdoors

81 Drama

There is a risk that subjects such as drama and art may be side-lined in schools. But with creativity sought after by employers, Paula Hamilton from the National Theatre explores how schools can ensure pupils benefit from drama and theatre production

85 STEM

What can schools and educators do to break down the barriers for getting more girls and people from BAME backgrounds staying on STEM education pathways?

89 Winter Safety

The winter season is a major challenge for schools when it comes to health and safety. Fiona Riley, chair of the Education Group of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), examines the issues and how they can be overcome

93 Procurement

This article is designed to provide an understanding of how franchisees and sub-contractors work within the procurement consultancy industry and within the education sector

www.educationbusinessuk.net Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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News

TEACHER PAY

Bursaries for chemistry, physics and modern foreign language teachers Trainee teachers in maths, chemistry, physics and modern foreign languages can get up to £35,000 in bursaries during training and the first four years of their career. They can get up to £26,000 during training, with an additional £6,000 to be paid across the first four years of their career, from 2020/21. For those working in high need areas, these additional payments will rise to £9,000. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “The inspirational role of a talented,

dedicated and committed teacher can never be understated and is the one constant that all of us can remember from our time at school. “I want both the brightest and the best talent to be drawn to the teaching profession and for schools to compete with the biggest employers in the labour market. “The bursaries we are announcing, along with the 2.75 per cent pay rise for all teachers and school leaders this academic year, will do just that, while ensuring that those who

stay in the classroom will benefit most.” Trainee teachers in Art & Design and Business Studies are also set to benefit from new bursaries of £9,000. The DfE reviews bursaries each year, taking account of both recruitment to date and the future need for teachers in each subject. READ MORE tinyurl.com/y4uh2adp

MENTAL HEALTH

QUALIFICATIONS

Teenage mental health targeted in £35m research programme

Campaign launched to increase knowledge of T-Levels before 2020 start

A new £35 million government‑backed research programme aims to give more support to teenagers battling with mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, self-harm and eating disorders. Academics will look at external tensions and genetics to ensure mental health problems are being treated as effectively as possible at this crucial age, while the brain is still developing. It is hoped the project could lead to early identification of vulnerable young people in schools and health services and better diagnosis, while exploring what makes some teenagers more susceptible to conditions than others. The findings from this research could potentially reduce instances of anti-social behaviour, substance abuse or low educational attainment. Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “Our teenage years can be the most fantastic of our life. But there are those for whom the teenage years

are the most difficult. We know that in the UK, three quarters of those that will experience mental health problems will do so before they turn 24. “The £35 million governmentbacked research programme we are announcing will look to better understand why so many teenagers face mental health problems, and how we can better support, detect and treat them.” Promoting healthy behaviours, the new programme will benefit from £35 million over its five-year duration and will look at how youngsters interact with the world, their biological background, their social relationships and achievements at school. It is open to Higher Education Institutes, businesses and Public Sector Research Schemes for involvement – building a national capability across the UK. READ MORE tinyurl.com/yxzd4zrl

The government has launched a campaign to ensure young people have the information they need to apply for the first T Levels starting in September 2020. T Levels are technical equivalents to A levels and have been co-created with employers so that they provide the knowledge and skills industry need. Called ‘NexT Level’, the campaign will feature across social media, on-demand television, posters and other digital platforms. There will also be a new website so that young people preparing to take their GCSEs next summer, and starting to consider their next steps, will have all the information they need to choose the path that is right for them. The government has also published its latest T Level Action Plan which confirms the details of the remaining 15 T Levels – to be introduced from 2022 and 2023 – as well as the selection criteria for providers wishing to deliver T Levels in 2022

There will be 25 T Levels in total which are being phased in over the next four years. The first three T Levels in Digital, Education and Childcare and Construction will be taught from September 2020 at selected schools, colleges and other further education providers across England. An additional seven will be rolled out from 2021, which includes three in Health and Science. T Levels in Legal, Finance & Accounting, Engineering & Manufacturing and Business & Administration will be introduced from 2022. From 2023, T Levels in Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care, Creative and Design, Hair and Beauty and Catering and Hospitality will also be available. READ MORE tinyurl.com/yxvreplf

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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News

TESTS

Adjust children’s test scores by age to tackle disadvantage Leading academics have urged for children’s test scores to be adjusted according to their age to tackle the disadvantage suffered by pupils born in the summer. In a new guidebook for teachers by Lee Elliot Major, Professor of Social Mobility at the University of Exeter, and Steve Higgins, Professor of Education at Durham University, it argues that the ‘summerborn disadvantage’ must be addressed to ensure equality in schools. Expected levels of progress would apply to a particular age rather than a particular point in time. Data shows that people born between June and August do poorer at school on average than their autumn-born classmates, as well as being more likely to have special

educational needs, to have lower selfesteem, and fall into risky behaviour. The book, What Works? Research and Evidence for Successful Teaching, also says that teachers should talk about the maturity of pupils when discussing their progress with parents, recommending that teachers should adjust any academic or sporting selection to take into account the different ages and physical development of children. Major said: “Analysis shows summer born pupils are behind their peers, and this continues throughout their time at school. There are far more autumn-born pupils in the top streams and the oldest pupils in the class are more likely to be selected for gifted and talented programmes. Teachers

must consider maturity when grouping children into sets or classes according to their achievement, and when marking. We hope this will address this unequal situation, which effects so many classrooms and children across the country.”

AIR QUALITY

CURRICULUM

Free electric vehicle charge point offer for schools

All pupils should study RE and RSE in the new Welsh curriculum

Up to thirty primary schools in highly polluted parts of the UK are being given the opportunity to claim a free 7kW Pod Point charging point and installation, worth over £1,200. Successful schools taking up the offer from Pod Point’s Electric Schools campaign will also benefit from an educational toolkit. What’s more, the company’s in-house experts will visit schools nationwide to introduce the technology and deliver guest speaker sessions of electric vehicles Please visit the link down below for more information.

The Welsh Government has launched a consultation seeking views on plans to ensure all children have access to the full curriculum, including Religious Education and Relationships and Sexuality Education. Education Minister Kirsty Williams has said that she is ‘minded to ensure all children and young people are required to study RE and RSE in the new curriculum’ as opposed to the current practice where parents can prevent their children from attending RE and RSE lessons. In doing so, children can be provided with ‘access to information that keeps them safe from harm and allows them to navigate the world in which we live’. As such, the Welsh Government has

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Liceo Europa, Zaragoza, Spain © Kim Wendt for Rosan Bosch Studio

How to approach school design

“A learning environment needs to be a reflection of the culture, the values and the ethos of the school. Usually, not enough attention is paid to this at the starting point of the design process.” Architects, designers, authorities and school staff need to work together to reach a “learning brief” — a definition of how Are you involved in a new school building project? Irena Barker the school will approach learning and teaching. With this as a starting point, he investigates the best approach to create exceptional results says, those involved become true “partners” in the process, enabling them to ”The design of schools is one of the most and founder of the Gratnells come up with innovative and important areas of architecture, because it can Learning Rooms Project. transformational solutions. Archite cts have one of the greatest impacts on shaping Dissatisfaction can “Once you’ve done n eed to lives. Yet, as an area of architectural practice, it come from many that there needs to be b fully inv e has never received the attention it deserves.” places, he explains, more detailed discussion o to unde lved The influential Dutch architect Herman from the colour of about how you intend Hertzberger highlights this issue in his the walls to missing to organise children in the fun rstand d introduction to a new book released essential items in those new spaces; how a m en about t by Laurence King Publishing on 21st science labs such you intend to organise he learntals October, Planning Learning Spaces. as sinks and fume the whole school,” he commu i n nity the g Hertzberger, who has devoted his career cupboards. A lack says. “Are you going are des y to creating innovative workplaces, cultural of communication to work in teams? Are igning and educational buildings, is clearly still or a poorly drawn up you going to work across f or frustrated by the relatively lowly position of brief can lead to these year groups? How much school design on the architectural agenda. problems, says Hudson, specialist space, how much While £50m schools designed by trendy who stresses the importance generic space will you need?” architects have received much press in the of taking a collaborative approach. Charettes – workshops where all past, the reality is: many new schools and stakeholders gather to come up with design refurbishments are distinctly off-the-peg and Moving away from ideas and solutions to particular problems — give little thought to the individual needs and one-size fits all can be a mainstay of the consultation process, desires of the staff and pupils inhabiting them. Terry White, co-editor of the book and White says. He is keen to point out that this “I see teachers less than satisfied with chair of the Association for Learning participatory approach to architectural design the results of the new buildings and Environments UK, explains that above need not be time consuming or expensive. refurbishments they’ve had. They feel they all, architects need to be fully involved to “It can be done relatively quickly,” he weren’t consulted or listened to and they have understand the fundamentals about the says. The climate at the moment is that ended up with an environment which doesn’t learning community they are designing for. consultation takes too long and is too optimise learning and teaching,” says Murray There needs to be, he stresses, a move away complicated and the process will be slowed Hudson, co-editor of Planning Learning Spaces from the approach of “one size fits all”. up, but we are keen to bust this myth.” E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Trumpington Community College © Avanti Architects and Jack Hobhouse

for different activities. They also included the extent to which children could create a sense of ownership of their own classroom, such as display of work on the walls and name labels on pegs.

Research has shown that it is vital that heat, light, air and acoustics are good in a school environment to optimise learning  An example of good practice, White says, can be seen at Trumpington Community College in Cambridge, UK, a project that brings together a secondary school, a dedicated unit for students with autism and a community sports facility. Avanti Architects say that collaborative research between the design consultants, the client team and the wider community played a crucial part in the design and organisation of the building. An extensive collaborative design process led to the school site being far more physically open for community use. It is free of boundary fencing with the lecture theatre located near the main entrance to allow for it to be booked by groups from outside school. Sports facilities too are open for public use. “The investment in time provided a design that is highly tailored to the needs of the school and the local community,” says Amir Ramezani, Avanti’s director. So much for the principles of good collaboration in school design, but what of the design itself? Firstly, designers must not forget to get the basics right. Research has shown that it is vital that heat, light, air and acoustics are good in a school environment, to optimise learning. In his 2015 Holistic Evidence and Design

study, Professor Peter Barrett concluded that classroom design accounted for 16 per cent of the variation in the learning progress of primary school children over a year. The study concluded that factors such as light, temperature and air quality accounted for about half of the impact on learning. But around a quarter of the difference was down to “individualisation” factors. These included to what extent the spaces were flexible, allowing break out spaces

Design & Build

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Re-thinking education Expert contributors to Planning Learning Spaces stress that designing or refurbishing a school can be a perfect opportunity for schools to rethink the kind of education they want to provide. Are educators happy to continue to provide traditional, didactic forms of teaching and learning – those best suited to simple modular classrooms off a corridor? This timehonoured method can ensure students pass the gate-keeping exams they need to do well in life. Or would a more innovative approach, designed to help children think for themselves, lead their own learning, collaborate and problem solve be more appropriate for life in the modern world? Educational guru Sir Ken Robinson says great schools should help a child develop “physically, socially, cognitively, emotionally and spiritually” throughout their education. Ensuring this is one of the “creative challenges in contemporary education,” he writes. “The design process must work from the inside out, and evolve by looking at what motivates and empowers learners and teachers,” Danish architect Rosan Bosch writes in the book. She adds: “Although there are many constantly evolving learning methods, no one learns well by being continuously in the same mode – for example, sitting at a desk receiving one-way information. Instead, each learner needs to access a variety of learning environments and situations which engage both the mind and the body. Students’ learning needs differ according to the tasks in question, the time of day and whether it is an individual assignment, group project or a more practical learning activity.” Her own Rosan Bosch Studio takes inspiration from the futurist David Thornburg whose “primordial metaphors for learning” describe learning in terms of the features of a prehistoric landscape. Here, “caves” provide sheltered spaces for concentrating, “campfire” areas allow discussion and storytelling, and “watering holes” allow for informal learning. E

Skolen i Sydhavnen, Copenhagen © Gratnells

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

The future is in good hands

Today’s children and teens are the engineers of the future... They are also the architects, politicians and teachers, the next generation of writers and artists, potential movers and shakers that will affect and influence others. Our responsibility then, should be to make every effort to enable them to achieve their full, unique potential. To do this, we have to ensure youngsters’ comfort and well-being throughout their formative years and beyond. The cornerstone to this is comfortable seating. But no two children are the same size or shape; and often an individual has special postural requirements.

Thankfully, the days of hard-back, wooden school pews are a thing of the past. Ergonomic, paediatric seating is now available on a unique madeto-measure basis, designed specifically for children and teens with postural issues or disabilities. For the first time, Kids’ chairs can adapt to changing and growing needs. This helps enable independence and engagement by relieving issues with pressure and mobility. Individual seating, with unlimited customisation possibilities provides postural support, making functional activities easier.

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technology at the Association for Learning Environments, UK. “It is important that technology is knitted into the fabric of school design – an unremarkable yet essential element,” he writes in the book. Gone are the days when technology was dependent on large items of furniture and dictated the organisation of a room. He writes: “A learning space needs to be enabled by technology, not driven by it and this static approach is redundant. Technology is now mobile, flexible and cheap.” “Today’s devices, whether carried in a pocket or worn around a wrist, are infinitely more powerful than the hardware used to send mankind to the moon in the

Design & Build

 Outdoor areas Bosch also stresses the importance of outdoor space, especially at pre-school level. She writes: “If the learning environment incorporates the outside space, it allows the students the opportunity to be more creative. They get the freedom to construct, build and adapt their learning space — either in reality or using their imagination. The interior learning space must be connected to the outdoor areas, so the choice to go outside is always available. The variety of environments will motivate and inspire pre-school students to think differently about maths or learning languages.” Designers must also consider the design and positioning of specialist spaces for sports, the performing arts and creative subjects. Importantly, if a school is trying to integrate these subjects across the whole curriculum designers must consider the implication for the design and positioning of such spaces. Libraries also are a bone of contention and many options are available. Do designers choose to keep them as distinct “resource areas” or do they decide they are now redundant, choosing to offer access to their resources at different points across the school? Finally, it is important to consider technology and how it will be incorporated into the school. Rather than an afterthought, it should be at the forefront of designers’ thinking from the start, writes headteacher Gary Spracklen, who is chair of education

Cherry Hinton School, Cambridge © Daniel Shearing Photographer

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1960s. Digital technology now permeates everything we do and dominates the world of work. It is not unreasonable, therefore, to expect school design to adapt to this changing world and make the most of opportunities this technology offers.” L

Planning Learning Spaces is published on 21st October 2019 by Laurence King Publishing. Available at all good bookshops and at laurenceking.com, RRP £24.99. FURTHER INFORMATION www.laurenceking.com

Bespoke modular classrooms add up for schools, Steven Docking at Elite Systems explains

As schools prepare for the new year, business managers are looking ahead to classroom provision for the 2020/21 year – and with education budgets still under pressure, schools need a costeffective and time-efficient solution. Modular construction is a popular option for education facilities looking to add to or upgrade their classroom space. Modular classrooms are built off-site before being craned into position and finished on-site, allowing for a speed of construction that can’t be achieved with traditional building methods. While speed is important, it’s not the only reason to choose a modular classroom: it can also help save administration

time, offer financial benefits, and make the best possible use of space. Often there is a misconception that modular classrooms are only available in a basic box shape, which might deter schools with limited space. However, at Elite Systems, we offer fully bespoke design and build services that allow even greater design flexibility, enabling schools to utilise free space of any shape and size to accommodate a classroom – even tricky-to-access areas like courtyards and quadrangles. Modular classrooms are available in single, double or treble-storey structures, with the option for bespoke features such as higher ceilings, solar panels, unusual floorplans: the options are almost limitless. What’s more, Crown Commercial Services recently announced the new Modular Building Solutions RM6014 framework, which is designed to simplify the specification and procurement of modular education buildings. Companies on the framework have already gone through a rigorous OJEU-compliant tender process which allows them to create an early collaborative working environment and to add true value from the very outset. Schools have the reassurance of working

with a contractor guaranteed to be able to meet the needs of the project, whilst spending less time and money on the bidding process overall. Ultimately, working with a company on a framework agreement reduces the risk, lowers costs and saves time. The CCS framework also covers leasing arrangements as well as outright purchasing, which can help further reduce the risk of procuring a new classroom based on the next year’s pupil intake numbers. Elite Systems works with Axis Leasing, meaning that academies and local authority schools can use approved operating leases for finance, allowing them to spread the cost of a building over a nine -year period. With a flexibility that goes beyond the construction process, bespoke modular buildings are the ideal fit for schools that want to save time and money. To find out more about Elite Systems, visit the website below, or follow Elite on Twitter and on Linkedin. FURTHER INFORMATION elitesystemsgb.co.uk Twitter: @EliteSystemsLtd Linkedin: Elite Systems GB

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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To find more information and to book a demonstration, please contact your local dealer. www.ransomes.com

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The prospect of undertaking a modular building project can be daunting, therefore ESPO has created this guide and a timesaving procurement framework to help schools and academies navigate the modular building world The phrase ‘modular building’ may not bring the most pleasant images to mind – a clinical, cold, closed space filled with drafts, cracks and constant instability. All rickety steps and wrong temperatures (too hot in the summer, never ever warm enough in the winter), but thankfully the passage of time means that future generations won’t view their ‘mobile classrooms’ in the same vein. Today’s modular buildings still include all the benefits that the old-fashioned ‘mobile classrooms’ had; a relatively pain free, quick and easy expansion of the premises in a cost-effective manner. However, now they are far more comfortable and encompass a more modern, practical and eye-catching design quality. The prospect of undertaking such a project can be daunting, and understandably so, therefore here at ESPO, we have created this guide and a time-saving procurement framework to help schools and academies navigate the muddled waters of the modular building world. What is a modular building? Manufactured in a factory environment, they are then constructed off site to a desired specification, before being transported to the final destination for erection by an on-site installation team. This is unlike traditional buildings, where all the materials are transported to site for on-site labourers and tradespeople to complete the construction using more traditional building methods. What are the benefits of using a modular building? So why should you choose a modular building over a traditional extension? Well one of the most stand out benefits for schools and academies is that they are, of course, significantly cheaper – a big bonus at the moment, where schools are so pushed to stretch their budgets. With capital expenditure closely monitored and additional funds in short supply, this makes this type of building incredibly

popular for many in an educational setting. However, there is more than just cost to consider. The bounty of other benefits may also appeal and help swing the balance in favour of a modular building. The flexibility of the current modular systems is impressive and the buildings themselves all the more so. Modular builds are classed as ‘prefabricated’ buildings for the purpose of differentiating from regular buildings, but they are a world away from the stereotype that may come to mind. Today, they are modern, light-filled spaces, all properly insulated, and are airy yet strong, reliable structures. Even the way they are constructed might help contribute to your school or academies’ environmental goals, which is an often underrecognised and underappreciated benefit. In summary, there are many advantages of choosing a modular building, including their speedy delivery and assembly, which equals less infringement on the campus, a reduced impact of construction on-site and a lower chance of delays due to the unfortunate British weather. Factory conditions ensure a higher quality of product; workers operate in a comfortable environment where they can closely monitor the construction process throughout. Waste (and subsequently cost) is minimised as material supplies are easier to control, and virtually all waste is recycled. Manufacture of the modules can begin while foundations are being prepared on site, significantly speeding up the build. Finally, modular builds are easy to expand and can be relocated. How can ESPO help? Schools looking to buy, or even hire, modular buildings, could do well to consider ESPO’s Modular Buildings Framework (953). In developing this framework, the specialist procurement team have conducted a wide market assessment and as part of its conception completed lots of engagement with potential customers to fully understand the needs of your schools and academies, along with other

Modular Buildings

Understanding modular buildings

public body organisations. This has resulted in a comprehensive procurement framework which includes many of the leading providers and well-respected suppliers on the market. The reality is that there is a myriad range of building options for you to choose from – a whole metaphorical chocolate box, where they all look the same but have completely different fillings. And this is where ESPO can help you sort the caramel from the praline. Our framework, like a chocolate connoisseur, sorts out the endless options into five key building types – one of these ‘lots’ is education. The other four comprise of healthcare, catering, accommodation and ‘other’, the aim of which is to cover virtually all popular modular building eventualities. Within the framework, we can provide you with further flexibility with the option to either hire or buy outright. If you are fairly clear about what type of building you need and whether you need to hire or buy something, then the framework’s easy-to-access direct award process is a fast and simple route to purchase. Our handy User Guide can help you navigate this process so that orders can be placed with suppliers, using our pre-agreed pricing and terms and conditions, to ensure that you benefit from ESPO’s buying power. The framework can also help with more tailored needs via its further competition process. Perhaps you’re looking for a unique design, or have unusual requirements or setting that needs to be accommodated? If you do, we can provide a template document to help you run a further competition and guidance to ease you through the process. Furthermore, to help you get the result best suited to your needs, our specialist procurement team are only a phone call away and always more than happy to help. Furnishings and equipment Now that you’ve got your building sorted out, what next? Another endless maze of thousands of options - do you want the lime green chairs or burnt orange? And is it better to have a whiteboard and a touchscreen board or just one? This is where our Furniture and Equipment Projects (F&E) team can help. They have years of experience working with schools to deliver projects on time and on budget. They also understand that just like turning a house into a home takes more than simply bricks and mortar, making a warm, supportive, welcoming learning space takes so much more than four walls. Our team of experts can provide advice and support, free of charge, for furniture and equipment projects covering key areas including: Budget control; Product selection and ordering; Timings and deadlines; Delivery and installation; and Procurement compliance. Using their strong supplier links and industry expertise, our team can help manage your project workflow to ensure all aspects run smoothly from the first laid brick to the first step in the door. So, whether it’s a classroom refit or a whole school refurbishment, trust ESPO to support you every step of the way. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.espo.org/Spotlight/News-AndArticles/2019/Modular-Building-Solutions

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Security Written by Nick Davies, security operations manager, King’s Cross Estate Services

Modern security issues facing schools Former-superintendent Nick Davies shares his experience of dealing with youth violence, gangs, county lines, anti-social behaviour and property crimes in schools Having a stable and safe school is what a head teacher and police officer will have in common. I am College Chair of Governors and married to a headteacher, so safe education is a daily conversation in my household. Since leaving the police, I now work for Allied Universal as a security operations manager on the Kings Cross Estate. The principles for dealing with the unexpected that I used in the police are still valid for delivering a safe 67 Acre site in Kings Cross. The site benefits from its own security team, medics and a state-of-the-art control room; very much its own police service. I believe what I learnt from schools is what we deliver here; lots of communication with stakeholders and always trying and learn to do it better. A police officer will always have in their mind when they joined to help and protect people. As a Governor I want my students to learn in a safe environment, I know its high on the agenda for the Principle, staff and Governors. I ask that the staff review procedures, test them and systems are modern and utilised. Balancing the wider Borough policing with individual issues is a challenge. Broadly speaking, concerns are youth violence, gangs, County lines, anti-social behaviour and property crimes at the school. Once priorities are set the tasking of school’s officers dovetails nicely. Anti-social behaviour Anti-social behaviour, especially at the end of the school day, is a recurring policing challenge. Headteachers are often concerned about reputation of the school, many will post teachers to school gates, bus stops and town centres to monitor behaviour of the students. Safer schools’ officers will focus on what the students fear, where they feel unsafe and their needs. They spread themselves thinly, utilise neighbourhood teams and transport teams to show a presence. Predicting when and where an inter school confrontation will take place, can be difficult to be prepared for. The best officers have relationships with students and staff allowing them to pick up snippets of information. Schools which focus on keeping potential risks outside the premises can easily forget about risks that may occur from within. The local authority will scan all overnight information that may be pertinent to the school, examples will be where siblings have become involved in violence, overnight domestic violence and children coming to notice. They in turn sanitise the information in order to brief head teachers.

