Education Business 27.2

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ISSUE 27.2

Business Information for Education Decision Makers INDOOR AIR QUALITY

ENERGY

COMPUTING

SPORT & PE

REBUILDING ACTIVITY LEVELS Improving fitness, attainment and wellbeing after lockdowns

Contracts for Schools

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ISSUE 27.2

Business Information for Education Decision Makers AIR PURIFICATION

ENERGY

Comment

www.educationbusinessuk.net

COMPUTING

SPORT & PE

REBUILDING ACTIVITY LEVELS

Improving physical activity levels, attainment and wellbeing after lockdowns

Contracts for Schools

Giving you a helping hand on all your procurement contracts – from facilities management to utilities Find out more >>

Learning to live with Covid The government’s ‘Living with Covid’ plan has changed how schools operate in the pandemic. Staff and pupils in mainstream secondary schools no longer need to conduct regular asymptomatic testing, and while those testing positive are still advised to stay at home, after 1 April, they will be asked to exercise personal responsibility.

A DfE blog says that the best measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in education settings are “good ventilation, hygiene and encouraging vaccination uptake, as well as following any additional advice from local directors of public health”.

PLUS: BETT SHOW PREVIEW | SEND | DESIGN & BUILD | EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

This issue of Education Business examines how ensuring good air quality inside schools can help manage the Covid spread, and what support is available for schools to put in place ventilation and air purification technology.

As schools continue to help pupils recover from the pandemic – academically, physically and mentally, the Youth Sport Trust looks at how to rebuild activity levels in children, while Lord Jim Knight, a former minister for schools, digital and employment, investigates how education technology can help from both an academic and wellbeing perspective.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

Angela Pisanu, editor

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Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Contents

Contents Education Business 27.2 14

07 News

37 Indoor Air Quality

Ofsted to inspect teacher professional

Chris Yates, chief executive at Federation

development programmes; Ninety per cent of

of Environmental Trade Associations,

teachers set to quit before they retire; and Free cyber skills training for secondary school pupils

explores the issue of indoor air quality and the need for better ventilation in public

14 SEND

buildings, as well as the effect that heating

With challenges so great, the upcoming SEND

requirements can have on the environment

review will not be able to present a quick fix

25

to the difficulties SEND families face. It is vital

41 Energy

therefore that educators and SEND families

The Let’s Go Zero campaign is supporting

understand what support networks are out there in the meantime

19 Design & Build For the first time in the School Rebuilding Programme, evidence of a building’s condition

schools in their journey to becoming zero carbon by 2030, and now has more than 1,100 schools signed up. Suzanne Gibbon, the campaign’s Project Coordinator, explains how schools are making the zero carbon transition

need can be submitted by the responsible body.

We examine the nomination process

25 Indoor Air Quality The lessons we have learned from the pandemic about how ventilation reduces the risk of diseases being spread around buildings

41

45 Education Technology How much can education technology help with pandemic recovery, from both an academic and wellbeing perspective? Lord Jim Knight, a former minister for schools

will have positive implications for future

digital and employment and a member of the

generations of school children, says Nathan

Bett Global Education Council, investigates

Wood, chair of the BESA Health & Well-being in

45

49 IT & Computing

Buildings group

31 Indoor Air Quality One of the key ways of helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19 spreading in education settings is to make sure they are well ventilated, as virus particles can linger in the

With more than 700 schools now using the new Computing Quality Framework, Victoria Temple talks to some of the pioneering schools about their success in technology

air. We look at why good indoor air quality has

53 BETT

become so important as we live with Covid

Taking place on 23-25 March at ExCeL London, Bett will provide educators with the space

61

to discover the latest products, suppliers and EdTech trends both nationally and internationally

61 Sport The Youth Sport Trust shares ideas on how schools can rebuild children’s activity levels

49

Education Business magazine

and love for PE following lockdowns

www.educationbusinessuk.net Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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POST-16 EDUCATION

Ofsted to inspect teacher professional

Feedback wanted on reforms to post16 qualifications