This allows a more holistic support for the student and better information flow. Communication is vital Security starts with good communication with head teachers and staff within the local authority. Each school is unique, sees the threat in a different way and wants a different service from the police. Working with the local authority, we made our “promise” that we can provide a consistent, sustainable and regular police education programme to every Islington school via our Safer Schools Officers. The school through their named schools’ officer can choose to deliver whatever element they wish. The programme is also continuous and evolving as does the threat to schools. The County lines and violence agenda has risen and so has the input and response. The School Engagement Programme is not set in stone and the Safer Schools Officers can adapt or add sessions to meet the needs of the school, its pupils and especially in response to an incident – working alongside the school’s own designated safeguarding lead. Schoo I felt if the police can which f ls o deliver and engage then on keep cus Criminal justice any specific conversations ing potentia system for the first become easier. This was the pre l risks outside time. These young delivered in every school mises c people are the in Islington, even those a n ea forget a ones attending the schools who were initially bout ris sily ks that ma schools. Islington’s not too sure have engaged. yo Integrated Gang Team As the police command from w ccur (IGT) was established in merged into Camden so ithin January 2016. It’s a joint has the school’s program. police and local authority The Safer Schools Officers have team with a wide range of all received “presentation skills” professional and commissioned training and other training from the Op services including social workers, case Trident Engagement Team to ensure we’re workers, probation, clinical psychologist offering and presenting quality sessions. (NHS), Victim Support, St Giles Trust, and Our Safer Schools Officers are in the process Abianda (Girls & Young Women’s Service). of meeting with every head teacher on the The co-location of the team makes it borough to personally make this offer, senior easier to share appropriate intelligence officer will attend head teacher meeting and information and to co-ordinate a and discuss wider threats such as gang swift response. This helps the police with violence that are occurring on the Borough. enforcement – where this is needed – as One of Islington’s greatest strengths in well as helping to make sure that the keeping schools and young people safe safeguarding needs of children and young is its Integrated gangs’ team. London has people at risk of gang involvement are suffered high levels of knife crime whilst addressed and that they are getting Islington remained relatively stable. offered the right services and support to enable them to choose a different path. The role of prevention work The team was set up to work with Significant prevention work is helping to young people identified through sharing reduce youth crime with a reduction of of intelligence known to be involved with numbers of young people entering the

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

Security

gangs but in 2018 this has been extended to work with those young people who professionals consider are vulnerable to gang affiliation. This could be because of their friendship group or because they have a family member already involved. The IGT has a high level of expertise and skill sharing is an important aspect of the work, for example the clinical psychologist works with young people but also supports the team to develop appropriate and meaningful approaches suited to young people who have been involved in gang lifestyles. They work with young people holistically to support them in housing, health, employment and education and are continually developing new ways to address with young people the consequences for them of getting involved with gang and violent crime in order to deter them. The team also focuses on prevention work through leading on the delivery of gang prevention and knife crime awareness work in schools and offering consultancy to other professionals working with young people. At risk of gang-involvement The IGT has worked with 113 young people during 2017/18 including those at risk of gang involvement and victims. 25 young

Predicting when and where an inter-school confrontation will take place, can be difficult to be prepared for. The best officers have relationships with students and staff allowing them to pick up snippets of information to help them prepare people successfully exited gangs during 2017/18 through a range of support and engagement in education and employment opportunities. The work of the IGT continues to have strong support from senior managers, schools and councillors. They work across the council, police, health and the range of agencies working together across Islington is making a difference to young peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives and the beginning to have an impact on reducing gang related violence in Islington. One of the constants are weapons sweeps in and around schools; we are always open about what we are doing and ask the community to join in. Schools expect to see officers poking around in flower beds and in nooks and crannies; it has very much become the norm.

Analysis of where we find things and the links to gang territories, all knife seizure mapped and hotspots further analysed, where proximity to schools was drawn out and further searches and engagement undertaken. This analysis was based on 1,465 weapons sweeps carried out by schools, neighbourhood and gangsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; officers. Forty-nine positive outcomes mean this can be hard work with little visible reward, but officers never lose sight that this is a preventative measure. Many other things such as drugs, dangerous items and stolen property are also recovered. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.security-institute.org

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Jacksons Fencing provide a range of perimeter security solutions and products including anti-climb mesh and vandal-proof pannelling to ensure safety and protection of school sites

Background Established in 2007, Hope View Independent School in Chilham near Canterbury is a boys only institution that works with 7-18 year olds who have emotional, social, behavioural and learning difficulties. In 2010 the school expanded with the building of two new classrooms, allowing them to offer up to 40 children a better chance at receiving the tailored education they require for their additional needs. Today, the school has a capacity of 60, and currently caters for 45 pupils. The school is situated in a logistically challenging area; just off a major transport route, and along the same road as the train station. The adjacent road is often busy with cars that use the road for overflow parking for the station, making road safety a primary concern for the school. In 2017 there were 15,721 child casualties reported as a result of road accidents in the UK, 37 per cent of which were pedestrians, so the need for robust perimeter fencing was essential to keep the pupils safely within the school grounds during open hours.

keeping staff, students and equipment safe and secure from unauthorised visitors, and reducing the risk of break-ins during times when the school is closed. Securi-Mesh® is a secure anti-climb mesh fence system that uses panels of climb resistant mesh designed with small apertures and welds at each intersection which prevents foot and finger holds, deterring truancy as well as unauthorised access. The new run of fencing is in addition to the existing standard steel palisade fencing around the train station, which was identified by the school as not offering sufficient security. Jacksons also installed a matching single leaf Securi-Mesh® gate which has the same properties as the fencing, ensuring an often overlooked aspect of perimeter security does not become a weak or vulnerable access point in the boundary. At the main entrance of the school, Jacksons supplied EuroGuard® Regular fencing

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Independent special school provides safety and security for pupils and gates as an alternative style of mesh fencing to Securi-Mesh®. EuroGuard® Regular is a popular choice for schools thanks to its welded mesh design that offers security and durability. The mesh fencing also provides a more aesthetically appealing and welcoming appearance than Securi‑Mesh®, which is a high priority in the design of main entrances for schools. The wider apertures in the ‘V’ shaped mesh profile means there is high visibility through the fence from the school, which is important when a school boundary meets with a public road or area as it provides optimal line of sight for teachers and guardians to identify any threats or dangers in the surrounding area. EuroGuard® Regular also features Jacksons unique vandal-proof panel to post fixings, keeping the school secure against threats such as break-ins and vandalism. Both types of fencing were coated with RAL6005 green polyester powder coating at Jacksons powder coating plant in Ashford, Kent. In addition to the two types of steel security fencing, the school opted for traditional timber Featherboard fencing around the outside of the car park, with the rails facing outwards to give the school the ‘good side’ of the fence. Jacksons supplied matching double leaf swing gates, which have 180° opening allowing cars and emergency vehicles easy access. All timber and steel fencing and gates used in the project come with an extensive 25 year guarantee, providing a long‑term, sustainable solution. The school can now focus on providing education for their pupils without worrying about perimeter security and budgets. L FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 408 1359 www.jacksons-security.co.uk

Solution Jacksons Fencing supplied and installed 20 metres of Securi-Mesh® 358 fencing in a height of 2.44m to replace the existing fence line that ran alongside the train station platform and track. A security fence was chosen for this area of the school grounds, as it was important to ensure that the large crowds that populate the platforms during peak hours were kept separated,

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

SPECIALIST INSTALLER

Fire Safety Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance

Making the case for sprinker systems in schools

Sprinklers make the grade Ensuring the safety of a building’s occupants is considered the bare minimum under current regulations, but it is clearly not the optimal outcome. A sprinkler system, such as the one that has been recently installed at a new £10 million primary school close to Glasgow, will protect both the occupants and the building as well as significantly reduce the potential disruption to the students’ school life in a fire event. St Nicholas’ Primary School has been delivered in partnership with hub West Scotland and East Dunbartonshire Council. With hundreds of schools having a fire each year, the fact that The new School in Bearsden has enabled fewer than one in six new schools have a sprinker system is the co-location of two former schools, St worrying. Iain Cox from the Business Sprinkler Alliance explains Andrews Primary School and St Joseph’s Primary School. Designed for 450 students, In a month which saw over 10 million The impact of a school fire the 3008m2 building includes 17 flexible and students and their teachers return to school, School fires have a devastating impact on open classrooms, a 316m2 it is important to remind ourselves of the both a school and a community. Measures hall, outdoor learning immense impact education has on our such as sprinklers drastically reduce the areas as well as play We society and the substantial amount of time, amount of damage done when there areas and a 3G spend f a resources and money spent on improving is a fire, and enable schools to get synthetic pitch. r m ore reb the quality of education in our schools. But up-and-running quickly, reducing The design of u ild and rep sadly, fewer than one in six new schools the cost, both economically this exemplar airing s ing chools have been built with sprinkler systems and socially, to the public. school has after fir installed. With hundreds of schools in the In April of this year, the Selsey seen fire would es than we have pa UK having a fire each year, this alarming Academy opened the doors sprinklers id to install s statistic once again only emphasises that to its rebuilt premises after installed p rinkle money spent on dealing with the aftermath a fire devastated the original, throughout the firs rs in of fires should be being spent on sprinklers. unsprinklered school in August the two-storey t The ridiculous thing is that we spend far 2016. In the interim, pupils were building, inplace more rebuilding and repairing schools after taught in temporary classrooms in four line with Scottish fires than we would have paid to install locations in the Selsey area and then in Building Standards for sprinklers in the first place. The statistics temporary classrooms, until the new school was non-domestic buildings. The tell us that the trend of fires is down but completed. It is somewhat surprising, indeed building is protected by a total of 409 the costs of recovery are going up, and baffling, to learn that the new £13.4 million sprinkler heads, with the exception of the plant, these fires still impact tens of thousands of school has been rebuilt without sprinklers. boiler and biomass rooms which feature early students. Buildings will be inspected, rebuilt This is another case of value engineering, detection systems. The sprinklers are concealed and renewed – the average large school fire where the cost of installing sprinklers in ceiling voids and the entire system is fed by now causes over £2 million worth of damage has been cut out without any idea of a water storage tank and electric fire pump according to the Fire Protection Association. the potential impact. Surely, it is better which is located in the school’s service yard. Not all is borne by insurance, the shortfall to protect the asset, so you don’t have Designed to meet the Ordinary Hazard Group must be recouped from the public purse. disruption and the lost opportunity? 1(OH1) classification within BS 12845:2004, E

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 the sprinkler system has a discharge density of 5mm/min/m2 over a maximum area of operation of 72m2 for 30 minutes duration. The automatic sprinkler system will protect this school, both in terms of life and also property. By preventing large fires, sprinklers also protect the environment by avoiding CO2 emissions, reducing excess water use by the fire brigade and eliminating water supply contamination. In the event of a fire, many schools with sprinkler systems find they are back upand-running in a matter of hours, so the sprinkler system will maintain the school’s continuity and allow students to return

to normality far more rapidly and with considerably less disruption to teachers’ already hectic schedules. Schools are also vitally important to the community for events, meetings and activities. These can also continue with minimal interruption. Currently, sprinklers are mandatory in new school buildings in Scotland and Wales, but not in England and Northern Ireland. The government is currently reviewing Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) and has suggested that the ‘sprinkler expectation’ will be removed. The BSA wants the government to explicitly maintain the ‘sprinkler expectation’ in

Fire Safety

the revised BB100 so that fewer schools are damaged and destroyed by fire. Missed days at school The government advises that even a single missed day of education can have significant effects on future exam results. The pursuit of parents who take children out of education for holidays is backed by government spokespeople affirming the detrimental impact on educational attainment. So the impact of these fires and the disruption that they cause must reduce the results of the students at affected schools. Surely, if government understands the importance of missing a days’ worth of education, and is willing to pursue and fine parents to ensure attendance, then more effective solutions must be implemented to quell the spread of fire. The same misconceptions about cost and the impact of disruption can be seen across the commercial and industrial sector. The BSA is calling for better education on the substantial benefits that fire sprinklers can deliver to the business community and wider economy. Fire does not discriminate; whether it is a school, a car park a warehouse or an office, fires happen on a regular basis. However, they can be contained and extinguished by systems such as sprinklers to ensure that life is not put at risk and businesses, jobs and the economy are protected. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org

Evacuating educational premises in the UK Educational premises – such as schools, colleges, universities or academies – often have hundreds, or even thousands, of individuals within them at any one time. A number of these people may be mobility-impaired, visually-impaired or hearing-impaired and therefore may require special consideration when planning for an emergency. Being able to account for everyone is vitally important not only to ensure everyone’s safety but also for reasons of inclusivity and to avoid any barriers to education for students of any age and ability. In order to safeguard the health and safety of everyone within any premises and to comply with regulations, pre-planning for an emergency evacuation is essential. Contrary to popular belief, the safe evacuation of premises, including educational premises, is not the responsibility of the fire service – their primary responsibility is to alleviate the danger of the situation as quickly and safely as possible. The Regulatory Reform Order (2005) (RRO) clearly outlines that there should be a designated ‘responsible person’ who will ensure that everyone is evacuated quickly and safely in an emergency. Educational premises should have a Fire

Emergency Evacuation Plan (FEEP) which explicitly sets out the responsibilities of all members of staff, including who is responsible for the students’ safe evacuation and who is responsible for checking different areas of the building during an evacuation. Without posing risk to themselves, it is the responsibility of the staff to ensure that students and/or visitors in their care are able to promptly and safely evacuate a building. Firstly, for educational buildings, it is essential that staff have an upto-date register for pupils. This will ensure that everyone is accounted for following an evacuation. If a pupil is missing, staff are then able to identify this and make a judgement call as to whether it is safe to retrieve them. To ensure the needs of those who are mobility impaired are adequately accounted for when pre-planning for an emergency evacuation, Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs). Evacuation chairs are proven to be the most effective and user-friendly aids for evacuating people with a mobility or other impairment in the event of an emergency, enabling both the operator and the passenger to promptly and safely exit the building. As it is possible that more than one

person will need assistance in evacuating an educational building, other types of evacuation products – such as slide sheets, rescue mats or stretchers – may be required, in addition to evacuation chairs. All specialist equipment for evacuation should be stored in a designated, readily available and accessible refuge point which will be specified within the building’s FEEP. When evacuation equipment is needed, Evac+Chair is very much a part of the process. The designated responsible person, and any specific individuals who will assist the mobility-impaired, are fully trained to use evacuation chairs by Evac+Chair’s specialist trainers. Evac+Chair is dedicated to the safe, reliable, easy and quick support for vulnerable occupants as they evacuate a building. FURTHER INFORMATION www.evacchair.co.uk

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Advertisement Feature

KidZania London – a teacher’s best friend in embracing learning beyond the classroom Discover how KidZania can enhance learning outside the classroom, support your school with careers learning, and is striving to help support teachers when it comes to issues such as mental health and bullying Budget cuts and reduced staffing are crippling so many schools today. It’s no secret that this leads to less additional support for the children who need it most and fewer curriculum choices. School trips are also on the chopping board. These trips can give teachers a helping hand in broadening students’ horizons of what they know exist, as well as addressing the need for different ways of working and learning, which can’t always be catered for in the classroom. Based in Westfield London, Shepherd’s Bush, KidZania London is a 75,000 square foot child-sized city, where children aged four to fourteen can try their hand at reallife careers in partnership with industry partners. They can become fire fighters, pilots, radio presenters, coders and more. Discover how KidZania can enhance learning outside the classroom, support your school with careers learning, and is striving to help support teachers when it comes to issues such as mental health and bullying. As headlines around the 2019 GCSEs proved,

in the UK, demography too often shapes destiny. Students from the poorest postcodes in England are almost twice as likely to fail Maths or English GCSEs compared with their more advantaged peers, and are less likely to attain top grades, according to analysis by Teach First. Furthermore, a government report into how schools can improve social mobility, identified that cognitive development gaps between better-off and disadvantaged children can open up early on, and over the years that follow these gaps widen rather than narrow. So while qualifications are an important part of educational disadvantage, the challenge goes beyond exams. The chances of doing well in a job are not determined solely by academic success. Possession of characteristics such as persistence and ‘grit’ are citied as valuable to improved attainment. Learning outside the classroom is a well‑evidenced tool for developing character, with huge benefits in terms of exposure by introducing children to new locations and people from a spectrum of backgrounds.

KidZania strives to support pupils from KS1 to KS3 in the development of ‘soft’ skills vital for development, and ultimately prepare them for the future world of work. The premise of the city itself – the size of Leicester Square with up to 1,700 workers beavering away at a time – allows children to independently explore activities they choose to embark on, encouraging selfawareness and confidence. Activities such as presenting in the Al Jazeera TV Studio require collaboration and communication, where children assume the role of presenter, weather reporter or guiding the script behind the scenes to deliver a programme as a team. Elsewhere in the city, budding journalists head out with new peers to sniff out ‘stories’ for the Metro newspaper, igniting creativity, curiosity and imagination. All the while, pupils are earning KidZania currency for time worked, which they can choose to save or spend in order to teach financial literacy and decision-making with practical application, as well as entrepreneurship and an enthusiasm for the world of work. Positive mental health Mental health problems affect about one in 10 children and young people, according to the Mental Health Foundation. Play is proven to help boost children’s happiness and cognitive, physical and social development. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children, and playtime is becoming marginalised for schools. Just one per cent of secondary schools now have afternoon breaks compared to 41 per cent almost three decades ago, according to study by University College London’s Institute of Education. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this has been linked to the obesity epidemic, with the importance of physical activity in schools impacting on both physical and mental wellbeing. KidZania understands that with pressures to meet the demands of unattainable grade standards as seen with the 2019 GCSEs, a teacher’s control over break times can lie outside of their control. That’s where a school

Supporting careers learning The government’s Careers Strategy published in 2017 set out a long-term plan to build a world class careers system, that will help young people and adults choose the career that is right for them. Since then, positive changes have already come to fruition. For example, the introduction of the Careers Leader to ensure that every young person has the career guidance they need. The Government’s Careers Strategy recognised the importance of implementing the Gatsby Benchmarks for secondary schools, with a nod to finding a solution for primary schools. KidZania London established in 2016 that career stereotypes both based on socio-economic backgrounds and gender formed as young as four years old. To support this, Fawcett Society’s research discovered that children aged six years old already associate intelligence to boys and ‘niceness’ to girls, which could hinder their career choices in the future. KidZania believes that the more children are exposed to different jobs in the city, the more likely these stereotypes will be broken. However, in a report published by The Careers & Enterprise Company and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, time and staff resource are the key barriers to delivering the role effectively. Furthermore, a report on Making Careers Education Age Appropriate by LKMCo and Founders4Schools, found other barriers to quality careers education throughout schooling include prioritisation and buy-in, embedding careers into the

curriculum, teachers’ knowledge, and networks and brokerage to name a few. Could school trips be another answer to careers learning support for teachers and students? KidZania is a safe environment that gives teachers reassurance and convenience and provides a large array of careers for students to explore. KidZania will be running two Careers Fairs in 2020 in order to assist schools, with research finding that young people who take part in careers activities such as jobs fairs and job shadowing are more positive about schooling and its helpfulness in adulthood. The Secondary Schools Career Fair running 21-23 January 2020 will help schools tick off one of their Gatsby Benchmarks. Then, as part of National Careers Week, KidZania will be running another Careers Fair from 3-5 March

discovering jobs in the city. Once pupils have collected five jobs on their CV, they can receive a letter of recommendation from the Job Information Centre.

2020, this time open for both primary and secondary students. The attraction will be inviting brand partners to assist in running the activities, giving pupils a chance to meet employers and employees, and gain first-hand experience of what it’s like in their careers. Workshops for both Careers Fairs are outlined below, and will include sessions on CV writing, interview skills and careers, along with classroom resources available to download ahead of the school trip.

industry, the skills and equipment required to carry out these jobs well, and will include a roaming activity around the city for children to gain practical experience. Suitable for KS2 – 3 PSHE & Citizenships; Careers and World of Work, these workshops will include: Careers in the public service; Careers in hospitality and retail; Careers in entertainment Prices start from £10 per pupil, with varied super off-peak and super peak rates across the year. KidZania also hosts several educational events for schools. For more information and to book your school trip, see below. L

CV writing workshop In this workshop, pupils can explore why and how to write CVs, with a chance to write their own CV and to continue building on their experience and skills by

Other workshop In the Interview Skills workshop, pupils will learn the dos and don’ts of an interview and will then role-play as employee and employer in groups as if they were being interviewed for a job in the KidZania city. Children can also head over to the KidZania Job Information Centre and follow the Careers Map to discover which job suits them most based on certain interests, regardless of gender and background. What’s more, KidZania will be running a series of careers-related learning workshops for students to discover jobs within the

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trip to a cross-curricular destination such as KidZania can help. Through entertaining role‑play activities, KidZania teaches children to understand how academic skills like Maths, Science and Literacy will be applied in the real-life, working world, with the aim of helping them to feel more self-confident and prepared for life when they leave school. Furthermore, the experience gives children the opportunity to engage with physical activities, such as the Middlesex Cricket Club in the KidZania Stadium, and is passionate about setting an example around healthy screen habits. The company has partnered with Goozby, an app designed to reward kids for time offline, to create a lab where children can test drive the app that empowers them, not controls them – before it hits the app store. Insecurity and self-esteem are also major factors in mental health, and KidZania is proud to host WWE and NSPCC’s anti-bullying campaign during Parliament Week (5-7 November) in time for Anti-Bullying Week in its city. KidZania is supporting the initiative to drive awareness around anti-bullying through debating workshops. The workshops will encourage students to think about the causes and impact of bullying, providing the opportunity to explore related issues, and open communication about it earlier in childhood. The issue is ever more important for schools with Ofsted changing how it will inspect schools. New reports will consider what behaviour is like at the school, how it tackles bullying, and whether children are learning the things they need to learn to get ahead in life.

FURTHER INFORMATION KidZania.co.uk/education

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Play Written by Mark Hardy, Chair, API

School playgrounds matter screens and ‘pushed’ away from outdoor play because of the decline in public playgrounds. Our latest research shows that parents are worried about how their children are spending their leisure time. The API commissioned a survey of 1111 parents through Mumsnet – the UK’s biggest website for parents. Parents with children aged between two and 12 were asked about their children’s screen time and outdoor play habits and the survey revealed that nine out of ten parents who were not close to a playground said that having access would make their child play outside more. Of those with access to a playground, 61 per cent said it does make their child play outside more and over half (53 per cent) of parents said more access to playgrounds would make their child more active. Almost half of them said that their child prefers screen time over other activities and almost half of those surveyed said they find it difficult to persuade their child to leave their screen. 69 per cent of parents of 10 to 12-year-olds said their children preferred screen time over other activities. The impact on children’s health The survey also showed that parents are worried about the impact the lack of outdoor play having on their children’s mental and physical health. 72 per cent of parents of children with health issues such as obesity said that the lack of outdoor play facilities in their area has played a role in their children’s problems. Over a quarter of parents surveyed with children experiencing mental health problems said that the lack of outdoor play facilities in their area has played a role in their children’s difficulties. And 26 per cent of parents with children who have sleep problems say that a lack of outdoor play facilities in their area has played a role in their children’s sleep difficulties. Children are hardwired to play. From Research by the Association of Play Industries (API) shows that their early years, they naturally gravitate parents are increasingly concerned about the shift from outdoor towards movement, play, activity and fun. play to indoor screen time. API Chair Mark Hardy explores the It is how children learn about themselves effect the decline in public playgrounds is having on children and the world around them. Without it they are missing something fundamental. and the role schools can play in minimising the impact However, the freedom of outdoor play is being replaced with sedentary, solitary and prolonged screen time. Today’s children are facing an entirely Push and pull In one of the most new childhood experience. Movement for The dominance of digital children densely populated, many is minimal in comparison to previous culture has created a urbanised countries generations, particularly free, unstructured strong inducement for are in Europe, with everoutdoor play. Movement and play are children to stay indoors, ‘pulled’ being in shrinking opportunities essential for normal development and for at the same time as d o o s r creens for children to play children’s physical and mental health. this dramatic and and ‘pu s by away fr shed’ outdoors, playgrounds The API’s Nowhere To Play research sustained reduction om out play a crucial role in in 2016 and again in 2018 showed an in public outdoor play be d cause o oor improving children’s alarming decline in the number of public play provision. As the f th decline movement levels and, playgrounds in England. By 2020/21 there overwhelming majority in publi e in turn, their mental will have been a decrease in spend on play of UK children live in c p laygrou and physical health. facilities of 44 per cent since 2017/18. Since urban areas, this is a nds Playgrounds uniquely 2014 local authorities have closed a total dangerous cocktail; children provide a safe, traffic-free of 347 playgrounds across England. are being ‘pulled’ indoors by

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

Play

As we lose playground provision, it is ever more incumbent on schools to bridge that gap – to provide the kind of environments where children can play freely environment in and around our towns and cities and for many children they represent their only chance for outdoor play. Integral to childhood Playgrounds have been an integral part of the childhood experience for generations and have perhaps been taken for granted. Increasingly however, playgrounds are being closed and more often than not, when a playground is lost it is lost forever. Unless there is urgent and sustained investment in public play provision, we are in danger of extinguishing one of the primary ways children can benefit from movement. The provision of safe, accessible and stimulating playgrounds is not a luxury; for millions of children they are essential to their current and future health. For

policymakers, the funding of public playgrounds should be a priority because they are both prevention and cure; playgrounds fulfil a unique role in improving children’s movement, social interaction, fitness and physical and mental health. There is a bank of research supporting not only the importance of outdoor play for health, but the central role playgrounds have in providing these opportunities. A recent European study of four to 12-year-olds concluded that physical and social environmental factors determine children’s physical activity and outdoor play hence ‘playgrounds are important requirements for being physically active.’ Playgrounds were also found to ‘constitute important settings for children to play, experience and interact with their social

and physical environment, recognise and test their own abilities, and develop social, physical, and motoric skills.’ The researchers reinforced another aspect in that playgrounds ‘facilitate positive experiences’ such as fun, self-efficacy, social interaction, creativity, and physical ability and may contribute to ‘increased levels of energy expenditure in children. In summary, playgrounds seem to be places for boys and girls to be physically active and to interact with other children... they could benefit with respect to their... health outcomes.’ (Reimers et al 2018). A study on the link between outdoor play and ‘internalised mental health symptoms’ among 29,784 students aged 11–15 years, found that even spending (on average) more than 30 minutes a week outdoors was associated with a 24 per cent lower rate of ‘high psychosomatic symptoms.’ (Piccininni et al 2018). Schools can help bridge the gap As we lose community playground provision it is ever more incumbent on schools to bridge that gap – to provide the kind of environments where children can play freely. Of course, organised school sports and physical education are important, but these activities are qualitatively different from free play. School playgrounds give children an added opportunity for physical activity and to develop a love of play, both integral to physical and mental health in childhood and beyond. Playground improvements can be a significant investment but beginning the process can be a daunting prospect. To provide the very best support for schools in helping children get active, the Association of Play Industries’ Schools Get Active hub has useful advice and information – from using new facilities to take different aspects of the national curriculum outside – to how schools can make the most of small budgets to get the best from their outdoor play areas. API members are backed by a professional code of conduct and use exceptional design to complement a school’s surroundings, often transforming unusable, damaged spaces into high quality facilities. They can create facilities for children of all ages and abilities and work closely with school management teams. For advice on planning improvements to school playgrounds and outdoor facilities, and the benefits of using an API member, visit the website www.api-play.org/ resources/school-zone-schools-get-active Play must stay As a resource to foster the positive mental health of children – through movement and outdoor play – the role of playgrounds in schools and the community should not be under-estimated. For a relatively modest investment now the mental health of children could benefit greatly for years to come. The reality is that, in a heavily urbanised and digitally dominated society, all playgrounds really do matter and play must stay. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.api-play.org/news-events/ play-must-stay-campaign/

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The Department for Education - Cloud Journey Nimbus assisted and led the successful delivery for the Department for Education resulting in the migration of 94 per cent of its business and IT services to public cloud infrastructure, significantly reducing its on-going IT operations hosting costs

Nimbus has worked with the Department for Education (DfE) and its families for several years, which has resulted in the migration of 94 per cent of its business and IT services to public cloud infrastructure, significantly reducing its on-going IT operations hosting costs. The DfE is a ministerial department, supported by several agencies and public bodies, which is responsible for children’s services and education, including early years, schools, higher and further education policy, apprenticeships and more extensive skills in England. The DfE is the third largest UK government department, by spend, with an annual expenditure of circa £90 billion (Institute for Government 2016/17). Five years ago, we worked with Skills Funding Agency’s (SFA’s) Chief Technology Officer (CTO), to develop the SFA’s Hosting Strategy to migrate its business and IT services to the cloud in line with the government’s Cloud First Policy, in order to reduce the SFA’s ongoing IT operations hosting costs. During the implementation of the strategy, we assisted and led with the migration of several of the SFA’s services from traditional on-premise infrastructures to the Microsoft Azure Platform. Over the last five years we were instrumental in the successful migration of all of the SFA’s and Education Skills Funding Agency’s (ESFA’s) Business and IT services to the cloud including supporting the redevelopment of the SFA’s Funding and Contracting Service; leading the migration of the SFA’s Data Collections and Learning

Records Services; supporting the digital re‑development of the Apprenticeship and the National Careers Services; re-platforming of the SFA’s Identity and Access Management Service and leading the migration/ transformation of the SFA’s legacy Funding and Finance Systems from its co-location facilities to the Microsoft Azure Platform. During this period, we have migrated circa 1,500 workloads to the cloud enabling the SFA/ESFA to realise cost saving of over 50 per cent over the return on investment period. Béatrice Lightfoot, Education and Skills Funding Agency Director of Central Services, said: “We chose Nimbus to assist and support us as we continue on our digital transformation journey. They provide us with highly skilled cloud professionals who complement, strengthen and help to upskill our internal delivery teams. The way Nimbus works as a supplier is exactly what the Education and Skills Funding Agency values – suppliers who can deliver, provide value for money and work collaboratively using agile techniques.” Success Following the successful competition of the migration of the SFA’s legacy Funding and Finance Systems, Nimbus, were invited by the DfE Deputy Directory for Technology Group Delivery to undertake an impartial technical assessment of the DfE’s Datacentre Closure Programme in June 2017. The Datacentre Closure Programme was launched by the DfE’s Technology Group to rationalise the DfE’s hosting contracts. Similar

to SF, the key objective of the programme was to reduce the DfE’s ongoing hosting costs. The programme had been running for approximately 18 months; however, by June 2017 a significant number of its key line of business applications still needed migration from its managed private cloud facilities by November 2017. Using our experience and technical skills, we were able to quickly understand what was required to ensure a successful migration. In August 2017 Nimbus was commissioned to undertake the migration which resulted in us successful migration circa 500 servers by the November 2017, enabling the DfE to realise costs saving of circa 35 per cent over the return on investment period. Our approach was based on our deep understanding of the challenges involved in migrating complex line of business applications. We put in place an Agile technical delivery team based in our offices in Coventry, where we could house a colocated team for the duration of the delivery. We were also instrumental in ensuring a new governance structure was put in place to ensure key senior stakeholders, across the DfE, were informed at all stages. Building on the successful migration of the applications within the DfE’s managed private datacentre, we subsequently successfully migrated/decommissioned a further 600+ servers, hosting key legacy line of business applications, from the DfE’s on-premise datacentres in their London and Sheffield offices to the cloud. Again, we collocated key resources from the DfE and their 3rd Party IT suppliers with our Agile delivery team within our offices in Coventry, significantly improving communication and collaboration. Professional and straight‑forward company Paul Martin, Department for Education Technology Group Delivery Director, said: “I have found Nimbus to be a professional and straight-forward company to work with. They have a good mix of technical skills and business acumen, which has prevented disruption through critical business cycles. With these skills, they have managed the successful delivery of two physical datacentres’ migrations on to the Microsoft Azure Platform for the Department for Education.”L FURTHER INFORMATION nimbusdti.co.uk

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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IT & Technology

To cut through the cycles of hope and disenchantment that have followed EdTech ever since its first use in schools, it is necessary for schools, suppliers and government to work hand in hand, writes Alexander Shea, policy analyst at the British Educational Suppliers Association With his neatly ordered hair, pressed slate“a heaven-sent opportunity” that lay before grey suit and plummy vowels, Kenneth the country. The micro-computer would ‘’train Baker seemed an unlikely figure to launch a the young people of today for the jobs of nation’s era of ”techno-romance”. Yet as he tomorrow’’ and ‘’improve the education of took to the stage in 1981 to unveil one of all pupils in all subjects.’’ And upon the altar the UK government’s first ever educational of his “Micros in Schools” initiative, which technology (EdTech) initiatives, would place 6,000 microcomputers in the Conservative Minister for 1,500 schools, Baker promised to Information Technology build the Britain of the future. The produced an Nearly four decades later, E dTech unexpected moment once again a Conservative strateg of rhetorical flourish. minister took to a stage to y i s only en not In the high noon set out a transformative how it couraging in of Thatcherism, vision for EdTech’s role in returns as the sun set education. In April 2019, to policy o on Britain’s speaking at the Schools and f the pa the but also st, manufacturing Academies Show in London, in industry and social the then Secretary of State it depa how unrest snapped at for Education, Damian Hinds, rts the government’s announced the government’s from it heels, Baker described new EdTech Strategy.

Written by Alexander Shea, policy analyst, British Educational Suppliers Association

Making EdTech work in the classroom

Injecting ambition into strategy If EdTech has lived in the policy wilderness since the British Educational Communications Technology Association (BECTA), the quango then responsible for delivering EdTech initiatives in schools, was scrapped by the Coalition government in 2010, Hinds’ EdTech strategy has injected a bit of Baker-esque ambition back into government policy. Supported by a £10 million innovation fund, the strategy will assist teachers to integrate EdTech into lesson plans, help education providers achieve value for money during procurement, further develop a world-leading UK EdTech sector, and level the playing field for those with SEND. A return to Baker-esque ambition is not unmerited. If, as the Financial Times reported in 2015, London is today home to a world-leading EdTech industry, with British EdTech companies making up half of the 20 fastest-growing European companies in the sector, this is partly the result of the nurture given to the UK’s nascent computing industry by Baker in the 1980s. With the EdTech investment firm, IBIS Capital, having reported that the number of EdTech start-ups is growing by 29 per cent per year, the EdTech strategy offers an opportune moment to once again nurture an industry that promises to be a tiger of the British economy. As the strategy notes, the UK EdTech industry could be worth £3.4 billion by 2021. Evolving aims The EdTech strategy is not only encouraging in how it returns to the policy of the past, but also in how it departs from it. Notably, it moves E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

IT & Technology  beyond the problems that have been endemic to government engagement with EdTech ever since Kenneth Baker’s speech in 1981. As the British Journal of Education Technology (BJET) noted in its special retrospective on the UK EdTech industry this year, in announcing micro-computers to be a “heaven-sent opportunity”, Baker instigated a government pattern of fetishising technological devices, without considering how they integrated into pedagogical practices or the training teachers needed to use them. As the technology historian Neil Selwyn has noted, if Baker’s ”Micros in Schools” programme eventually placed 6,154 computers in classrooms, only a fraction of the 3,000 teachers who were promised training in their use ever received it. This asymmetry between the faith invested in devices and the training provided has continued into the 21st century. In her review of recent policy and research papers written on EdTech, the academic Sarah Hennessey continued to detect a “techno-evangelist outlook” whereby devices such as tablets were expected to transform outcomes overnight. This approach to EdTech has led to two negative outcomes for school and industry alike. The first of these, to borrow an expression from Damian Hinds, has been the emergence in schools of “cupboards of shame,” stashed full of devices that have not been used due to lack of teacher training. Indeed, in 2018, research by the National Education Research Panel, published by BESA, found that 68 per cent of secondary schools and 56 per cent of primary schools continue to cite training in EdTech resources as being their key challenge over the next 12 months. The second has been a concern amongst many schools that EdTech products don’t always live up to their promises. Teachers’ lasting memories of unused iPads and expensive laptops can be hard to dispel. As a result, even if research from figures such as Steve Higgins, Professor of

The EdTech strategy provides solutions as to how to both improve teacher readiness in using technology and re-build certain schools’ trust in the value of EdTech Education at Durham, continues to evidence the positive impact of EdTech on learning outcomes, we face a situation where EdTech is still often characterised either as snake-oil or panacea. Shaping EdTech products Such a characterisation is often unfair. Through initiatives such as UCL EDUCATE, where BESA has worked in conjunction with University College London to advise over 250 EdTech businesses on the latest research on improving educational outcomes, EdTech companies have sought to shape their products in light of proof of what works in the classroom. The EdTech strategy provides solutions as to how to both improve teacher ‘‘readiness’’ in using technology and re-build certain schools’ trust in the value of EdTech products. With regard to the former, the strategy supports BESA’s LearnED programme, a series of continuing professional development roadshows that bring together teachers and education leaders to discuss, and see in action, bestpractice use of technology in the classroom. The eight LearnED Roadshows BESA organised across England in the 2018/19 academic year brought together 1,200 members of the education sector, and received the highest approval score of any UK education event that year. With the continued support of the Department for Education (DfE), BESA will hold a second series of 10 events in 2019/2020, one of which is devoted entirely to EdTech’s role in SEND provision. With regard to re-building schools’ trust in the value of EdTech’s offering, the strategy

recognises that the best way to do this is to encourage schools and suppliers to work hand in hand. As the education commentator Svenia Busson rightly notes, the strategy takes the lead here from countries including Finland and Singapore. In both these countries, suppliers have adopted ‘‘try before you buy’’ schemes to allow schools to identify products that match their needs, while schools have allowed suppliers access to their campuses so as to test and refine their products. The EdTech strategy integrates both these elements. To help schools make the right purchasing decisions, the DfE has worked with BESA on LendED.org.uk, an online lending library of over 150 EdTech products, where teachers can try products before they buy. For their part, suppliers will have access to “testbed schools”, where they can test their products in a live classroom setting. This would be a particular concern as, according to a 2018 Deloitte report, China’s private schools and kindergartens account for 39 per cent of spend in an education market worth around £250 billion. To cut through the cycles of hope and disenchantment that have followed EdTech ever since its first use in schools, it is necessary for schools, suppliers and government to work hand in hand. The DfE has set out a vision for EdTech that, if realised, could have a ground-breaking impact upon its implementation worldwide. It is up to all of us now to deliver. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.besa.org.uk

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

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How busy MATs and SBMs ensure best-value procurement It’s all change again in the Department for Education, with a new Education Secretary in Gavin Williamson recently appointed. But whilst the strategies are being written and debated in Whitehall, one constant remains; trusts and school business managers (SBMs) must continue to ensure absolute best value procurement of products and services for their schools

In a world however, where the SBM role is more complex than ever and at a time the technology landscape is changing more rapidly than ever, it’s understandable why some SBMs might be tempted to take the easy option to re-sign supplier contracts without shopping around, particularly the more complex ones such as broadband, filtering and network security. Tick. Job done. The more astute Multi Academy Trusts and SBMs know however, that whilst technology is progressing – causing some to fear its increasing complexity, it is advancing in a way that can really support the SBM and help them to make sensible and informed decisions when buying ICT services for their school. That is certainly true when it comes to procuring broadband, web‑filtering and network security. Cue the cloud The cloud should be the trust’s and the SBM’s new best friend; and here’s why. The concept is straight forward and understanding it is the starting point for reducing your IT costs, cutting trust, SBM and staff workloads and improving your operational efficiencies. In a nutshell, and at a very basic level, there are two fundamentally different ways of purchasing your web filtering and network security. You can purchase, manage and maintain your own on-site servers and

appliances, which is what most schools have done in the past as there was no alternative. There are a few downsides to this traditional method however, those being: paying for up-front equipment costs, on-going equipment maintenance costs, upgrading of components and costs to cover technical staff. The newer option, which is gaining real momentum in schools, is to purchase your filtering and security as a cloud-hosted, or what’s also called a fully managed service. By replacing individual, onsite school appliances with connections to a centrally hosted, high capacity server, the need for on-going management of local on-premise devices is removed, along with the overhead associated with this management, as well as a reduction of contract management. It also means you have zero up-front equipment costs, of huge benefit in reducing your capital equipment expenditure. The provider of services manages and maintains all the equipment for you in a secure data centre (that’s the cloud bit), so technician costs are immediately reduced, and you have peace of mind knowing your service will always comply with changing legislation, at no extra cost. By adopting a Managed Service, customers can choose to have their web filtering policies and network security managed remotely by their provider (which helps to reduce your staff IT costs). Alternatively, they can maintain

independent management of services if they prefer; many schools opt for a combination of the two. This latter option certainly takes the headache away from the growing technical complexities, if schools don’t have the funding for technical expertise required in these areas. The cloud-hosted filtering and security platform, hosted by Schools Broadband and one of the first of its kind in the country, is trusted by over 1500 schools, to protect over 500,000 students and staff from unacceptable online content. The cutting‑edge platform has seen a recent investment of over £500K, enabling schools to remotely access some of the industry’s best filtering and security services, from two of the world’s foremost companies in the field, Netsweeper and Fortinet. This advanced level of service would not otherwise be in the financial reach of most schools and trusts. Any number of schools within a MAT or school cluster can plug into all the web filtering and security services that are provided by Schools Broadband. In addition, the cloudhosted service enables trusts to control entire IT estates from one central point, increasing efficiencies and improving economies of scale. There are a whole host of benefits to moving your school to the cloud, and it’s a straight- forward switch to make. Understanding the basic principles of the cloud, is the starting point to schools and trusts taking financial control of technology. Schools Broadband has written a short paper for trusts and SBMs, outlining the wider benefits and cost comparisons of on-site filtering and security services, verses cloud-hosted services. If you would like a copy of the document, or you would like an assessment of your school’s current services, and how hosted services could improve your costs and operational efficiencies, please contact Schools Broadband below. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.schoolsbroadband.co.uk info@schoolsbroadband.co.uk 01133 222 333

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Exa: at the forefront of technology Since 2003, Exa Education has endeavoured to provide schools with the quality of internet services they require, whilst remaining an affordable option. As one of the only ISPs in the UK specialising in bespoke packages, schools can discuss their exact requirements when it comes to services such as connectivity, VoIP, content filtering or security, and therefore only pay for what they really need.

Lawnswood School For the many years that Lawnswood School have been a customer of Exa Education, they have demanded a high quality of service. With near 1,500 pupils and the level at which internet connectivity plays a part of the modern curriculum, it is essential that they receive a service that is both suitable and reliable. In the early years, Lawnswood received an at-the-time respectable 2Mbps DSL connection. Whilst this may sound inadequate by today’s standards, even for a residential setting, it was more than capable for their requirements at the time. The pairing of connectivity and content filtering, backed by Exa’s award-winning support team crafted a relationship which continues to grow today. As technology developed and became an integral part of many lessons (not just for IT and Computing), Lawnswood looked to improve their digital capabilities too. After discussing their needs with Exa they decided to install a Leased Line (a 1:1 dedicated connection), this massively increased the bandwidth they could use and made a substantial difference to uploading data (upload speed increased by 60x)! This was crucial due to the shift in the way data was being used in schools, no longer were teachers just downloading resources and sharing with the class etc., but students were now also

starting to both download and upload content. Again, time moved on and students and teachers now rely heavily on online resources for education. There is greater ease in accessing these resources online, as opposed to being confined to certain classrooms and the adoption of digital devices results in a greater reliance on the school’s bandwidth. Exams are now also moving online meaning that a drop in connectivity can have very serious repercussions. DarkLight DarkLight was launched in 2016 to offer future proofed internet connectivity to schools in the UK. DarkLight delivers synchronous speeds starting at 300Mbps, going up to 10Gbps (with a capacity to go to 100Gbps currently). Exa were keen to provide Lawnswood with the best technology possible and discussed with them the options that were available. Switching to a DarkLight connection was the next logical choice for Lawnswood, as they were once again looking to step up their connectivity ability. “We changed to DarkLight because it was the next logical choice, Exa have always been fantastic, the support has been spot on every single time and the connection’s rock solid. We were looking to make things faster and better for students and staff and now we have

plenty of bandwidth for the future,” said Noel Reynolds, IT manager of Lawnswood School. Speeding up Lawnswood School’s connection using DarkLight has allowed teachers to focus purely on the teaching and have confidence that they will not experience any barriers to their lessons. Students can be found often using the internet and online resources to study during breaks and free time, something that would not have happened if the connectivity was unreliable. Lawnswood now have a connection that sets them apart from the crowd, with 1Gbps bandwidth both up and down, we believe that this goes hand in hand with the schools motto:‘Embed confidence; fuel ambition.’ Lawnswood School continue to demand a high quality service, which is not a surprise, they strive for – and achieve good results with their sixth form results ranked in the top 20 per cent of schools nationally in 2017. They are a great example of how Exa work with their customers and take the time to listen. In return, Exa have been able to deliver exactly what is required when it comes to their connection and filtering needs. Now that DarkLight is installed, they never need to be concerned about future bandwidth needs, the technology that they have can already handle up to 10Gbps, and if they want to go higher than that, it is merely a case of changing the NTE (the ‘box-on-the-wall’) inside the school, no digging, no waiting, no install fees. “I’d definitely recommend Exa to any school, they are at the forefront of technology and we’ve never had a problem, ever,” said Noel. To find out more about what Exa Education and DarkLight can do for your school, take a look at Exa’s website: darklight.city/education. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.exa-networks.co.uk

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

The digital skills gap presents major challenges for employers and education systems alike. The shortfall of digitally-adept workers is causing tremendous problems for businesses, and in turn will have a severe consequences for economic growth in the long term. Recent research shows the problem getting worse, not better. It has been estimated that the current gap is costing the UK £141 billion in GDP growth, a figure that is only set to rise if action is not taken soon. A recent report from professional networking site LinkedIn has found that four of 2018’s top five emerging jobs were in the machine learning and developing industry, requiring technical skills in subjects like cryptocurrency and blockchain. In terms of CVs, it has been

staff lack digital skills. This report comes stated that skills like artificial intelligence just after the Bank of England declared (AI) and Software as a Service (SaaS) are a that productivity is around 20 per cent crucial element for surviving in a digitally below where it would have been if it had led landscape. It is apparent that the influx continued at the rate before the financial of new technological advancements is also crash happened. It is deeply set to change jobs as we know them. concerning that these In fact, recent research from the productivity levels, a lack Open University found that as Our of digital skills and many as 40 per cent of jobs educati rising demand for are expected to change o n system technology and data significantly or become n eeds to be our experts will only redundant in the next five rapidly increase years due to technology call wh first port of en we l unless we act now and automation. The ook at what w to implement it research also found that e at early stages of nearly 90 per cent of plug th can do to e digit development. E organisations admit their

skills ga al p

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Sheila Flavell, Chair of the Institute of Coding’s industry advisory board

IT & Technology

Creating a digitally-literate workforce for the future

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The Institute of Coding (IoC) has created a new online course catalogue to help learners get essential digital skills.

IT & Computing

Institute of Coding launches online catalogue of courses

The Institute of Coding (IoC) is a government-funded national consortium of educators, employers, outreach groups and professionals formed to respond to the UK’s digital skills gap. The new online catalogue brings together a range of digital skills courses that are being offered by the IoC’s 33 partner universities and educators, showcasing courses that focus on in-demand areas like cyber security and artificial intelligence. These courses are being designed by the IoC and its partners in close consultation with employers. This means that, by taking these courses, learners can be confident that they are gaining the digital skills that the nation’s leading employers are looking for. The courses are also being offered in new and innovative formats that encourage wider participation, like short courses, tasters and online learning. The design and management of the IoC’s course catalogue has been delivered by FutureLearn, an online social learning platform. As the partners of the IoC develop more courses with industry and employers, the course catalogue will continue to grow. Please visit www.instituteofcoding. org/courses/ regularly to see the IoC’s latest courses.

From a young age, many students will start to have an idea of a potential field they would like to pursue. Therefore, it is essential that we begin to develop, nurture and encourage an interest in STEM subjects within schools  Changing industries Throughout the remainder of 2019, many industries are set to see digital transformation disrupt existing workforces. In particular, farming and agriculture is thought to see technology revolutionise the industry, with 57 per cent of farmers believing emerging technology will greatly impact their business in the next five years, according to a study by the National Farm Research Unit. Another industry struggling under the pressure of technology advancements is insurance. A recent global survey found that insurers are increasingly struggling to find the necessary

staff with only 25 per cent prepared to use AI. However, this survey also found that only four per cent of insurers are planning to increase spending in re-skilling programmes and that is where one part of the problematic digital skills crisis begins. Starting from school In order to successfully plug the digital skills gap, more needs to be done before employees reach the stage of beginning their careers and entering the world of work. Employers are starting to look for employees who have the necessary skills that their organisation needs now and will need for the future. The process

of plugging the digital skills gap should begin at our education systems in order for students to learn and understand the necessary requirements of the digital world of work. The process of encouraging this is to advertise these types of subjects at school such as ICT and coding. This means the national curriculum needs to begin introducing these courses as a matter of urgency to ensure the future is not bleak for digital skills. Teachers are a fantastic advocate for highlighting the importance of their students learning interesting and important skills that will give them better job prospects. From a young age, many students will start to have an idea of a potential field they would like to pursue through, based on a combination of the subjects in school that they have excelled at or enjoy the most, and understand the potential windows of opportunity that those might provide. Therefore, it is essential that we begin to develop, nurture and encourage an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) subjects within schools. E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The gender issue Another issue which is still prevalent within the education system is this idea that STEM‑related subjects are a ‘boys-only-club’. This means our education system must help to encourage girls to recognise the exciting opportunities that these courses can offer, as well as the boys. By placing emphasis on inspiring girls, we can work towards not only plugging the digital skills gap but helping

the gender disparity issues that are incredibly prominent in STEM related subjects. Our education system needs to be our first port of call when we look at what we can do to plug the digital skills gap. We all need to work hard to design and build more exciting courses and going the extra mile to promote the fantastic opportunities that a career in STEM can bring. It’s a huge shame to see that the interest in these vital subjects seem to be waning at a time when our economy couldn’t require them more. However, it cannot just be down to the education system, particularly at GCSE level as that is merely the first step to having a life-long career in a heavily changing industry. We need to begin to see more collaboration between higher education institutions, who often run set courses on computer science and coding, work in collaboration with the industries who require these skills the most to nurture the next generation of their talent pool. We must begin to see students have the opportunity to work in an environment alongside their degree that will allow them to learn the complications of the trade and understand the modern workplace. We also need to recognise that existing employees within an industry cannot be forgotten about as the digital environment changes around them. Upskilling the current workforce is important for managing existing resources and offering those who are willing to learn, a chance to grow within the digital age and develop their career. If we are able to direct the curriculum towards a digitally led world, nurture talent with the close collaboration between businesses and higher education institutions and work to upskill our existing talent, I believe we will start to plug the digital skills gap. Through these three methods, they

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced an extra £120 million to open an Institute of Technology (IoT) in every part of the country.

IT & Computing

 A downward spiral It is increasingly concerning that the take-up of important courses like computing in schools is actually on a downward spiral. The reality is that we simply must do more to inspire and ignite students’ passion for the subjects which could lead them to a fantastic, long-lasting STEM career later in life. A recent annual study from the University of Roehampton found that fewer 16-year-olds are obtaining a computing qualification and that schools have cut back on the hours teaching the subject. The research found that in 2018, 130,000 students got a GCSE in either computing or ICT, down from 140,000 the year before. This decline in numbers is being put down to the change in the curriculum whereby this year the ICT exam is no longer an option. The debate about the removal of the ICT GCSE qualification is still rife, as well as the number of hours spent teaching coding falling 31 per cent from 20122017. However despite these changes, the qualification was replaced with a more challenging computer science course which, in theory, could help the issues we are facing with a lack of skills in the workforce. However this course is set to be much more difficult, meaning this could eliminate students or put them off taking it.

£120m for technology institutes across the country

Speaking at the Conservative Party conference, Williamson said a total of 20 Institute of Technologies would be opened, so that there is one in each major city. Williamson said: “IoT’s are providing university-level technical qualifications, and the sectorspecific skills that are most-needed in their local economies. They have the potential to transform highlevel technical education, bringing together FE colleges, universities and employers.” Williamson added: “We will make sure every young person in every part of our country, gets the chance to gain the high level technical skills that they, and we, need.” can assist each other in pushing our digital economy forward to open new opportunities for the future generations to come. L

Sheila Flavell is COO at FDM Group and Chair of the industry advisory board for the Institute of Coding. FURTHER INFORMATION www.instituteofcoding.org

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Written by Mark Bentley, LGfL safeguarding and cybersecurity manager

Preparation and defence The audit found that ninety-nine per cent of schools had firewalls in place and 98 per cent had antivirus protections. Eighty-five per cent of schools had a cyber security policy or plan, but only 45 per cent included core IT services in their risk register Every school had at least one form of technology in place as defence against breaches and the majority of schools had In September, edtech charity LGfL published the results of its firewalls and antivirus protections. Firewalls audit into school cyber security. Mark Bentley, LGfL safeguarding – a network security system that monitors and cybersecurity manager, shares the findings of the report and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules – are essential to any organisation’s security. In September, edtech charity LGfL published cause considerable disruption. 83 per cent Without a firewall, school networks become the results of the 2019 Cyber Security Schools of schools experienced at least one cyber exposed to potentially catastrophic attacks. Audit. Working in partnership with the security incident – so it’s important that Antivirus, backups and patching (keeping National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part schools are well-prepared for all eventualities. software up to date) followed firewalls of GCHQ, 432 schools across the UK were However, it was encouraging that only as the next three most popular surveyed to gain a better understanding eight per cent of those questioned attack-prevention measures of future technology and training needs stated that school life had that were standard in over by examining current systems, protections been extremely disrupted Sixty-nin 95 per cent of all schools. and preparedness within the education by a cyber-incident, per cen e Schools should ensure that sector. Mark Bentley, LGfL Safeguarding and suggesting that the t of schools their backups are kept Cybersecurity Manager, speaks to Education negative ramifications h in a different physical Business about the findings of the report. of such occurrences a phish ad suffered ing atta location to protect At LGfL our mission is to keep children safe are well managed. fraudule ck (a information from vandals, and save schools money. Effective provision accidents including fires of cyber protection and training is essential to Breakdown to obta nt attempt in s and malware attacks achieve these aims, which is why we were keen of incidents informa ensitive which target connected to work with the NCSC to better understand the The audit found tion) drives. Even the smallest current state of cyber security within schools. that 69 per cent of village school should With ever-rising accountability, squeezed schools had suffered seriously consider moving to budgets and a demanding curriculum, cyber a phishing attack (a off-site, cloud-based backups. security preparedness can fall to the bottom of fraudulent attempt to obtain There were key omissions in schools’ agendas. However, the Verizon 2019 sensitive information such as school’s defence systems, with a low use of Data Breach Investigations Report notes that usernames, passwords and credit card mobile-device management systems and “Education continues to be plagued by errors, details by disguising oneself as a trustworthy two-factor authentication. Additionally, less social engineering and inadequately secured entity in an electronic communication). than half of schools included core IT services email credentials.” This vulnerability means Thirty-five per cent had experienced periods in their risk register. Having policies in place schools require support to meet the challenge of with no access to important information, without a risk audit process may give schools a growing and sophisticated threat landscape. and thirty per cent had suffered malware a false sense of security and shows a lack of infection, including virus or ransomware. contingency planning. This is a key action point Cyber security incidents Twenty per cent reported spoofing attacks for schools to work on – the risk register could It was no surprise to find that almost all (impersonation of school staff emails) and be considered alongside general emergency schools (97 per cent) said that losing access 11 per cent had suffered attempted attacks planning procedure. E to network-connected IT services would to take down a website or online services.

Cyber Security

Insight into the Cyber Security Schools Audit

Education has a higher click rate for phishing emails than any other sector, so the high proportion of schools who suffered from phishing and spoofing attacks was an issue we expected. This vulnerability is usually due to a lack of technicians onsite to monitor systems. Schools should take measures (and most do) to create a layered defence to ensure most harmful emails are blocked from staff inboxes. There was only one incident of which no schools were aware: parents losing money due to a cyber-incident involving the school. The proliferation of parent payment systems, as well as increasing numbers of schools going cashless, means the education sector needs to prepare for this possible future threat. Independent schools are at higher risk of a targeted attack – school fee collections mean a higher perceived monetary reward for criminals. Private schools should ensure they are vigilant in terms of payment system setup and that parents are aware of the potential danger – especially in light of warnings from the Charity Commission that parents are being targeted with false school-fee demands.

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Data protection Since GDPR came into force in May 2018, schools have been very aware of their duties

Cyber Security

 Training We found that a mere 49 per cent of schools were confident that they were adequately prepared in the event of a cyber-attack or incident. This is clearly something that must be remedied. Currently, only 35 per cent of schools train non-IT staff in cybersecurity, so this should be a top priority for edtech providers such as LGfL – particularly since any school unable to access key data needed to fulfil its safeguarding duties might fail an inspection and end up in ‘Special Measures’. Over 90 per cent of schools would welcome more cybersecurity awareness training for staff – this is something which we must provide. Humans are often described as the greatest weakness of an organisation. Social engineering (for example tricking people into revealing passwords) is a common cause of many cyber-attacks. It will never be possible to entirely avoid fake emails arriving in inboxes, so it’s vital that schools take action to train all their staff, particularly non-IT professionals, in how to identify and avoid suspicious emails. Nonetheless, training must not be limited to behavioural awareness. The Egress Insider Data Breach survey 2019 revealed that 36 per cent of insider data breaches resulted from a lack of training on the security tools available. Training must be part of any technology implementation project.

regarding data access and protection. It is surprising therefore to see that levels of non-authorised IT system use are relatively high, especially by pupils (21 per cent). The level of data breaches, at three per cent, could potentially be much higher dependent on activity of which education settings are unaware. Auditing tools such as GDPRiS, 360data and Wonde can help schools to centrally manage and audit their data. Beyond GDPR compliance, auditing and reporting processes, it is important that where possible, schools avoid unauthorised access in the first place. Following solid password guidance is always good practice – the NCSC has published strategies on sensible password selection. Conclusion: next steps for schools and edtech providers. This report demonstrates that many schools take cyber security seriously. Despite this, it is clear that there is more work to do to keep up with this important area, especially regarding training for non-IT staff. It’s crucial to ensure edtech services focus on the personal nature of technology and for government agencies to offer guidance and strategies to help schools improve human and technological resilience. Awareness of the tools available to schools is also vital, especially for the majority of schools which do not feel equipped for a cyber incident. Schools may want to evaluate the measures listed in the survey which they did not have in

place and consider implementing these protections. Senior leadership teams, ICT and safeguarding leads must ensure they understand the current and emerging threat landscape – what are the risks, what protections are in place and what do staff need to do to be ready to face them? L FURTHER INFORMATION www.lgfl.net

Bringing online safety training into the 21st century Online safety. Right. Got it. Don’t give out your password. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t use your real name? That’s about it, really. Online safety is a modern issue, but approaches to teaching it are still stuck in the dark ages of dial-up. The publication of the Education for a Connected World framework and Online Harms Whitepaper have signalled a shift in policy and law towards adapting to the new digital age. But there has never been an online safety curriculum. There has never been a shared focus on online safety in schools. This despite the fact there has never been a more important time to teach online safety. The potential for good that comes with digital connection is enormous, but is not without its risks. Stories of online safety incidents are increasingly common, from accounts being hacked and personal details being shared to cyberbullying and grooming. Online safety training can often miss the mark – delivering out of date ideas or not

speaking to what you really want to work on. That’s why it is exciting to announce Edify – a brand-new tool, developed by SWGfL, Peritus, and Senso. Edify uses AI to deliver bespoke training, resources, and guidance to teachers. This unique approach ensures that every member of staff is engaging in CPD that is relevant to them and that online safety will be consistently embedded in your curriculum, with fewer gaps in knowledge. Utilising AI to make teacher training

more relevant and higher-quality is the perfect representation of the power of tech for good – and it works like this: 1. Teachers answer a series of questions, grading themselves on a number of different aspects. 2. The intelligent tech from Peritus and Senso then uses AI to help teachers identify areas of training that will be most beneficial to them. 3. This data is then fed into the extensive set of training resources and advice guides provided by SWGfL, delivering a bespoke training programme to boost each teacher’s individual skillset. 4. Teachers can track their development and training schedule through Edify, seeing what progress they’ve made and what else is on the horizon. For more information, and to be one of the first to benefit from Edify’s AIled, expert-informed teacher training, visit the Edify website today. FURTHER INFORMATION For more information, visit www.edifylearn.com

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quality facilities for active schools

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Sport

A plan for school sport and activity Earlier this year, three government departments outlined a new plan for school sport and tackling inactivity. With a further update promised later this year, children’s charity Youth Sport Trust gives guidance on what you need to know After almost a year in development, the government’s School Sport and Activity Action Plan was published in July. The Department for Education (DfE), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) pledged to work together to make sport and exercise an integral part of pupils’ daily routine and increase the amount of time children spend being active, boosting their physical health, mental wellbeing, character and resilience. It comes at a time when Sport England’s Active Lives research shows that more than 80 per cent of young people are not meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended average of 60 active minutes every day. Research by Youth Sport Trust (YST) has shown that most people are unaware of these guidelines and that in recent years curriculum time for PE has been reduced in many schools.

be designed around the principles of physical literacy, focused on fun and enjoyment, and aims to reach the least active. These aims were reinforced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the summer. In a letter to YST and partners he said: “I am happy to reassure you that tackling any sort of decline in young people’s overall wellbeing will be a key pillar in my programme for government. It is our responsibility to provide an environment where children and young people can be actively engaged in sport and physical competitions so that children feel engaged in the sport they love. I can also clarify that any government I lead will seek to reduce childhood obesity and increase the amount of physical activities that our children are exposed to.”

Government’s ambition The government set out three overarching What’s in the plan? ambitions that it plans to deliver. Firstly, it The outline plan sets out a range of new wants all children and young people to take measures which aim to strengthen the role part in at least 60 minutes of of sport within a young person’s daily physical activity every day. routine, explain how teachers Secondly, the and parents can play their part Many government wants and promote a joined-up young p children and young approach to physical activity e o p le are not people to have the and mental wellbeing. the Chie meeting opportunity to realise The plan references the f Medic developmental, £1billion government has Officer’s recomm al character-building invested in the Primary ended average experiences through PE and Sport Premium sport, competition but does not give any active m of 60 in and active pursuits. commitment to the future every d utes The third aim is for of this funding after this ay all sport and physical academic year. It is expected activity provision for that this will follow after a children and young people to government spending review. E

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Sport

School Sport & Activity Plan The government set out three overarching ambitions that it plans to deliver: 1. All children and young people take part in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. 2. Children and young people have the opportunity to realise developmental, character-building experiences through sport, competition and active pursuits. 3. All sport and physical activity provision for children and young people is designed around the principles of physical literacy, focuses on fun and enjoyment, and aims to reach the least active.

The plan commits £2.5m from DfE in 2019-20 to deliver extra training for PE teachers, help schools open their facilities at weekends and holidays, and expand sports volunteering programmes

 The plan includes a £2m investment from Sport England to create 400 new after-school satellite clubs to get more young people in disadvantaged areas active. It also includes a £2.5m from DfE in 2019-20 to deliver extra training for PE teachers, help schools open their facilities at weekends and holidays, and expand sports volunteering programmes. The plan also includes a commitment to strengthen the School Games, and get schools and sports clubs to work together to share their facilities and expertise so that more pupils access character building competitive sport and volunteering opportunities. This will include a focus on ensuring boys and girls have an equal and coordinated offer of sport, competition and activity, including modern PE lessons and access to high-quality clubs and competitions after school and during weekends and holidays. There is an acknowledgement that the new inspection framework, developed between Ofsted and DfE, will see schools expected to provide children with a broad, balanced education, including opportunities to get active during the school day and through extra-curricular activities. There will also be a series of regional pilots running from September 2020 to trial innovative approaches to getting more young people active – particularly less active groups such as girls and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This will be joint-funded by DCMS and DfE, through Sport England. Drawing upon the success of This Girl Can, there will also be a new Netﬂix-style library of workout videos to be developed for use in schools and PE lessons. Next steps YST convened a joint response to the plan from across the sport sector, bringing together 40 leading sport charities and governing bodies. Like us, many of these organisations had supported government with the plan’s development. In a joint statement we welcomed its intentions and the joint work between three departments. The YST added: “The success of the School Sport and Activity Action Plan will ultimately hinge on how it is resourced and delivered and to achieve significant change it will require improved support for school sport in the government’s next spending review.” With the recent changeover in government, the Youth Sport Trust has been working to keep up the momentum on this agenda and ensure PE and school sport are on the radar of the new Prime Minister and his Cabinet. In September, the charity worked with leading sports organisations to develop proposals for transforming this initial outline into a long-term, joined up plan of action which will deliver on its ambitions. It saw the charity invite ministers and civil servants to attend a summit in Twickenham. A further update from government has been promised for later this year. To read the government’s full outline School Sport and Activity Action Plan visit: www.gov.uk/government/publications/schoolsport-and-activity-action-plan L FURTHER INFORMATION www.youthsporttrust.org

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Childhood Obesity

Making schools healthy food zones

and therefore I feel are very poor value for money. I also would rather they did not buy a lunch as then they can choose and would be tempted by puddings, cakes and cookies as well as sugary drinks,” said one parent of two primary school age children who had given up on school meals in favour of packed lunches. “Schools teach about healthy eating but practice does not reflect the teaching. In my child’s primary school sweets and With many parents reporting a poor food culture in their chocolate are often used as rewards, which children’s schools, what can schools do to ensure their pupils I think should be banned. Most children are nurtured in a healthy food environment? Barbara Crowther, give out sweets on their birthdays. School regularly sell sweets and cakes as a way co-ordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign, shares some ideas of fundraising for the school. There is a privately run breakfast club on the school site which serves sugary cereals such as coco The current facts around healthy weights in dairy, meat, fish, eggs and other proteins like pops,” said another frustrated parent. the nation’s children do not make comfortable beans, drinks and limits on the number Clearly, for any parent, a poor food reading. According to the National Childhood of foods high in fat, sugar or salt culture in school is a matter Measurement Programme, around one in (HFSS) to be served during of concern and for school four of children entering primary school are school lunches. In many When food providers, they need overweight or obese. By the time they leave schools, especially in the Chil d r parents to reinforce any aged 10-11, the numbers have risen to more the primary education e n ’s Food C positive work on nutrition than one in three (34.2 per cent on average). sector, there is no a m p a ig surveye or provision of healthy For children from more disadvantaged doubt a healthier, d its Pa n rents’ food too. School Food backgrounds the risk is doubled. Meanwhile, more nutritious and Jury, a m ix Standards are currently 95 per cent of 11-16 year olds are not varied menu has e d and unreliab only mandatory for eating enough vegetables, and 17 per cent emerged. However, le p ic tu school state-maintained schools, of children’s vegetable intake comes from when the Children’s food ac re of academies and free schools just two sources: pizza and baked beans. Food Campaign UK eme ross the established between 2010 Government School Food Standards, surveyed members rged 14 are exempt, an estimated introduced in 2015 under the auspices of the of its own Parents’ 4,000 schools at the time of School Food Plan and now under review once Jury, a very mixed and the standards’ introduction. Whilst again, have made a reasonable effort to lay unreliable picture of school many have signed up to follow the out an approach to encouraging healthy eating food across the UK emerged. standards voluntarily, it still leaves a lottery for habits in school. It sets out the food categories “The school meals do not have enough parents sending their children to school. E – from fruit and veg, to starchy foods, milk and portions of vegetables and no whole grains Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Childhood Obesity

The immediate surroundings of schools come into focus, with increasing prevalence of fast food hot takeaways near schools, many of them offering so-called ‘uniform meal deals’ targeting kids with cheap meal deals at lunchtime and end-of-day  Formal monitoring In the absence of formal monitoring, both the Department for Education and Ofsted have so far resisted calls to introduce formal monitoring on healthy schools and compliance with standards and mandatory nutrition education curriculum delivery, so that parents can see how well they are performing. In March 2019, a survey of over 1,000 teachers, governors and administration staff revealed 97 per cent support for a Healthy Schools Ratings Scheme (HSRS) to act as a benchmark for school performance on issues relating to healthy eating, physical activity and nutrition education, and 85 per cent agreed it should be mandatory. In July 2019, the government launched a ‘beta-version’ Healthy Schools Ratings Scheme for a test period during the next 12 months – it is only a voluntary self-assessment process for schools registered with Sport England’s Active Lives survey, and within the survey compliance with School Food Standards will be expected rather than actual evidence required to be. Nevertheless, we (along with School Food Matters) are encouraging schools to take part in the HSRS specifically with the aim of testing its value, and making recommendations for the 12-month review process. If your school has completed the HSRS, please contact School Food Matters who are coordinating responses from schools to feedback to Department for Education.

All hours of the school day Making schools healthy eating zones is an idea that extends much further than core school meals – breakfast and after school clubs, tuck shops and vending, extending cookery and food education, food growing areas, school fundraising initiatives are all part of an overall healthy eating culture. The immediate surrounds of schools also come into focus, with increasing prevalence of fast food hot takeaways near schools, many of them offering so-called ‘uniform meal deals’ targeting kids with cheap meal deals at lunchtime and end-of-day. Secondary school stay-on-site policies, the norm in primaries, could also be a solution, but only if the school catering and vending operations and mealtimes reflect a healthy eating culture, including packed lunch policies. Opinion is split on whether the latter should be voluntary or mandatory, and neither teachers nor parents claim to be fans of the ‘packed lunch police’. What can a school do? So how do schools ensure the most vulnerable children are protected and nurtured in a healthy food environment? Here are Children’s Food Campaign top 10 ideas, and we’d love to hear what you are doing too.

1. Establish a whole Healthy School Food policy, covering the full school day, not just lunches, including breakfast and after school events and stay on site policies 2. Sign up for the Soil Association’s Food for Life schools programme, whose bronze, silver and gold level awards align with Healthy Food Standards as well as sustainability, with many caterers and suppliers now able to provide meals that comply. 3. Ensure fundraising and sporting events reinforce healthy eating messages – replacing sugary fizzy drinks or cakes with healthier alternatives. 4. Grow your own – it’s amazing how much children are inspired and how much can be grown in a tiny space, with lots of ideas for schools from groups like Garden Organic, and turning that home grown veg into cash, with support from School Food Matters food enterprise programmes. 5. Make sure pupils have a healthy breakfast – avoid sugary cereals, muffins and croissants in breakfast clubs - organisations such as Magic Breakfast specialise in providing healthy breakfasts for disadvantaged children. 6. Especially in primary school, create sensory, hands-on sessions for children to ‘explore’ healthy foods – check out programmes such as Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’ Chefs Adopt-A-School or Flavour School 7. Sign up to be a SUGARSMART school – there are campaigns across the UK and lots of ideas for schools and school caterers on driving sugar reduction. 8. Adopt a water only policy – there is support available for drinking fountain installation in this handy toolkit. 9. Sign your school up to activity programmes such as the Daily Mile 10. Find out what your local public health team can do to support you, and improve the immediate vicinity of your school: local advertising restrictions, working with hot-food takeaways. L Barbara Crowther is co-ordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign, a network of over 100 health, nutrition, education and children’s organisations working to create a healthier food environment for children. It is a project of Sustain, the alliance for food and farming. FURTHER INFORMATION childrensfood.org.uk

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

Absolute Performance provided Bryanston with an elite S&C facility to help motivate and inspire pupils to excel in sports

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Absolute Performance: supporting strength and fitness within education point in Bryanston’s signature colours. Three Pro-Series full racks take centre stage in blue and gold, finished with Werksan plates branded with the school crest. Fulfilling the brief to support the creation of a strong team ethos, benches, soft plyo boxes and dumbbells all bear the Bryanston crest, reinforcing the professional approach and team spirit the school encourages from all its pupils. The result A bespoke functional facility allowing the school to take their Performance Sport Programme to the next level. “Once installed the kit had an immediate effect on not only the pupils using it, but also everyone entering the new S&C area. Over time it will inspire both Bryanston pupils and elite sportspeople across the country.” Alex Fermor-Dunman, Director of Sport. What we supplied Branded Legend power racks; branded Legend benches; branded dumbbells; branded soft plyo boxes

The task Sport is key to life at Bryanston. It was therefore no surprise to hear that plans were afoot to expand their existing sports facilities. The main driver was to enable all pupils to develop affectionate connections with sport, whilst also acting as a catalyst for continued success and excellence for the school’s competitive sports teams. As part of this rejuvenation of facilities, the school added a purpose-built highperformance centre, incorporating an S&C area and sprint track, to support their Performance Sport Programme. Specialists in creating S&C facilities, AP was drafted in to work with the school team from the early planning stage – cementing a relationship that spans several years. We set about equipping an S&C area that would not only stand up to the daily rigours of school use but also rival professional elite centres, as well as support Bryanston’s focus on the individual and one-to-one approach.

Legend Fitness, who have a proven track record in delivering solutions to the US collegiate system. Fit for purpose, it is tried and tested to provide a unique focal

What we did Provided Bryanston with an elite S&C facility; used the school’s logo throughout; installed Legend Fitness equipment. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.aperformance.co.uk

The solution Working with the school, AP designed an S&C facility using products from

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YOUR

ingredient FOR A healthy MENU

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Catering Written by SUGARWISE

Broadmead Primary School

Sugar on the mind When it comes to a child’s sugar consumption, what’s legally required, what do Ofsted inspectors look for, and how does the SUGARWISE scheme works? With over 2,000 schools signed up to supported by LACA that schools can SUGARWISE, and increasing demands on voluntarily apply for. The law does require their budgets, we look at what’s legally compliance with the School Food Standards required, what Ofsted inspectors look for, for all maintained schools. Ofsted inspectors and how the SUGARWISE scheme works? look for independent accreditation to The SUGARWISE catering mark scheme demonstrate both the satisfaction of these was launched on 24 June 2019 in the UK and requirements and “going above and beyond”. since then, over 2000 schools have signed up, Working with the SUGARWISE catering around 10 per cent of all UK primary schools. mark scheme enables schools to tick all Experts in regulation and child nutrition these boxes with one certification provider stand behind the SUGARWISE scheme. in the most cost-effective manner possible. This includes Stephen Pugh former head of Catering companies that work globally labelling at Defra and head of research at the can do so in all the markets in which they Food Standards Agency and expert on obesity operate, while independently verifying from Cambridge University, Dr Giles Yeo. compliance with local regulations. The There are no legal requirements quality mark communicates to all markets for sugar consumption or its and nationalities in a uniform way reduction, but there are and references public health W HO government guidelines guidelines of the World Health recomm that children should Organisation (WHO). e n d s that chil consume no more adults s dren and than five per cent Catering marks cost of their daily money, how will more th hould have no an five calories from SUGARWISE per cen of their free sugars. reduce costs? t tot Furthermore, Catering marks do cost intake c al energy om the Department money but are a great way of from fre ing for Education independently demonstrating e has launched its compliance with legal regulations sugars Healthy Schools as well as communicating a school’s Rating Scheme, a scheme holistic commitment to pupil health.

A school using a SUGARWISE caterer is eligible for a Whole School Award. SUGARWISE does not charge any per school fees related to its Whole School Awards which allows use of the SUGARWISE logo on the school’s website and marketing materials. The certification was designed from the ground up to include what is legally required, what is consistent with public health advice and to provide a demonstration of going “above and beyond” at minimal expense for the caterer. This means that the “bangers per buck” obtained from the school are far greater and there is no pressure from already stretched PTAs to help support funding for the scheme. SUGARWISE enables schools to demonstrate independent accreditation in a manner that represents modern best practice at minimal cost. How does SUGARWISE relate to the Department for Education Healthy Schools Rating Scheme? As part of the Childhood Obesity Plan, but in this case voluntary, the Department for Education has launched a Healthy Schools Rating Scheme, now in Beta phase. This is a self-certification schools can participate in and communicate with parents and Ofsted inspectors. The scheme covers both primary and secondary schools and is based on a point scoring system which gives bronze, silver and gold awards based on survey answers. E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Catering

 For Food Education SUGARWISE can help provide compliance on the 10 points needed for gold or silver. For the School Food Standards element, SUGARWISE can help provide compliance on 15 of 25 points, with the school having discretion to add governor oversight and a nutrition policy to achieve a point score maximum of 25. Schools with a total score of 70 points are eligible for the gold certificate. As well as independently evaluating if schools have met the certificate criteria, the SUGARWISE certification assists in ensuring that thresholds are met to achieve gold for the Food Component of the Healthy Schools Rating Scheme. What does Ofsted look for? Sean Harford, Ofsted’s national director of education said: “Inspectors will look for evidence of a culture or ethos of exercise and healthy eating throughout their entire inspection visit in classrooms as well as in the school canteen. They will look at the food on offer and visit the canteen to see the atmosphere and culture in the dining space and the effect this has on pupils’ behaviour. Inspectors will also speak to school leaders about how they help to ensure a healthy lifestyle for pupils by helping them gain knowledge of a good diet.” As part of their training, inspectors are also being asked to look for external accreditations from quality assured schemes. As stated in the Ofsted Common Inspection Framework Ofsted inspectors look at the extent to which schools and other providers are successfully supporting pupils to gain ‘knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy, including through exercising and healthy eating’. The addition of this to the inspection framework (as opposed to the guidance) means that inspectors are expected to place a greater emphasis on this issue than before. A SUGARWISE Whole School Award gives Ofsted inspectors evidence of a healthpromoting food culture for the school. What are the SUGARWISE standards based on? WHO recommends that children and adults should have no more than five per cent of their total energy intake coming from free sugars. The five per cent guideline has been

Broadmead Primary School

A SUGARWISE Whole School Award gives Ofsted inspectors evidence of a healthpromoting food culture for the school translated to be no more than 19g per day for children aged 4-6 years and no more than 24g for children aged 7-11 years. As there are no risks from consuming too few free sugars, since the calories they provide can be better obtained from other sources (e.g. protein, starchy carbohydrates and healthy fats), Sugarwise’s primary school standards have been based on the recommendation for the four-to-six age group. According to the Caroline Walker Trust’s breakdown of energy across the day, a school lunch consisting of a main meal and a dessert should equate to 30 per cent of total daily energy intake. This has been used as a guide to determine what proportion of the maximum limit of free sugars should come from a school lunch. How does a caterer get certified? Sugarwise uses submitted recipes to calculate the free sugars content of meals (as an estimate) and determine whether or not they comply with the guidelines.

Schools and catering companies that meet the standards can demonstrate that menus have been independently verified in line with domestic regulations and international public health advice. Case study Broadmead Primary School in Croydon is one of Nourish Contract Catering’s 130 schools to be signed up to the SUGARWISE certification scheme. This means that one day a week, children having a school lunch will have no free sugars from their meal; also known as a SUGARWISE day. The desserts options include either fruit, yoghurt or a pudding containing no free sugars. It doesn’t ask for puddings to be removed completely as Sarah Hunter, head teacher of Broadmead Primary, explains: “Having pudding in school, partly it’s expected, but for some of our children we know that that’s the only meal they have during the day.” Staff from Nourish created and tested new recipes for dessert options that didn’t contain any free sugars, such as the SUGARWISE Cinnamon Muffin. Only outcomes that gained approval from the Nourish team can make it onto the menu. Annette Ryan-Murphy, managing director of Nourish, said: “We’ve found the scheme has been very easy to implement and well received in the schools we have presented to. From next year Nourish will be serving a further 15 schools, taking our total up to 130. It is great to see Head Teachers and Local Authorities really embrace this initiative and we are proud to be the first to be awarded the SUGARWISE mark for our Primary School menus.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.sugarwise.org

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New term, new germs – beating back to school bugs Chris Wakefield, Vice President, European Marketing & Product Development, GOJO Industries-Europe Ltd discusses how to beat the ‘back to school bugs’ Back to school germs are a real issue. Over the past few weeks, millions of children have returned to school – and the chances are that pupils and teachers alike have already succumbed to the ‘back to school’ bugs. Each academic year, certain infections, such as coughs, colds, sickness and diarrhoea, spread like wildfire across schools. These viruses thrive in closed environments such as classrooms, where children frequently work together. Combined with their immature immune systems and an often poor understanding of healthy hygiene practices, it’s a recipe for illness. What’s more, these pathogens can easily spread through indirect contact with others. So, if it’s not a child sneezing or coughing near you, you could quite possibly pick up germs via the hands and surfaces of desks or door handles, for example. These notorious viruses can also survive for a surprisingly long time. Did you know, for instance, that Norovirus (better known as the ‘winter vomiting bug’) can live on surfaces for up to 12 days? Studies have also shown that fourteen people can be contaminated by touching the same object one after the other. Put all of these facts together and it’s easy to see how bugs can spread so quickly and easily during the autumn term. Being unwell is an unpleasant and inconvenient experience in itself, but the missed days at school can also have a harmful effect on children’s learning. It is therefore key that schools implement an effective infection control system. The power is in our hands Much research published over the last 20 years has proved good hand hygiene can break the chain of infection, helping to prevent the spread of germs and boost health and well-being. One study even demonstrated a 50 per cent reduction in absenteeism within primary schools after a comprehensive hand hygiene programme was implemented. As a founder member of the Private Organizations for Patient Safety group, GOJO Industries-Europe advocates making hand hygiene second nature to everyone. In schools, this means not only the teachers and staff, but also parents, visitors, and critically, the pupils too. The GOJO ‘total solution’ approach recognises three key components must be met for compliance amongst all users: Accessibility; Formulations; and Signage. Accessibility Handwashing facilities must be accessible and dispensers simple to use. In washrooms used by younger pupils, these should be

situated at a lower height, to enable them to reach easily. Touch-free dispensers have become increasingly popular in education settings too. Intuitively sensing the hands’ presence, they distribute the precise amount of product required each time. This not only helps reduce wastage, but is also more hygienic, by the very fact that they are not touched by different hands. Formulations Soaps can come in gel or foam format, with or without fragrance – but the formulations must be both effective against germs, as well as gentle to children’s delicate skin. GOJO® foam soaps have a soft feel that kids love – and that also encourages use. The PURELL® Hygienic Hand Sanitisers also make it easier to create a healthy learning environment and can be stationed within classrooms as well as washrooms. We are used to seeing hand sanitising products in healthcare settings. So, given the potential impacts on health and the ease that germs can be transmitted in schools, it makes sense that they should become a more commonplace sight here too.

Visual reminders are key Hanging notices and posters are an effective way to help prompt best practice, as well as educate and raise awareness. Teachers should also dedicate time to discuss the importance of good hand hygiene and to demonstrate the best technique. There is a host of free educational materials available to download on the GOJO website. Aimed at children aged three – 12, resources include posters, colouring sheets, activity sheets, crosswords, wordsearches, and finger puppets. Healthy hand hygiene should be a key infection prevention strategy in educational facilities; especially during the autumn term when germs are rife. It is clear then, that educating children from a young age about healthy hand hygiene behaviour and providing them with the right products to make the activity pleasant rather than a chore, is crucial. After all, infection prevention via good hand hygiene can only be achieved if everybody participates. L FURTHER INFORMATION +44(0)1908 588444 infouk@GOJO.com www.GOJO.com

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School Trips

Tips to get the most from your school trip When planned well, school trips give students unrivalled opportunities to learn in the real world, enable them to grow in confidence and self-belief and can lead to better engagement when back in the classroom. Justine Lee from the School Travel Forum gives five tips for successful trip planning Educational visits provide students with some of the most valuable and memorable learning experiences. When planned well, school trips give students unrivalled opportunities to learn in the real world, enable them to grow in confidence and self-belief and lead to better engagement when back in the classroom. The School Travel Forum gives five tips for successful trip planning By following these five steps, you can ensure your school and students get the most from your next visit or tour: 1. What’s the point of your trip? Planning is more than making sure you have the correct consent forms and that everyone has the right kit. To ensure you and your students get the most from the experience,

pupils to have to help them expand their horizons. Consider what barriers to learning exist within your school and how a school trip can overcome them. This could include improving interpersonal relationships, and temporarily removing negative influences. Consider how an educational visit or trip support the learning of different groups of pupils, such as those on the Pupil Premium, boys/girls, SEND, higher ability groups, and so on. Where do your staff lack confidence or experience and how can a school trip support staff CPD? How can the visit or tour be part of a progressive learning journey? Schools should also think about how they can build on the experience once they return to the classroom.

2. Get more from your school tour provider it is important to consider what you want to Often planning for an educational visit achieve through the trip. focuses on practicalities – risk assessments, Sometimes schools fall into the trap permission slips, payments etc. of ‘doing what they have always If you are using an external School done’. To maximise impact, take provider for your trip, a step back and think about talk to them during the trips your learning objectives and planning period. A good g ive stud how an educational visit or travel organiser will unrivall ents tour can help meet these suggest activities and opportu ed objectives. locations that best nities to Consider how an meet your learning l e arn in t educational visit objectives. These can world a he real can help deliver the then be incorporated n objectives in your school into your trip. By them to d enable grow in development plan as working together, you confide well as what experiences can capitalise on your nce your pupils lack. Think about knowledge and the expertise what experiences you want your of your visit provider. E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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If you have a small group, planning a residential with another school can help make the trip more cost-effective  Remember to consider wider curriculum outcomes – for example around personal development or across different subject areas – in order to derive the maximum benefit from the visit. As well as improving subject specific knowledge, wider benefits include improving attitudes to learning, improving personal development outcomes such as resilience, confidence, independence, and teamwork. Trips can also give students a better understanding of different faiths, cultures or socio-economic groups as well as improve physical or mental health and improve relationships. Consider how the visit links to classroom teaching. Your tour or travel provider may also have ideas on activities to do when you return to the classroom to help you build on learning from the visit once back at school. All venues and providers holding the LOtC Quality Badge will be able to tailor your visit to meet your learning objectives and the individual needs of your learners, so don’t be afraid to talk to them rather than settling for an ‘off the shelf’ programme or spending hours trying to put something together yourself. This way of working means you will need to set aside some planning time with the travel organiser, but it will lead to a stronger school/ provider relationship and a better learning experience for students.

Students in Rome

Jamie Gardiner, chair of School Travel Form board, said: “The majority of schools recognise the importance of school trips and the benefits that they bring in terms of engagement with learning and improved relationships and social skills. However, organising these experiences can sometimes be a challenge, and we know that teachers are extremely busy. Using a travel organiser provides schools with a ‘one-stop shop’ – a dedicated resource of people who know the destinations and understand the needs of schools, who will help teachers plan and organise their visits, provide advice and support to minimise stress and help everyone involved get the most from the experience.” 3. Join together to maximise resources If you have a small group, planning a residential with another school can help make the trip more cost-effective, reduce planning and staffing burdens and add value to the experience for your students. You will also have the chance to share best practice and learn from the experience of other schools. Joining with other schools for a Year 6 residential has been proven to help pupils transition to their secondary school. Talk to your Outdoor Education Advisor, they may be able to recommend a local school who would make a suitable partner. Or contact other schools in your local area yourself with your idea.

4. Try a different time of year Certain times of year are extremely busy for schools, making releasing staff even more of a challenge. Organising a visit or trip ‘offseason’ can help with fitting it into the timetable and enable staff to be released to support the experience. An autumn school trip also provides an ideal platform for pupils to bond with their classmates and get to know their teacher better. Teachers get to see students in a different light and develop a better understanding of how to motivate them and to get them working together. Research has found that autumn educational trips lead to improvements in behaviour and pupil’s ability to follow instructions in the classroom. Students are also more engaged with learning. Trips at this time of year means you can build on these relationships and reinforce what was learned throughout the coming year. Jon Clarke, shadow head teacher, Walsall Academy said: “The main benefit of travelling in the autumn or winter is building an association between the real world and what is being learned in the classroom. For students learning a new subject as part of a new class, a school trip at this time of year can boost self-esteem, invigorate their passion for the subject and give them confidence. Running a trip or residential at the start of the academic year gives you more time to embed the learning and see the impacts. Students also get the opportunity to get to know their teacher on a different level which can develop better relationships and give them a new level of respect for their teachers which leads to higher outcomes in all aspects of the students’ development.”

School Trips

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5. Use an accredited provider The Department for Education recommends that any school using an external provider for their educational visits or trips should use one that holds the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge. This is the only accreditation that recognises the quality of the educational experience and risk management. Using a LOtC Quality Badge accredited provider will also help to reduce paperwork. When travelling overseas, it is important to also ensure that your travel provider is a recognised member of ABTA or has ATOL protection. This provides additional financial protection and support when outside the UK. Gill Harvey, chief executive, School Travel Forum, said: “It is heartbreaking to hear when a school falls victim to bogus operators. Unfortunately, the growth in the internet and niche travel markets means there are more unlicensed providers around. It can be tempting for schools to think that running a school trip independently will save them money, but it exposes the school to significant financial and personal risk. Using companies holding independent accreditations such as the LOtC Quality Badge and ABTA or Atol recognition protects you and your school, meaning you can travel with confidence.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.schooltravelforum.com

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Outdoor Learning

Weaving outdoor learning into the school day

experience beauty and develop a deeper relationship with the green and wild places they enjoy. Repeat opportunities, which allow a continued, evolving connection to be made with a space, are even more beneficial. We know first-hand the incredible power of nature to refresh us, improve our wellbeing and enhance school attainment. Our 30 Days Wild campaign, which runs each June, is a perfect example of how a small amount of time spent with the rest of nature each day can benefit us.

30 Days Wild This June, over 9000 schools took part in the Wildlife Trusts’ popular 30 Days Wild Access to nature provides both physical and mental health challenge. The Trusts encourage people to benefits, as well as allowing children to develop confidence, carry out a Random Act of Wildness every resilience and an increased focus for learning. Becky O’Melia, day for a month and provide free, specially engagement manager at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust designed packs for homes and schools, which are full of ideas and inspiration like shares way to make the most of the outdoors eating lunch outdoors, a race to find the colours of the rainbow or create a map At The Wildlife Trusts we’re passionate about site. Access to outdoor areas at school, showing where different wildlife is found. outdoor learning. Gone are the days of and trips specifically to natural areas have It’s a great way to help children think more soggy biology field trips or optional outdoor shown to support an increase in educational about and notice nature and the wider adventure weeks - we believe that every attainment; the evidence world and to help teachers work child has the right to experience learning in particularly suggests that in some outdoor learning to Childre nature, and enjoy the benefits that studying opportunities for connection everyday classes. n in wild places brings. Opportunities to learn to nature also improves 30 Days Wild also sho outside the classroom should be part of the English attainment. shows the wider benefits given thuld be curriculum – as natural history studies in their What studies show, of going outdoors. e to explo chance own right or woven through the fabric of is that benefits are Kieron Turney, a teacher experie re, play, school days. particularly felt when who leads the Nature There’s a wealth of research to support this there’s the opportunity Club at Handsworth and de nce beauty velop a approach. Access to, and connection with, to connect with nature, Grange Community de relation nature provides both physical and mental rather than just the Sports College in ship wi eper Sheffield health benefits, as well as allowing children opportunity to visit said: “This is th green s to develop confidence, resilience and an a greenspace or have the third year the school paces increased focus for learning. access to the outdoors at has taken part in 30 Days There’s evidence too to suggest that these school. Children should be Wild and it’s such a great benefits can be gained on and off a school given the chance to explore, play, challenge. This year we E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Outdoor Learning

Chances to experience changing seasons enhance the connection to nature; crunching autumn leaves, wondering at the beauty of snowflakes, or finding the first flowers of spring can all contribute to developing a lifelong love of nature  focused on how the activities have improved the pupil’s wellbeing and mental health. The kids have enjoyed different and innovative outdoor activities and had time away from their mobile phones too. Spending time outdoors, learning about nature and wildlife is so important for the next generation and it’s helped them feel refreshed, more focused and ready to return to more formal classes.” Put the 30 Days Wild June challenge in your 2020 diary - sign up to request a pack opens in mid-April on The Wildlife Trusts’ website. Opportunities for outdoor learning How can you enhance opportunities for your class to learn outdoors? School grounds are a great place to start. A huge variety of lessons can simply be taken outdoors, a school playground offers endless opportunities for exploring shapes and symmetry, a shady spot is a great place for a story, or area of long grass or a planted border offers the opportunity for starting habitat comparisons and insect identification and exploration. Simple changes to your school grounds, like choosing to leave a patch of your playing field to grow longer or creating a log circle, can

provide opportunities for outdoor learning. These areas can come with some responsibility, for example a pond requires maintenance throughout the year, so ongoing costs, and a decision about who will be responsible for the management and of course safety, should be considered before making any major changes to your school grounds. However, adding a pond to your school grounds is not only excellent for outdoor learning, it will provide a wonderful space for wildlife; giving children the chance to watch how tadpoles develop, see a frog face to face, or watch a water lily unfold. So it is well worth the consideration! Don’t be afraid to take your class outdoors during the winter months, or when the sun isn’t shining. Chances to experience changing seasons and different weather patterns enhance the connection to nature, crunching autumn leaves, wondering at the beauty of snowflakes, or finding the first flowers of spring can all contribute to develop a lifelong love of nature. Try a study of a single tree in your school grounds throughout the seasons: start at the beginning of the autumn term and get to know the tree with your class throughout their school year. Not only will the study of one tree support you with a huge range of curriculum links, it will also provide

the children with a connection to that specific tree as they get to know it throughout the year. You could try taking bark and leaf rubbings to create art, writing stories about the tree and the lives it supports (a mature oak tree can support over 250 species!), or estimating how tall it is. School grounds are also a fantastic space for play, and child-centred learning. Allowing children access to these spaces in their lunch breaks, or providing after school clubs which focus on outdoor play offer extra opportunities. Exploring further afield If you’d like to go further afield, The Wildlife Trusts provide incredible destinations for school trips across the UK and can give you and your class a hands-on day of wildlife experiences. Visits to nature reserves, beaches and local green spaces allow a chance to explore different habitats, and to experience wildlife in a different way. Trusts offer learning activities that can’t be delivered on school grounds and lots of locations have purpose-built classrooms and facilities. Alongside day visits, many Wildlife Trusts offer repeat visits through Forest School or Wildbeach. We understand that starting outdoor learning or finding ways to improve opportunities for outdoor play can be daunting. The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, for example, offers advice on enhancing your school grounds, teacher training to empower you with the skills and confidence to use your own grounds as well as instruction for deepening connections with nature. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.wildlifetrusts.org

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Thought-provoking theatre that tackles current issues which resonate with young audiences Solomon Theatre Company produces educational drama productions aimed at KS3 & KS4 students. Based in Bedfordshire, the company delivers its production to schools around the UK. Solomon Theatre Company creates appropriate, impacting theatre relevant to current issues – frequently very sensitive ones – which resonate with the young audience and provides information, thought-provoking scenarios and the opportunity to express, explore and develop different responses. The company focuses on hard hitting and serious issues such as underage drinking, drugs misuse, knife violence and peer pressure. The shows are performed by professional actors and the company’s 15 years in the industry has allowed it to make stand out shows that students really engage with. Solomon Theatre Company has relationships with councils, police, community safety and universities who use the company year on year, due to a strong belief in its shows and the reaction they get from students. Solomon Theatre Company offers a one hour show as a stand-alone or with a one hour workshop proceeding which can be

delivered to a whole year group at once. The company works with you to make sure the show and workshop are appropriate and well suited to students within your region. While the shows themselves are carefully scripted, they can be fine-tuned to suit your own specific priorities. Here is a list of the company’s top influential shows: Last Orders teaches alcohol education, such as how alcohol affects the body and the stages of intoxication. It examines sexual health and making choices, as well as legal issues, such as underage purchasing of alcohol and other restricted goods. It tackles statutory rape, antisocial behaviour and the implications of having a police record. It also teaches about relationships. Gemma’s Wardrobe looks at drugs and self-esteem education such as status, respect, control and power. It also looks at communication skills, such as asking for help. The Power of Love promotes healthy and happy relationships;. It looks at relationships: constructive and destructive behaviours; identifying abusive behaviours across a range of actions (emotional. physical, financial etc). It examines the

impact of technology, such as cyber bullying and influencing, as well as appropriate behaviours in different relationships: peer/ peer, parent/child, teacher/pupil etc. Strategies for different outcomes are also used: the forum theatre is used to revisit key moments in the script and rework them using the students’ suggestions. Skin Deep is a production about knife crime, gang culture, rascism and violence education. It tackles groups and gangs, investigating the changing shift of power form inclusive to exclusive and positive to negative. It looks at healthy relationships, social and cultural boundaries and legal issues such as carrying knives, extremist researches and activities. FURTHER INFORMATION www.solomontheatre.co.uk

Delivering Educational Productions to KS2, 3 & 4 students around the UK on hard hitting topics, including: • Knife Crime • Exploitation • Alcohol • Drugs • Future Choices • Personal Grooming

oﬃce@solomontheatre.co.uk | www.solomontheatre.co.uk | 01722786845 80

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

Drama

Nurturing the creating workforce of tomorrow

Written by Paula Hamilton – deputy director of learning, National Theatre

National Theatre in schools A recent survey by the Sutton Trust revealed that 43 per cent of teachers said they had made cutbacks to ‘trips and outings’. Schools attendance will always be somewhat dependent on the productions being performed each year, however we have seen a decline in school visits over the past few years and are ever more aware of the pressures that schools are facing with the impact of budget cuts and time constraints that can prevent teachers from taking pupils to the theatre. As part of our commitment to be a national organisation, we are committed to supporting There is a risk that subjects such as drama and art may be sideschools that may not have access to a local theatre. Teachers at state schools across the lined in schools. But with creativity sought after by employers, UK can stream recordings of National Theatre Paula Hamilton from the National Theatre explores how schools productions directly into the classrooms can ensure pupils benefit from drama and theatre production for free. Through a new partnership with Bloomsbury and ProQuest, schools will now be able to access a greater range of productions through the National Theatre The World Economic Forum states that by industries. In this climate it’s essential Schools Collection, launching in January 2020. 2020, Creativity will be amongst the top three for the National Theatre to support Iconic curriculum-linked productions most important skills looked for by employers. schools and teachers as much as we can including Frankenstein, Othello, Treasure The creative industries are one of the fastest to enable them to offer their students Island and She Stoops to Conquer have growing sectors of the UK economy, with opportunities to experience the arts. been recorded in high definition in front of huge employment growth, and are vital to The role of the National Theatre is to a live theatre audience, and are supported the lifeblood, identity and cultural output of produce work which is for everyone and we by specially designed teaching resources, our country. Despite this, there has been a are committed to reaching as many young created in collaboration with decrease in the number of children taking Arts people as possible across the UK. Through teachers and leading artists. GCSEs since 2010 and the introduction of the national learning programmes, Partly in response to the Ebacc does not include a single Arts subject. touring productions and teacher decline of school visits to Combined with the squeeze on school training opportunities, we Taking p the theatre, last year the budgets, there is a risk that subjects such as hope not just to inspire the a r t in a scho National Theatre toured drama and art may be side-lined in schools or talented theatre-makers have a ol play can a 90-minute version of even disappear entirely from the curriculum. and creative workforce of transfor The Curious Incident Not only does this mean that a generation tomorrow, but to open m a effect tive of the Dog in the of young people miss out on creative theatre to everybody helping on children; Night-Time directly experiences, it also has huge implications wherever they are them to self-con develop into the school E for the future health of our creative growing up in the UK. fi

den their im ce, and use aginatio n

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Drama

 halls of over 60 secondary schools across the UK. This tour reached over 13,000 students across the UK, many who were introduced to theatre for the first time, and we will be touring this production to secondary schools on a 12week tour again this Autumn hoping to inspire even more school children through theatre. The specially staged production of Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel, adapted by Olivier Award-winning playwright Simon Stephens, is performed in the round. Being situated in the middle of the school hall, the audience can see the backstage and offstage activity happening in front of their eyes, from set changes to stage management and light operation, providing students with a glimpse into different aspects of theatre-making that are all vital to creating a professional production. The show is followed by a Q&A session for students with the company and is accompanied with a learning programme that includes professional development for teachers led by the National Theatre as well as curriculum-based resources and workshops. Making theatre We know that participation in drama and the arts has countless benefits for children; a medium through which they can explore and express new ideas, develop empathy and curiosity, as well as learn collaboration and teamwork skills. Ofsted’s new inspection framework recognises the importance of a broad and balanced curriculum and that the narrowing of the curriculum that we have seen has adversely affected the most disadvantaged children, with a new criterion of developing children’s ‘cultural capital’ added to the framework. Taking part in a school play, for example, can have a transformative effect on children;

Creating a production is a huge feat that involves people across different departments including lighting, sound, costume, props and stage management helping them to develop self-confidence, use their imagination, express emotion and learn about themselves and their abilities. Our national programme for primary schools, Let’s Play, aims to transform theatre-making in schools and ensure that creativity is embedded throughout the curriculum. Let’s Play provides everything that teachers need to create an outstanding piece of theatre in their school, including theatremaking training led by professional theatre artists, specially commissioned scripts, musical scores and backing tracks for original songs as well as curriculum-linked teaching resources and a teacher toolkit. The school play can also be used as a learning opportunity across all aspects of the curriculum. Pupils can develop their literacy by creating character profiles and writing letters in role as the character they are playing, or even writing a press release about their production for the local newspaper. Staging a play can also be an opportunity for children and young people to learn about backstage and offstage roles and understand how these are integral to creating a production. Teachers can assemble a production team to look after technical aspects such as lighting, music and managing the stage, as well as ticketing and seating the audience. They can work with their pupils to design and create costumes, sets and props by using recycled materials or searching local charity shops.

Backstage roles There are many people working in backstage and offstage roles at the National Theatre and at all theatres across the UK and we know that creating a theatre production is a huge collaborative feat that involves people across different departments including lighting, sound, props, costume and stage management. Through our national Connections programme, the largest youth theatre festival in the UK, we hope to shine a light on these important roles in the theatre industry. With over 6,500 students taking part each year, youth theatre companies and school groups from every corner of the UK have the opportunity to stage one of ten brand new plays written especially for them by some of the most exciting contemporary playwrights and then perform them in a professional venue. As well as performing, young people also take on a variety of backstage roles, including designing and operating lights and sound, designing costume and set or stage managing which all help to open their eyes to the huge variety of vital roles in the theatre industry, which they may not have realised were available to them, or even in existence. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

FREE STEM ACTIVITIES THAT MEET GATSBY BENCHMARKS

IGD, a charity, is passionate about the fantastic opportunities that the food and grocery industry holds for those interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). Our industry is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, and very diverse: comprising thousands of companies in farming, manufacturing, retail and distribution. People with practical and analytical skills are highly valued, and STEM plays a vital role in all the products you see on supermarket shelves. From creating new and innovative products for the changing consumer, to solving technical problems, those in STEM roles put their knowledge and skills into practice in a very tangible way. IGD’s Educator Hub has a variety of free resources for teachers and careers advisors using real-life stories of young people from a range of STEM careers. Students can learn about Pari, a chocolate scientist, and Joe, an engineer, who manages advanced machinery, plus many more. Linking to the Gatsby benchmarks, the lessons are designed to spark students’ imagination and encourage them to think about how they are developing these skills at school and the many ways they can be applied in the world of work. Further information: www.igd.com/educatorhub

StemAd.indd 1

30/09/2019 09:51:52

CREATE Education offers a fantastic 3D printer loan scheme to schools so pupils can experience 3D printing Currently in schools, the STEM focus in the classroom tends to be towards maths and science with the increasingly notable absence of Design and Technology (D&T) within the schools curriculum In an analysis by the Press Association, entries for GCSE design and technology in England fell by 32 per cent between 2012 and 2017. This is impacting directly on the “E” in STEM, with many of the key skills gaps being noted within the engineering sectors. Engineering is about problem solving using imagination, creativity, scientific knowledge and technical skills to produce solutions to real life problems with engineers desperately needed to help some of the world’s biggest problems. The use of 3D printing within the classroom is the perfect vehicle for use and application of knowledge in a hands-on, fun and practical way. Students use creativity and design thinking skills to design a 2D model or sculpture and then take the learning into design software before realising their design in a 3D finished product. With art being increasingly recognised as being a valuable addition to the traditional STEM subjects, often referred to as STEAM, creativity and artistic flair

is also a valuable skill in its own right. New technologies don’t just work, they are all about user interaction and aesthetics. Technologies such as 3D printing allow students to design and create in real time By taking theoretical science and maths principles and applying them along with design thinking, creativity and problem solving to solve real world scenarios, Engineering skills are developed. Most importantly, access and experience in the new technologies provide students with the opportunity to get ahead and prepares then to take advantage to the jobs and careers available to them. Some corners of industry are addressing this need by developing a new range of apprenticeships and on-the-job learning schemes. CREATE Education has worked with education and industry partners to develop a 3D printing knowledge skills framework for use in the classroom – www.createeducation.com/resource/ knowledge-skills-progression Via the provision of technology-led capabilities and expertise, industry and education can work together to provide students with the opportunity to develop

the skills required by industry alongside their standard curriculum delivery. This type of learning addresses new statutory guidance from the Department of Education (DfE) around offering career guidance linked to the Gatsby Benchmarks. A further opportunity to forward thinking departments to link their curriculum to careers (Gatsby Benchmark 4) alongside standard curriculum development/delivery. In order to ensure everybody has the opportunity to benefit from 3D printing, CREATE Education offers a fantastic 3D printer loan scheme to schools. Find out how your students can benefit at: www.createeducation. com/loan-scheme/ FURTHER INFORMATION www.createeducation.com

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

STEM Written by EngineeringUK

The pathway to a STEM career What can schools and educators do to break down the barriers for getting more girls and people from BAME backgrounds staying on STEM education pathways? At EngineeringUK we are passionate is high and will continue to rise in the future about demystifying the world of – EngineeringUK estimates the UK will need engineering to inspire all young around 203,000 roles requiring engineering people, whatever their background, to skills to be filled annually through to 2024. consider a career in engineering. Working in collaboration with educators, Increasing diversity government and industry, we aim to grow There’s a critical shortfall in the young people and diversify the talent pool and help on pathways to fill these jobs that won’t young people realise their potential. be resolved simply by encouraging more Engineers have a specific skillset and people to take up science, technology, play a vital role in shaping our engineering and maths (STEM) world, from where we live and studies. At EngineeringUK, our Patchy how we communicate, to commitment to Equality, what we do for leisure. Diversity and Inclusion careers They are the thread that emphasises the need to guidan c allows our society to increase the diversity e f o r STEM-r function and they have as well as the number careers elated an impact like no other of young people professional group choosing academic and identifi has been e Over a quarter of vocational pathways d a s obstacl a UK enterprises are into engineering. e to soc n involved in engineering, We need to recognise the i a l m obility employing more than five barriers that some groups and a half million people. face in pursuing pathways to Demand for engineering skills STEM education and careers.

EngineeringUK produces a flagship publication called the State of Engineering, which is a detailed examination of engineering’s economic contribution and the composition of its workforce, as well as the extent to which future demand for engineering skills is likely to be met. Our research team has delved deeper into two areas to understand the gender disparity and social mobility in engineering. Gender disparity in engineering This research report examined female underrepresentation in an industry where women make up just 12 per cent of the workforce. It found only 60 per cent of girls aged 11 to 14 think they could become an engineer if they want to, compared to 72 per cent of boys and only a quarter of girls say they would ever consider a career in engineering. This disparity is largely due to girls dropping out of the educational pathways at every decision point, despite generally performing better than boys in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects at school. Social mobility in engineering Further evidence from the EngineeringUK report on social mobility revealed that while young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds have reasonable access to engineering careers, they do not progress at the same rate as their more advantaged peers. Our analysis suggests great talent is being lost at each educational decision point leading to an under-representation of girls, women and people from some BAME communities especially. An unequal provision of science-related subjects across the country is a barrier, E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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STEM

 with deprived areas more likely to face teacher shortages and have STEM subjects taught by non-specialists, and the lack of availability of triple science at GCSE. This potentially affects young people’s opportunity to study subjects like A level Physics, which can have a knock-on effect for undergraduate degrees and routes into engineering careers. The report also identified patchy careers guidance as an obstacle to social mobility, with students from deprived areas needing more access to high-quality careers guidance. The case for change There’s a compelling business case for the sector to harness and widen the talent pool. This goes beyond securing the numbers of engineers we need – workforce diversity improves innovation, creativity, productivity, resilience and market insight, and should enable more people from different backgrounds to benefit from engineering and technology products and services. This is also about equality – all young people should have equal opportunity in all walks of life. These careers have the potential to break intergenerational cycles of poverty and we believe that all young people should have the opportunity for fulfilling and rewarding careers in engineering. Many young people are motivated by the opportunity to address global challenges, such as ensuring access to clean water, sanitation and affordable and sustainable energy, but do not realise how central engineering is to solving these problems. Help us to break down barriers But what can schools and educators do to break down the barriers for getting more girls and people from BAME backgrounds staying on STEM education pathways? Working in collaboration with charities like us or developing partnerships with local businesses are just a couple of solutions. Educators can set up or support a STEM or code club in their local schools in partnership with engineering firms and invite diverse speakers or outreach coordinators to deliver activities that excite the next generation of engineers. Even better, EngineeringUK would encourage schools to consider giving young people the chance to meet industry professionals and really get hands-on with engineering by visiting or hosting a Big Bang Fair. Research shows that

EngineeringUK analysis suggests great talent is being lost at each educational decision point leading to an underrepresentation of girls, women and people from some BAME communities especially interactions with real-life engineers help young people to discover how fulfilling, diverse and exciting careers in modern engineering can be. Literally thousands of these encounters occur each year at the Big Bang Fair, held over four days at the NEC in Birmingham with 80,000 teachers, students and parents attending. Visitors to The Big Bang Fair (11-14 March 2020) will get to see amazing new technologies in action; from piloting a drone and building a model jet engine to creating a 3D selfie and seeing inside your own eye. Giving students opportunities to engage with real-life engineers and scientists is central to all EngineeringUK careers activity and helps support schools to meet some of the key Gatsby benchmarks for Good Careers Guidance. Other great ways to develop students’ coding and technological skills (as well as interpersonal skills such as teamwork and communication) is to take part in Tomorrow’s Engineers EEP Robotics Challenge and Energy Quest. The Robotics Challenge get students aged 11-14 working together in teams to solve real-world engineering, technology and computing challenges. Facilitated by their teachers who can use the opportunity to grow their technical expertise, students learn

how to design, build and control robots to complete a series of challenges and develop and present short research projects into a contemporary engineering problem. The Tomorrow’s Engineers Energy Quest is also a curriculum-linked, year-round, established programme for schools that helps improve the perception of engineering among both girls and boys. The free programme encourages young people to find out all about sustainable energy and learn about associated engineering careers. We’re keen to support and work with teachers, schools and careers advisors and have a wealth of resources that can inspire tomorrow’s generation of engineers and help careers advisors or STEM professionals and ambassadors plan effective engineering outreach activity. Good examples of this are This is Engineering videos and Tomorrow’s Engineers careers resources, which can be used as icebreakers or starter questions, and showcase inspiring real-life engineers. Another free guide ‘Getting the message across’ is a top tips guide for STEM professionals and ambassadors who provide engineering outreach activities in schools, and pulls together the latest thinking and resources around planning successful and impactful outreach activities. We also have helpful resources for employers who should be looking to attract a more diverse cohort include Engineering work experience, an employer’s guide, created by Tomorrow’s Engineers, Royal Academy of Engineering and industry employers. It might be useful for schools to be aware when they are coordinating work experience with employers. Collaborative working between educators, policymakers, industry and charities is crucial to success if we are to inspire tomorrow’s engineers. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.engineeringuk.com

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Let it snow: improving student safety whatever the weather with Kura technology New technology offers a solution to traditional winter transport and communication headaches With climate experts suggesting that we could be facing one of our coldest winters in 30 years, it’s fair to assume that snow could well be on the horizon. When it snows, school leaders are forced to make last-minute decisions as to whether their school will open, and whether its home-to-school transport services will be able to operate as normal. Communicating these decisions to parents can prove extremely difficult, and in the event of school closures many rely on simply posting updates to their websites. These updates are easy to miss, resulting in students travelling unnecessarily in dangerous conditions. Parents may then have to leave work early in order to collect them – something more than one in eight parents have had to do in the past, according to our recent survey. Alerting parents to any changes to transport routes is even more problematic. Schools must stay in constant contact

with their transport providers, and attempt to relay information to those whose routes have been affected. If not alerted quickly enough, children risk waiting at the wrong collection point, or for a vehicle that isn’t coming. This leaves them vulnerable, and may prevent them from getting to school at all. New technology is now enabling a more intelligent, data-driven approach to school transport and communication. Education transport management provider Kura works with schools to manage their transport services, optimise their journey routes, increase pupil safeguarding and reduce their carbon footprint. Kura’s services are powered by an app which uses geo-fencing technology to gather information on each vehicle’s journey, allowing schools and parents to

monitor journeys in real time and receive boarding and alighting notifications from individual pupils. The journey data is also monitored by the operations team at Kura’s Control Centre, who, in the event of snow days and other emergencies, can be in touch with schools before their services are due to commence. If the school has decided not to open, this can be communicated instantly to all parents via the app. If the transport services are running, Kura’s technology and teams identify the safest, most efficient routes by analysing traffic. Parents can be notified of any cancellations, delays or alterations instantly. Extreme weather has long presented a communication and transportation headache to schools. Fortunately, this no longer needs to be the case, and digital-savvy schools are starting to reap the benefits of improved, technology-led processes. FURTHER INFORMATION 020 3397 8405 hello@ridekura.com ridekura.com

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

Health & Safety

Winter and its risks

their parents or carers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are faced with having to find alternative means of transport.

Inside schools One of the main risks that snow, ice and wet weather brings is from slips, trips and The winter season is a major challenge for schools when it comes falls. This risk is not just restricted to outside to health and safety. Fiona Riley, chair of the Education Group either as wet feet lead to slippery floors inside schools. It is important, therefore, that of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), good housekeeping is in place and signage examines the issues and how they can be overcome is displayed to warn people of the risk. If the weather is bad it is often For many schools, the onset of winter However, for most local not possible for children to go throws up a host of health and safety authority schools and outside during break times risks which schools have to manage to academies, this is a and lunchtime. This loss of One ensure that children and staff can go home resource they do not outdoor space provides fit and well at the end of each day. have. If the risk is added challenges as you of the Chief among these risks is that posed too great, they have a large number of main ri s k by bad weather. This, of course, comes in sometimes have to pupils confined within s t h s at now, ic many forms, whether it be snow, ice, heavy take the decision buildings, often with a e weathe and wet rain or fog. All of them can provide risks. to close for the lot of energy to burn off. r brings While most schools do everything day, which can It is important to from sli they can to remain open, there are bring with it other carefully manage ps, trip is s occasions when the weather proves issues, especially for situations such as and fal ls to be too problematic and the level of parents and carers. this. Having students a risk is too great to remain open. Bad weather brings contained inside often At some schools, including mine, with it many issues when small areas, unable to let off there are grounds teams which can be getting to school. If there are steam as they might outside, on site very early to grit and clear the areas that are not accessible for can lead to a host or problems. grounds, especially in the case of snow. school buses, for example, students â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and One of those problems can be the spread E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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

Health & Safety

The potential for storm damage is heightened at this time of year. This can cause significant disruption. Strong winds, have the potential to cause damage to the roofs of schools, providing a health and safety risk  of bugs. School pupils and staff alike are susceptible to illnesses like bouts of flu and colds at this time of year, and full corridors and classrooms often helps such things to spread. Clearly no school wants children to be off sick given the important work they can miss. But when the spread of bugs leads to staff absences this can be particularly critical. This is especially the case with smaller schools, church primary schools in little villages for example, where it is common they have to combined age classes. There are some ways that schools can look to combat these problems. One example is offering flu jabs for staff. Building problems While a huge number of schools in recent years have expanded into new buildings, there are still many which operate in old buildings and porta-cabins. With these types of accommodation comes the potential for all kinds of costly problems. Chief among these at this time of year, is boiler breakdowns. When this happens,

schools often have to close as you can’t have children – or staff – working in a freezing cold environment and the Education (School Premises) Regulations require a classroom to be at a minimum of 18°C. Burst pipes can be an equal problem, particularly during cold snaps. I have had experience before of a school being flooded by a burst pipe during a winter shutdown. Staving off these potential problems in old buildings isn’t easy. Having regular maintenance schedules is one way to mitigate the risk, but this does not provide a guarantee that problems will not arise. It isn’t just cold conditions which can bring about building problems for schools. The potential for storm damage is heightened at this time of year. This can cause significant disruption. Strong winds, for example, have the potential to cause damage to the roofs of schools, providing a health and safety risk should anyone be outside at the time. Another risk is that of trees being uprooted. Early years settings in particular can experience problems with storms and

strong winds. They have a lot of outdoor play equipment, which can be damaged. Schools obviously cannot control the weather. It is important, therefore, that they have a bad weather plan and are prepared. Travelling to and from school In December, it is dark as children make their way to school in the morning and dark again when they leave. There are stark health and safety risks presented by streams of children making their way to school alongside busy roads. Many local authorities, faced with having to make cutbacks to services, have withdrawn the provision lollipop men and women. With this in mind, it is as important as ever that children are well educated on road safety. Many children remain in school much later in the day as they attend after‑school clubs, which provides another challenge for schools. These are but a few of the array of health and safety issues which schools must contend with during the winter. There are different ways of controlling the risks. But it is an important starting point to have strong, robust management systems in place. Key to these systems being successful is having strong leadership, which particularly means that senior staff in schools should lead from the front. From them, safe ways of working can be cascaded down throughout the staff and the students. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.iosh.com

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Procurement

Procurement consultancy: franchisees and sub-contractors

organisation that is similar to yours has received a good service, then there is an expectation it will be replicated. Although if you are in a different territory another franchisee may be appointed and the service could be considerably different.

This article will give you the information you need so you can decide if appointing a consultant who operates under a franchise or as a sub-contractor is the right choice for your organisation. It offers unbiased opinion and has been written by a professional procurement consultant who is employed by a registered charity which operates a Public Sector Buying Organisation (PSBO). The franchisee A franchisee has purchased the right to trade using the name of an established business, gaining a protected territory to trade within plus the use of the brand and potentially other central support services such as marketing. A franchise operator will advertise their service as a nationwide brand with potential customers being passed to the franchisee who has purchased the right to operate within that region. The key benefit to the franchisee is that they are buying the reputation of an established business and business leads that are generated by the franchise operator. New businesses can take time to establish and when you are self-employed, time equals

money. The initial investment to purchase the franchise can be less than the cost it would take to establish a business, which is why franchise models are attractive to consultants who want to be their own boss. Advantages When you are using the services of a franchisee you have some comfort in knowing that they have financially invested into the brand and are motivated to making the venture a success. This means keeping their customers happy with the aim of generating future business.

Written by Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC)

This article is designed to provide an understanding of how franchisees and sub-contractors work within the procurement consultancy industry and within the education sector

Sub-contractors The appointed consultancy may appoint a sub-contractor to deliver the service on their behalf. The procurement industry consists of many sub-contractors whom are self-employed individuals. They undertake projects for companies who either do not have the expertise in-house to service the customer’s requirement or who simply prefer not to directly employ a consultant themselves. Instead, they take a percentage of the customers fee in exchange for sourcing the business and carrying the risk. The actual consultancy work will be delivered by the sub-contractor. Percentage levels vary but within the education sector percentages of up to 50 per cent are known to be retained by the lead organisation. Advantages Assuming you are aware that the service is being delivered by a sub-contractor and if the procurement consultancy monitors the quality of the work delivered by the sub-contractor, it may bring an element of expertise that is not available from within your organisation.

Disadvantages What is particularly difficult in the case of procurement consultancy franchises is maintaining a similar level of expertise, knowledge and customer service across the franchisees. Personalities can be very Do y different, as can the level know if ou of someone’s expertise. Recommendations are service your usually comforting for delivereis being education establishments franc d by a because if another

Disadvantages Sub-contractor day rates can be in excess of £500 per day, excluding VAT. Should this charge be inflated h as a result of the sub-conisee or a consultancy adding a tractor? mark-up, the day rate can become expensive. It is best practice to fully understand the benefits of using a sub-contractor via a consultancy, as opposed to appointing them directly. The sub-contractor may work exclusively to the consultancy because they can provide a volume of work that is acceptable to the sub-contractor. Risk There are a number of risks to both franchisees and sub-contractors, so let’s explore them: 1) You may not be aware that your service is being delivered by a franchisee or a subcontractor. It’s your responsibility to fully understand the basis of the appointment and ask the right questions to be assured that you are comfortable and you have the correct level of protection should the advice and guidance received from the franchisee or sub-contractor be deemed to be negligent. E Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

group

EXECUTIVE RESOURCE GROUP (ERG) PUBLIC SECTOR RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST

ERG are a highly regarded and respected workforce partner to the public sector, assisting authorities and departments to drive efficiency savings through the deployment of key hires. We work with clients to improve and enhance the delivery of their services into the communities in which they serve. We view compliance as an essential ingredient to aid our clients and we work through the primary frameworks that exist to onboard interims, including NMNC, PSR, DOS, G-Cloud and MSTAR. Our consultants are grouped into vertical service streams aligned to the public sector; Central and Local Government, Healthcare, Blue light, Housing and Education. At the heart of what we do runs a spine of transformation and change. If you are a candidate that is regarded as an expert in your field and/or an organisation in need of a critical hire, ERG would love to hear from you.

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

Questions to ask Can you tell me how your business is structured and where in the overall structure the person who will lead on the project, is placed? A procurement consultant who is a franchisee, may tell you they are the business owner, in which case you may need to ask further questions to fully understand how the business was formed and is conducted. Should we need to escalate an issue during the project, who would it need to be escalated to and what is their position in the overall business?

A franchise operator will advertise their service as a nationwide brand with potential customers being passed to the franchisee who has purchased the right to operate within that region. The key benefit to the franchisee is that they are buying the reputation of an established business A self-employed sub-contractor would have two options: they could provide the name of the business who has appointed them to deliver the service or they could avoid that and try to manage the issue themselves. You are advised to have a back-up plan if for any reason an issue does occur. A sensible back-up plan is to agree an escalation plan before the project commences. Hopefully it will be time wasted, but it might be time well spent. What levels of insurance does the business carry? Does the insurance cover the person who will be the lead on the project? It is particularly important to make sure that the company you are contracting with has adequate insurance against professional negligence, public liability and employer’s liability insurance. Ensure that these policies cover the work of the person appointed to undertake the work you are commissioning. What contingency plans are in place should the project lead have to take

Procurement

 2) Should the sub-contractor provide an inadequate service and your relationship breaks down, you will need to register a complaint with the primary contractor. This could change project timeframes and outcomes because the primary contractor may not have the expertise or capacity to carry out the work. 3) Should the poor service result in your organisation receiving a legal claim challenging your procurement process/decision, then it would be your institution that is served legal papers not the consultancy or the subcontractor! The consultancy would only be implicated if you could prove that they were negligent in their service, resulting in the legal claim. You could look to recover damages from the consultancy if this could be proven. The consultancy would then potentially look to recover their damages from the subcontractor. Each claim would be separate to the last and can be excessive in terms of both time and cost. Potentially very messy.

unplanned leave during the project? This is particularly important where a business is sub-contracting work and may not have the expertise to continue a project if their sub-contractor is unable to work. Crescent Purchasing Consortium CPC is a not-for-profit organisation and is owned and run by the education sector. CPC provides trustworthy deals designed for educational establishments covering a wide variety of products and services. The Department for Education recommends 13 of CPC’s deals. Tenet Education Services are part of the CPC Group and provides procurement consultancy support. CPC membership is free for all educational establishments. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.thecpc.ac.uk www.tenetservices.com

SAFEGUARDING THE EDUCATION SECTOR THROUGHOUT THE UK GLOBAL PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING, CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECKS & RISK CONSULTANCY SERVICES Security Watchdog is the industry leader and subject matter expert in all areas of global background checking, pre-employment screening, criminal record checks and risk consultancy services. We have an unrivalled range of pre-employment screening solutions, offering background checks of every kind for the education sector.

WWW.SECURITYWATCHDOG.ORG.UK

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Advertisment Feature

School resource management and ICFP Delivering excellence in school resource management needn’t be a mystery with the new ISBL School Optimisation Tool (I-SOT) which has been developed from our sector insights and knowledge

A full, effective use of ICFP is the key to excellence in financial management and strategic resource-planning Since the launch of the School Resource Management Adviser (SRMA) initiative, following the initial pilot in 2017/18, there has been significant commentary on the purpose and aims of the programme. School resource management advisers are sector specialists in the financial management of organisations, including schools, trusts and local authorities. The SRMA programme is about optimising the resources available to ensure that these organisations can target public money to activity that will improve outcomes for their pupils. How to be accredited To be accredited, SRMAs undergo a rigorous assessment process to ensure they have the relevant knowledge and skills to undertake sector-led support. SRMAs have a unique perspective on the system through the insights aggregated from visits to many organisations. They are well‑placed to identify and share emerging good practice and can add value to financial planning and resource management. SRMAs use tried and tested methodologies, with integrated curriculum financial planning (ICFP) at the heart of any review, to underpin the recommendations they offer to organisations across the country. The focus on a school’s or academy’s financial efficiency and sustainability has

never been more important and the method of financial resource planning that is becoming increasingly prominent is Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP). The approach ISBL has developed an approach to ICFP through our on-the-ground experience of using ICFP as part of the School Resource Management Adviser (SRMA) programme and through our partnership with Andrew Hamilton, an experienced SRMA. We want to help support school business professionals in this area by sharing the effective practice developed. Our approach is based on our belief that a full, effective use of ICFP is the key to excellence in financial management and strategic resource-planning. It is designed to be easy to understand, simple to implement and user‑friendly in its application. It uses the essential revenue balances, income and expenditure metrics (the Balances Metrics) and the 12 key diagnostic staffing metrics (the 12 Key Metrics). The metrics are easily analysed and are used to inform the school’s decision makers about the effectiveness and efficiency of their financial and resource use.

They provide the conversation starters for school business professionals, senior school leaders, governors and trustees, so that they discuss what actions need to be taken to ensure high‑quality teaching and learning whilst securing a school’s financial health. The new optimisation tool I-SOT, the new ISBL School Optimisation Tool, will help you calculate the metrics and uses a RAG rating system to indicate which areas may be of concern and require further investigation. You can purchase this from the ‘On Demand tab’ of the Training Calendar at www.isbl.org.uk We offer a range of ICFP training opportunities for school business professionals. To find out more and book your place on a training event, visit https://isbl.org.uk/Training/ICFP.aspx Interested in the school resource management programme? Additionally, if you are interested in finding out more about the school resource management programme, you can find details on the DfE’s school resource management package of support on GOV.UK pages: www.gov. uk/government/collections/schoolsfinancial-health-and-efficiency If you are interested in becoming an SRMA – please contact us below. L FURTHER INFORMATION srma@isbl.org.uk

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Freedom to focus on educational outcomes Communicate, collaborate and control your entire establishment with Access Workspace for Education, the new platform that brings all your school software into one place. Discover the school management software that gives you the freedom to deliver outstanding education. Access Workspace for Education, transforms efficiency and engagement across your school, academy or multi-academy trust, giving you more time to focus on your true priorities.

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COVER EVERY INCH OF THE COURT. It’s...Where Champions Play Taraflex® is the most widely specified indoor sports surface in the world. Chosen by top international athletes for its unique construction and technical performance, it has been fitted at every Olympic Games since 1976. Taraflex® provides industry leading innovation and is widely recognised and installed in the education sectors with over 6 million children everyday enjoying the benefits of Taraflex® sports flooring. Contact us now for your free site survey. 01926 622600 www.gerflorsportsflooring.co.uk contractuk@gerflor.com @GerflorSportsUK

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

FIRE SAFETY

Professional fire safety training and guidance

Compliant fire alarm solutions for education

Fire safety is an important aspect in the management of the education estate and passive fire protection (PFP) is a key component of any fire safety strategy. PFP is built into the structure of buildings to ensure they do not collapse and to prevent the spread of smoke and fire, allowing time for occupants to escape. PFP includes fire doors, walls, protection to the structural frame and fire-stopping. The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) offers a range of training courses and guidance documents to assist specifiers, building owners and installers. The ASFP Online Introduction to Passive Fire Protection provides a basic

BBC Fire Protection Limited is part of the Marlowe Group, one of the four largest providers of fire protection services in the UK. Founded in 1979, the company specialises in the provision and maintenance of active fire safety systems throughout the UK. In addition to fire safety consultancy services, the company’s accomplished in-house engineers are also qualified to design, supply, install, service, maintain and commission: fire alarm systems; aspirating fire detection systems; gaseous fire suppression systems; portable extinguishers; voice alarm systems; fire telephone systems; disabled refuge systems; emergency and security lighting and communication and intercom systems. BBC Fire Protection provides 24/7 emergency maintenance cover throughout the year. The company recognises

introduction to PFP and its role in the overall fire strategy of a building. It offers an excellent insight into the vital role that such systems play. The ASFP Foundation Courses in Passive Fire Protection offer modules in fire science and different forms of passive fire protection, leading towards Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications provided by the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and recognised by regulators Ofqual and CCEA. The ASFP is holding a CPD seminar in central London on 23 October 2019. The seminar aims to improve awareness of PFP and help delegates to understand the vital role of compartmentation in maintaining fire safety in buildings.

FURTHER INFORMATION info@asfp.org.uk www.asfp.org.uk

FIRE SAFETY

the importance of providing compliant fire alarm system solutions with emphasis on false alarm management reliability, to prevent disruption to the working environment. BBC Fire Protection holds a Royal Warrant as a fire alarm specialist by Appointment to HM Queen Elizabeth II, derived from its extensive experience of working on secure sites such as royal households along with many government and private education estates.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.bbcfire.co.uk sales@bbcfire.co.uk

FIRE SAFETY

Trusted nationwide fire safety services

LFS is at the forefront of fire protection solutions

Churches Fire has supplied quality fire safety services throughout the education sector since 1992. Operating nationwide, the company specialises in delivering the required fire safety measures to schools, colleges and universities, through a network of highly-qualified technicians located across the UK. As well as offering standard services such as fire alarms, fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and fire training, Churches Fire also services kitchen suppression, dry and wet risers and sprinkler systems. Churches Fire holds third-party accreditations from several governing bodies including BAFE, BAFSA and the LPCB. In order to remain compliant and up-to-date with the latest standards, the company is regularly inspected by external auditors.

LFS provides passive fire protection products and services to the construction industry in both the public and private sectors. As well as manufacturing and installing fire doorsets and screens, LFS also provides a one-stop, long term solution of ongoing service maintenance and support. This aspect of the service is particularly relevant to the education sector as they are backed up by all of the leading fire industry accreditation bodies which ensures continual compliance beyond door installation. Regular contract customers benefit from LFS’s bespoke PASSIFIRE app with barcode and handheld technology to carry out efficient and thorough fire door and fire stopping surveys. LFS’ latest initiative is to launch an e-commerce site www.lfsfireshop.co.uk which

Churches Fire works alongside its customers to provide the correct services for their business requirements as well as ensuring they meet their legal obligations through regular servicing. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 specifies the legal requirements for fire safety in the UK, and Churches Fire strictly adheres to this Order. Fire safety in an education environment must be a high priority for all.

FURTHER INFORMATION customer.services@ churchesfire.com www.churchesfire.com 0370 608 4350

provides online access to a range of fire stopping products from leading manufacturers such as Lorient and Dorma. Products that range from door seals to rubble sacks and threshold plates to door closers. LFS promises excellent levels of service and competitive pricing. LFS has made it a priority to stay at the forefront of passive fire protection through continual testing and certification with all of the major fire industry bodies such as Exova BM TRADA and FIRAS.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.lfsfireshop.co.uk

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

FIRE SAFETY

M&P Fire Protection – Experts in fire safety

Providing a fire-safety one stop solution for schools

M&P Fire Protection Ltd. (M&P) is a team of highly qualified and experienced engineers. They are experts in the design, installation, servicing and maintenance of all types of fire protection, with a particular specialism in dry and wet risers and fire sprinkler systems. Sprinkler systems remain one of the most effective means of controlling a fire; they have a near-perfect record of survival, even in the most devastating fires. A smart sprinkler installation from M&P gives customers complete peace of mind that they have taken the most practical precautions for the safety of their building – and everyone in it. M&P supplies, installs, tests and commissions a full range of fire detection, suppression and elimination systems and equipment. In addition to sprinkler systems and dry/wet

Ultimate Fire and Security Systems Ltd is proud to have been the “go to” company for many schools and companies throughout London and the Home Counties for many years. As a partner to “the largest school in Europe”, Ultimate has been the company of choice time and time again. With its in-house team of system specialists, Ultimate is happy to aid in the design, installation and maintenance on multiple systems. All engineers are DBS cleared and factory trained to offer a high standard of service on fire systems, CCTV systems, access control systems, gate and barriers. Ultimate strives to offer excellence in every project it delivers by understanding the needs of its clients. With the ever-increasing need for safeguarding and securing the school environment, Ultimate can

risers, the company delivers fire protection solutions including hose reels, foams, dry chemical and gas suppression systems and detection systems. M&P is an integral part of Premier Technical Services Group (PTSG) – the UK’s leading provider of specialist services for the construction and FM sectors. It is part of PTSG Fire Solutions Ltd – the fastest growing business division. M&P Fire Protection Ltd covers London and the south-east of England, giving PTSG comprehensive UK-wide coverage.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.mercury-group.co.uk 01482 782287

SECURITY

offer a 24/7 solution to ensure that all risks are minimised, and an engineering callout service is in place when needed. By working closely with multiple councils and schools, Ultimate always offers the most up to date solution at a cost-effective price. Many clients have taken advantage of Ultimate’s free system overview and health check as to the latest Compliance Regulations. Please contact us to see what Ultimate can do for you.

FURTHER INFORMATION ultimatefireandsecurity.co.uk 0208 500 1088

SECURITY

A robust IP lockdown solution in education

Be confident in your school’s security

Bowker IT covering the North West, loves to do what it does best and that’s giving schools a complete IT service. The company has teamed up with UK based Netgenium to give schools outstanding building security systems. The potential of a security breach at a school, college or university has become more prevalent recently. This has led to the installation of many security systems such as CCTV, access control and barriers to help protect staff, students and parents. Netgenium offer a range of network based solutions that create an intelligent, scalable and feature rich security system to help provide a Lockdown solution. Netgenium’s IP Access Control and IP Public Address are typical systems that are used every day. However, the systems can

Guardforce Security Services was established in 1993 and has successfully been serving clients in all business sectors, from London to Leeds. Guardforce Security Services are tailored to the needs and requirements of its clients. Guardforce offers a range of services including dedicated guarding, mobile patrols, premises inspections and lock & unlock services. Guardforce also provides key-holding and first response services, void property inspection, controlled access visits and neighbourhood patrol, in partnership with Bedfordshire Police Partnership Trust. All Guardforce services are fully supported by its own 24/7 Command and Control Centre. Guardforce Security Services

also work together so a push of a button, click on a screen or swipe of a smart card could send a site into Lockdown, immediately securing doors and gates and sending pre-recorded announcements around buildings. The system is incredibly flexible and allows the end user to design and achieve the Lockdown solution that suits their needs. To find out more contact Kim on 01524 385800 or visit bowkerit.co.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION 01524 385800 bowkerit.co.uk

has the following accreditations: Approved Contractor under Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) of the Security Industry Authority (SIA) since 2006; principal member of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA); Accredited with ISO 9001:2015 – Total Quality Management System. The company fully complies with British Standards such as BS7499:2013, BS7984:2014 and BS7875:2012, and is accredited by Alcumus – Safe-Contractor for Health and Safety standards

FURTHER INFORMATION Email: enquiries@ guardforce-security.com Website: www.guardforcesecurity.com

FIRE SAFETY

SECURITY

Robust fire safety solutions for the education sector

Remsdaq – security products manufacturer

Kings Secure Technologies is one of the largest independent fire and security technology businesses in the UK. The company’s mission is to offer the latest and most innovative technologies to deliver the best value and most robust solutions to its customer base. With over 50 years’ of successful trading history in a variety of industries, Kings has the size, scale and infrastructure to meet its clients’ challenging needs. Kings designs, installs and maintains a wide range of fire detection, gas suppression and life safety system solutions. The services it provides the education sector are both technically sound and cost effective. All fire detection and life safety systems

Remsdaq is a leading UK manufacturer of integrated security products including the Entro access control and Sabre perimeter intrusion detection systems. EntroWatch is the management software at the heart of the Entro series. The software is easy to set-up and features intuitive screen layouts from which to configure, monitor and control up to 800 doors and 250,000 credentials. EntroWatch is designed to work with EntroStar and EntroNet access door controllers which provide 2-door/4‑reader and 8-door/16‑reader in/ out functionality. They are easy to install and allow fast and cost‑effective expansion using ‘plug n play’ modular technologies. Up to 100 EntroStar and EntroNet access door controllers can be connected on an IP network to provide door

that Kings supplies are designed, installed and maintained to meet the requirements of the BAFE SP203-1 accreditation scheme and all relevant British Standards. Fircroft College of Adult Education recently found themselves in urgent need of a new fire safety system for their historic building. They called in specialists from Kings to design a solution that would meet their specific requirements, as well as comply with the latest standards. Kings put together a solution to convert the previous zonal system to a fully addressable solution, using the latest Vigilon Plus technology from Gent.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.kingsltd.co.uk/fircroft/

SECURITY

management up to 800 doors. The installation can be single site or span multiple buildings. EntroPad readers, desktop readers, management kits and EntroPass secure credentials complete the Entro series. The Entro series integrates with HIKVision CCTV, IEVO Biometric readers and Sabre PIDS. Remsdaq is a Microsoft Certified Gold partner and manufactures products certified for government use by the CPNI (Centre for the Protection of Critical National Infrastructure). Company management systems are certified to ISO9001/14001/18001 and 27001.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.remsdaq.com (0) 1244 286 495

SAFEGUARDING

Greater affordability in CCTV protection

Best value learning solutions in safeguarding

CCTV Security UK is a leading installer of security systems nationwide. The company has over 20 years of experience in designing, installing and maintaining security systems within a wide range of industry sectors especially to schools and local authorities. School references available. Delivering the highest professional standards and exceptional customer service is the organisation’s utmost concern. The seriousness of protecting the school environment poses many complex questions, especially regarding the increasing need for security measures. CCTV Security UK offers a vast range of surveillance products including High Definition and 4K CCTV systems and all new installations come with a free maintenance package. All staff are registered under the Disclosure & Barring Services certificated for your peace of

Safeguarding Children Training provides a range of faceto-face specialist training courses for anyone working or volunteering with children. The business was set up by Richard Woodley, a retired Child Abuse Investigation Detective Sergeant with Thames Valley Police, to deliver approved Child Protection courses on behalf of Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs). The company now provides ‘best value’ learning solutions directly to a range of professional organisations and individual practitioners. Training courses are specifically designed to meet the learning needs of sector professionals including education, health, social services, police, charities and voluntary groups. All training incorporates the requirements of the Children Acts 1989 and 2004, statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ and ‘Working together to safeguard

mind. The challenge lies not only in safeguarding your environment from crime, violence and intrusion, but also in the successful and cost-effective manner. Working in partnership with every client, CCTV Security UK seeks to understand their requirements and any potential risks and vulnerabilities, before using its extensive product knowledge and expertise to recommend and deliver high quality, reliable security solutions that are tailored to meet each schools individual needs.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01277 503 105 www.cctvsecurityuk.co.uk

children’ along with child protection procedures for your area. Safeguarding Children Training focuses its learning on empowering practitioners to protect children from harm. Qualified trainers are experienced child protection practitioners having worked within a variety of public service professions such as policing, teaching, social care, health and local government. Courses can be held at your location, a venue of your choice, or at the company’s training locations across Southern England.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 07867 783676 admin@safe-child.co.uk www.safeguardingchildren-training.co.uk

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SPORT & LEISURE

PLAY

Academic based rebounding workshops

Exciting play equipment for toddlers to teens

Bounce Beyond is the UK’s first and only education based, mini-rebounder workshop provider. The company’s workshops include elements of Literacy, Numeracy, Science alongside Physical Education. Using high specification mini-rebounders, Bounce Beyond brings all the equipment to your school and delivers all day energetic, exciting, fun workshops to all of the children (even staff). Workshops are also fully inclusive and can be accessed by reception classes right through to secondary. The Bounce Beyond ethos has always been about showing children that exercising can be fun! This has been proven, time and time again from the hundreds of schools the organisation have visited. Rebounding is low impact on joints, improves co-ordination and balance and promotes self-esteem.

Discovery Timber Play Ltd is a privately owned company, situated in the Cotswolds on the outskirts of the town of Stonehouse. It has over 20 years experience in designing, manufacturing & installing exciting outdoor playground equipment for toddlers to teens. Discovery Timber Play is a trusted supplier to local authorities, schools & nurseries, community groups, leisure organisations and housing developments. Discovery Timber Play’s passion is for wood, stainless steel and the best possible quality of materials to blend in harmoniously with the projects surroundings. The next inspirational elements are design and innovation, the many ways the products could inspire and help to improve our users lives. This includes social skills, imagination,

Bounce Beyond prides itself on being accessible to all pupils providing stability bars for those who may require that extra bit of support. Currently doing the daily mile? Included in the company’s workshops is a ‘Bounce A Mile Challenge’.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 07523 855596 info@bounce-beyond.co.uk www.bounce-beyond.co.uk

TRAINING

creativity, sense of connection, health, fitness, stimulation, education, problem solving, enhancing inclusion, including people with disabilities. Discovery Timber Play has recently expanded its production facility so it can now manufacture virtually any bespoke, wooden play equipment, both commercial & residential. Its current product range includes; Discovery PlayTowers, PlayBoat, trim trails, swings & zip-wires, bespoke play equipment, safety surfacing, gazebos and outdoor classrooms, shade sails and fencing & seating.

FURTHER INFORMATION discoverytimberplay.co.uk

SPORT & LEISURE

Laughter yoga for a happier workforce

VX – the sport that ticks all your boxes

UnitedMind is a key-driver within the space of therapeutic laughter and Laughter Yoga. The company specialises in long-lasting personal and professional growth through laughter, happiness and holistic health in the workplace, the community, and at home. Since 2003 UnitedMind has provided workshop and training programmes for teams and individuals across the UK and Europe. UnitedMind is always on the forefront with new programmes to tackle stress-, team-, conflict- or communicationoriented challenges in the workplace or privately. There is tremendous potential for personal and professional wellbeing for you and your team when you adopt more play and laughter in your daily activities. Laughter Yoga promotes greater physical, mental, and emotional

What is VX? The BBC called it ‘the best sport you’ve never heard of’. It’s a mixed and inclusive sport that is also accessible to the disabled. It increases participation and gets non-sporty children involved. It’s suitable for all ages, and beginners can be playing at a fast pace in just ten minutes. VX has had a massive impact in schools across the UK and is spreading rapidly across the world. It can be played as a team, singles or doubles and has an impact like nothing you’ve ever seen. Sitting squarely in the National Curriculum and suitable for all ages and abilities VX emphasises honesty and integrity in sport. Schools use it in many ways, both in the curriculum and for after-school. It involves a massive amount of both aerobic and anaerobic fitness – but the youngsters don’t realise how hard

health. When you are feeling well you work better and you make better decisions, connecting with people and ideas in creative ways. UnitedMind was the first training organisation in the UK to focus solely on Laughter Yoga for training and development purposes giving us a longstanding track record of providing professional delivery of laughterbased programmes. The company’s training and workshop programmes are second to none and its clients are the evidence. Share the gift of laughter with people in your life, at work and at home.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.unitedmind.co.uk

they are working. It also ticks all your PE & Sport Premium boxes. As Rachel Mackenzie Jones, Thai Boxing World Champion & Sky Sports Athlete Mentor, says: “Fantastic that I got to play my new favourite sport, VX. It should be compulsory on the PE curriculum.”

FURTHER INFORMATION www.vxinternational.com www.watchvx.tv Tel: 01347 848232

LIGHTING

LED LIGHTING

Carbon8Lighting: market leading LED light fitters

Helping you make the green shift to LED lighting

Carbon8Lighting designs and manufactures ultrahigh performance LED light fittings specifically for public sector, commercial and industrial environments. Carbon8Lighting LED light fittings offer unique features that differentiate them from other LED products. Combining the latest technology with innovative design, Carbon8Lighting leads the LED market both in performance and in reliability. This combination means that Carbon8Lighting customers see some of the fastest return on investment rates and energy reduction projects undertaken and have the peace of mind of a unique warranty program that offers complete peace of mind. LED light technology is of great interest to the UK Government, which believes that the technology can significantly assist as part of its efforts to reach the

V-TAC UK Ltd brings high quality, sustainable LED lighting solutions to the UK education sector. The company’s ceaseless innovation and extensive experience in the UK lighting market has shaped its diverse range of next-generation LED lighting technologies, designed to provide energy-efficient, professional lighting solutions that not only save energy, but also significantly support pedagogical concepts and learning. The positive impact of the right light on the ability to concentrate, well-being and safety has been scientifically verified. V-TAC enables you to make the most of these concepts, offering a full turn key solution to the education sector using our enhanced range of five-year warranty LED lighting solutions with Samsung’s reliable LED components. As a result, V-TAC’s lighting solutions can simulate the natural course of

UK’s carbon reduction targets. All Carbon8Lighting LED light fittings meet the required performance criteria for the Government’s Energy Technology Compliance List (ETCL) making them applicable for government carbon saving financial incentives such as the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) tax scheme. This approval adds further credence to the already strong case for businesses to change lighting technology now. Carbon8Lighting has helped businesses across the UK to slash their energy bills and dramatically reduce carbon emissions.

FURTHER INFORMATION 01256 300031 www.carbon8lighting.co.uk

WASTE & RECYCLING

daylight, improving motivation, well-being and productivity. V-TAC protects both the budget and the environment, ensuring low energy consumption and low maintenance costs, reducing your carbon footprint and saving up to 80 per cent on your energy bill. The energy management team will visit your facility and assess your current lighting situation, providing a free report identifying potential savings. Comprehensive funding packages are also available to help you make the shift to LED lighting with minimal disruption to your business.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel. +442072991212 www.vtacexports.com

HYGIENE

UK suppliers of waste and recycling products

World class quality, world class safety

Cromwell Polythene is proud to be an independent, familyrun business, committed to supply products for the capture and containment of waste and recyclables. It is the company’s mission to be the most resourceful company in plastics, supplying products that help make the world cleaner, greener, and more resourceful. Cromwell Polythene has an extensive portfolio, from waste and recycling sacks to all bin liners, compactor sacks, clinical waste sacks and compostable liners. That’s in addition to food-grade bags, kerb-side recycling bags, woven sacks, disposable gloves and aprons. The company’s LowCO2t™ refuse sack range is engineered to provide maximum performance using minimal resources, including more than 30 per cent recycled Polythene. Cromwell is also the sole UK distributor for

With a range of over 2,000 products and distribution partners in over 90 countries, Hillbrush is the largest UK manufacturer of brushware and hygienic cleaning tools, selling to a global customer base. Setting the benchmark for quality and innovation across the cleaning, healthcare and food processing industries, the mission for continuous development and outstanding service is as prominent now as it was when the company was founded in 1922. Hillbrush has developed an extensive product line designed for a range of sectors, from hygiene products suitable for food manufacture and healthcare to natural fibre products for the agricultural industry. Hillbrush Hygiene features ground-breaking filament retention technology to help ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and safety in the workplace. The Hygiene range is manufactured

compostable bags made from Ecopond® biodegradable resin. Complementing Cromwell’s sacks and bags portfolio is the ‘Wave®’ range of latex-free, disposable gloves for professional use. The range incorporates new, eye-catching packaging, with a fresh logo, better promoting the products environmental and performance credentials. Cromwell Polythene is accredited by the CHSA, whose code of practice provides customers with an assurance of professional conduct, customer service and quality, as well as ISO 9001:2015 standards.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.cromwellpolythene.co.uk

in house in a state-of-the-art factory in Mere, Wiltshire, South West England and boasts up to 12 colours, including Anti-Microbial, Total MDX, Resin-Set DRS® Brushware and Foodservice, allowing our customers to colour code their workplace. These product lines cover the three major causes of contamination in the food manufacturing industries and along with Shadowboards help educational establishments comply with BRC Global standards version 8 and HACCP.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 017 4786 0494 sales@hillbrush.com hillbrush.com

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ALTERNATIVE PROVISION

RESURFACING

Providing fully inclusive tailored learning

Car park surfacing and maintenance specialists

EDLounge provides a high quality solution to schools to support students who otherwise would miss out on mainstream education. By understanding that every child’s circumstances and learning abilities are different, the company takes into consideration whether they are unable to attend lessons due to long term illness, mental health issues, exclusion or simply have a low level of Math’s and English. EDLounge has an extensive lesson content covering over 50 subjects, giving schools a wide range of engaging resources. By tailor making packages to suit schools on an individual basis, the organisation caters for all your requirements: The EDClass & EDMulti will enhance your alternative curriculum. With a teacher who is able to support and supervise students learning online; EDInclude can be used

NMC Surfacing is a leading independent surfacing, drainage and civil engineering contractor, providing a 24/7 nationwide car park turnkey solution across the UK for the government, councils and some of the biggest brands in the UK, particularly within the retail and petrochemical sector. NMC’s commitment to safety, quality, and service culture from its senior management right through to operative level, makes the company the ideal choice for partnering to protect brand equity with our key clients. As specialists with vast experience in dealing with high priority prestigious projects, NMC plays a key role in its clients stakeholder management while delivering project with minimal financial or operational disruption. The NMC surveying team is on hand to assist you with often

during reflection or isolation. Adopting a positive behaviour management system to reduce future exclusions; and EDStars raises attainment and outcomes to ensure that maximum progress can be made. Since using EDStars Rodillian Academy’s statistics have increased from 19 per cent to 77 per cent A* - C at GCSE grade. If you would like any further information in regards to how EDLounge can benefit you as a school, please email the company via the details below and quote 10EDBUS.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01909 568338 contactus@edlounge.com

FLOORING

complementary site condition surveys, with surveyors able to visit your site and analyse its current condition before detailing, with a colour coded report that incorporates its findings, evidence of it’s condition, which can assist clients when controlling a budget, prioritising maintenance works and creating a planned maintenance works for the next five years.

FURTHER INFORMATION nmcsurfacing.co.uk

MODULAR BUILDS

Adding colour to the new Glasgow University campus

Building a brighter future for the next generation

When the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) built a new £110 million campus in Lanarkshire, Flowcrete UK was called upon to provide colourful, fit for purpose floors that reflected the site’s energetic atmosphere. The facility was designed to create a vibrant, contemporary venue for learning, research and innovation. This ethos was emulated across the site’s floor with a multi-coloured pattern made from multiple resin coatings. Over 1,000 m2 of the methyl methacrylate system Flowfast Terrosso was applied. This fast curing flooring solution was used in Signal Grey and Dark Grey to cover the majority of the public-facing areas, particularly in the atrium. 350 m2 of Flowfresh MF was also used in a number of bold colours, including Ochre, Dark Green and Dark Blue. This resulted in wide sections of flooring in complementary

An off-site manufacturer offering turnkey solutions for new school buildings, NetZero Buildings’ multi‑award winning developments are designed by an in-house team of architects and engineers. State of the art BIM design software and hightech manufacturing processes are the basis of the impressive results NetZero Buildings generates for its clients. The decisions we make today lay the foundations of tomorrow. Unfortunately, the traditional construction industry is often slow, inefficient, expensive and resistant to change. NetZero Buildings use forwardthinking innovative technology to create high quality, energyefficient, off-site manufactured buildings to reduce construction time, cost and environmental impact. Compared to traditional build, NetZero Buildings cost 7-10 per cent less to build; the

shades that reflected the campus’ interior design scheme. Dr Gillian Thomson, UWS Lanarkshire project manager, said: “Flowcrete provided sound and relevant advice during the design and installation period. The installation by Flowcrete has created more than a floor covering – through the creative use of colour it gives an informal flow to the entry to the campus and has become a real feature in the UWS Lanarkshire Campus.”

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 1270 753 000 www.flowcrete.co.uk

company spends an average of 60 per cent less time on-site to minimise disruption, and its offsite construction tech means its buildings are 40 per cent quicker to build. What’s more, the buildings on average cost 76 per cent less to maintain per annum. NetZero Buildings is BOPAS accredited and can provide robust guarantees for all of its work. Additionally, it can provide standard or bespoke maintenance plans where required. And now we’re bringing all that experience and expertise into the wider community by expanding to the housing sector.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.netzerobuildings.co.uk

TRANSLATION

PARKING

Language solutions for the education sector

Your parking and access problems, solved

My Language Hub Limited (MLH) is a Language Service Company (LSC) based in Letchworth Garden City in North Hertfordshire. It provides a wide range of language solutions in the education sector, ranging from translations of documents and websites to the provision of language tuition, both Modern Foreign Languages and English. With 20 years of language service experience, MLH has an extensive depth of knowledge and expertise. The company works closely with examination boards in the United Kingdom as well as with Local Education Authorities. MLH feels uniquely qualified to undertake this specialist service. MLH is comprised of members of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL). CIOL provides proof of accreditation and holds a database of qualified and proficient linguists that enables

Your parking and accessibility problems solved. The Parking Consultancy (TPC) is a small, independent consultancy whose staff have more than 50 years of combined experience solving parking and accessibility problems. With hands-on experience in the health, education and public sectors, as well as airports and private sector institutions, TPC’s consultants are experts at solving issues relating to parking shortages, site redevelopment, optimising revenue, enforcement, technology, operations and sustainable transport planning. After careful research and evaluation, TPC will be able to advise you on the best solutions for your site. Furthermore, the fact that the company is a specialist consultancy, rather than a department in a larger firm, means that it can be flexible in its approach to suit

them to confidently translate in diverse language pairs. MLH is a proud member of the American Translators Association (ATA), validating the high standards of their certified translations. MLH’s ethos revolves around providing the best service possible by understanding its clients’ detailed requirements. A member of both the North Hertfordshire and the Welwyn and Hatfield Chambers of Commerce, My Language Hub is committed to supporting clients not just in their local area, but across the United Kingdom.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.mylanguagehub.com

ENERGY

the parking consultancy your needs and budget. Numerous healthcare and higher education sites have already sought the help of TPC. Richard Wintrip, Travel and Transport Manager at Bournemouth University, said: “Without The Parking Consultancy’s input and assistance, this project would not have been delivered on time and on budget. I would certainly recommend TPC’s services to any organisation who has a car parking project that they need assistance with.”

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01430 650343 Tel: 07410 117 113 www.theparkingconsultancy.com

SPORTS

A lesson in reduced energy cost and lower emissions

New EYFS physical development resources

Bootham School is an independent Quaker boarding school located in the city of York. The Quaker value of simplicity has driven the school to actively support sustainability and tackle environmental issues relating to its campus, including a constant, year round need for power and hot water for on-site residency and swimming pool. The school decided to supplement the modern boiler house facilities with a micro combined heat and power (m-CHP) system from Adveco, installing two TOTEM T25 m-CHP units. Running data shows that the units are performing well in terms of cost savings per run hour, and by extrapolating the figures to give a full year’s running (6,677 hours) the payback period for the project will be achieved and Bootham School should save an estimated £36,996.

Move with Max is an evidence‑based movement programme aimed at EYFS that teaches fundamental movement skills (FMS) through readily available story books. Research suggests that early childhood is an extremely important phase to acquire and develop FMS, in particular between 3-5 years old. Hence, ‘physical development’ is classified as a prime area of learning. Immerse your children in exciting physical development activities either through physical education lessons or continuous provision with these easy to follow activity cards. Using storybooks as a ‘hook’ not only provides links to other areas of learning and topics being explored, but it promotes engagement in the development of FMS, reducing the tendency of skill levels to plateau. Research highlights that FMS do not develop naturally

Importantly, CO2 savings of more than 115,500 (kg.CO2) are expected, with NOx emissions are also greatly reduced. Craig Pierotti, estates manager at the Bootham School, commented: “Adveco are constantly monitoring the CHP’s for us. It is literally fit and forget. They are brilliant, any problems have been dealt with very professionally, the service and back up has been outstanding.”

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01252 551 540 enquiries@adveco.co www.adveco.co

through the maturation process; therefore, FMS programmes should be put in place to allow for the acquisition, development and reinforcement of these basic skills. Each set contains ten double sided activity cards linked to a story book and an assessment framework, allowing you to deliver a comprehensive, progressive and engaging EYFS FMS programme. Move with Max has been produced by Sedgefield School Sport Partnership who provide a variety of high-quality services and products to schools. www.sedgefieldssp.org.uk.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.movewithmax.co.uk

Issue 24.5 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

105

ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service Absolute Performance Adveco (AWP)

67 105

LFS Fire

Allsigns International

Loxit Products

ASAP Comply

Luxonic Lighting

Association for Specialist Fire

Mercury Group

100

Bauder

Minton House Group

IFC

BBC Fire & Security

My Language Hub

105

Net Zero Buildings

8,104

Bounce Beyond

102

Bowker IT

100

Broxap 60

Nimbus 43 NMC Surfacing

104

Carbon 8

103

Catch 22

Castle Water

Outtareach 16

Childnet International

Playtherm 63

Churches Fire Security

PLP Fire Protection

Civica UK

Poole Bay Holdings

Coachhire.com 88

Ransomes Jacobsen

Concord Lighting

Remsdaq 101

Create Education Projects

IBC 84

Office Depot

Safeguarding Children

101

Cromwell Polythene

103

Safety Technology

Discovery Timber Play

102

Security Watchdog

Ski Bound

Edlounge 104 Elite Systems GB

Ergochair 26 Evac Chair International

6,37

EXA- Networks

Executive Resource Group

Exertis 44 Flowcrete UK

104

Softbox 92 Solardome Industries

Solomon Theatre Company

Southeast Communications

101

sQuidcard 14 SWGFL 59

Fujitsu OBC

Talk Straight & Schools

Fresh Air Fitness

The Kings Ferry

GoJo Industries- Europe

The Parking Consultancy

Guardforce Security Services

100

48,49 10 105

The Studio 4

Thomas Ridley Food Service

Hillbrush 103

Thorlux Lighting

HM Government

Travel Bound

Hoge 100 Business Systems

Travel Class

Harlequin Floors

IGD 84 Institute of School Business

Inventry 62 ISS Education

18,19

Jacksons Fencing

32,33

Kajima Partnership

106

Leicestershire County Council

Ultimate Fire & Security Unicol Engineering

100 54

UnitedMind 102 V-Tac LED Lighting

103

VX I

102

Kidzania 38,39

Water Hygiene Centre

Kings Security Systems

Yeoman Shield

101

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

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Supporting administration Supporting and improving administration the learning and improving experience 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, GDPRthe compliance. As schools, colleges andproductivity universities and attempt tricky balancing act of cutting costs while improving Fujitsu offers a wide of scanners, includingthe sheetfed, and overhead models. Different service levels, morerange and more are discovering benefifltsatbed of deploying Fujitsu scanners in themodels are suited to different applications, but all perform the same essential function, the conversion of printed and classroom and administrative offices. handwritten information productivity into digital images that compliance. can be shared, stored and distributed digitally. Enhance collaboration, and GDPR Visit http://emea.fujitsu.com/scanners-in-education to fiflnd out more Fujitsu offers a wide range of scanners, including sheetfed, atbed 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

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ScanSnap iX1500 ■Scan everyday documents

ScanSnap SV600 ■Overhead contactless scanning

scanning in the classroom, such as forms & permission of loose documents up to A3, office or at home slips up to A4 & even A3 bound material & pupil produced ■Wirelessly scan to a cloud ■Scan colour, double sided & material such as craft items ScanSnap iX100 ScanSnap iX1500 ScanSnap SV600 account, smart device,notebook mixed batches of documents ■Simple one button approach, ■Battery powered scanner for ■ Scan everyday documents ■ Overhead or email address compatiblecontactless with both PCscanning & Mac ■Simple in its operation, scanning in the classroom, such as forms & permission of loose documents ■Scan small documents ■Continuous scanningup to A3, connection via USB to PC or Mac offi ceas orpermission at home slips or up to A4 & even scanning A3 bound material & pupil produced such ■slips Intuitive & automated possible with page turning ■Wirelessly scansimultaneously to a cloud ■Scan colour,distribution double sided material as craft items notifications & seamless to a &host detectionsuch & timed scanning mixed batchessuch of documents ■ one button approach, of destinations as email ■account, Choice ofsmart paperdevice,notebook paths ■Simple Automated image enhancement or email address ■ Simple in its operation, compatible with both PC & Mac ■Bundled with OCR software ■Bundled with OCR software for flexible operation ■Scan small documents connection via USB to PC or Mac ■ Continuous scanning for creation of searchable for creation of searchable such as permission slips or ■& Intuitive & automated scanning possible with editable files & editable filespage turning notifications simultaneously & seamless distribution to a host detection & timed scanning of destinations such as email ■Choice of paper paths ■Automated image enhancement ■aBundled OCR software for flexible operation ■Bundled OCR software Please scan here for YouTubewith hosted video featuring teachers talkingwith about using for ts creation for creation of searchable scanners and the benefi of themofinsearchable the classroom and for admin & editable files & editable files Please scan here for a YouTube hosted video featuring teachers talking about using Fujitsu would like tobenefi congratulate all and the nominees scanners and the ts of them in the classroom for admin and winners at today’s Education Business Awards event

ﬁ-65F ■Designed for easy &

quick scanning of small documents up to A6 ■Scan items such as a ﬁ-65F passport, ID card, driving ■Designed for easy & license or small slip quick scanning of small ■Scan in colour or black & documents upoptionally to A6 white, can be ■Scan items powered bysuch USB as a ID card, ■passport, Small footprint fordriving installation license or small slip in any environment ■Scan in colour or black & white, can be optionally powered by USB ■Small footprint for installation in any environment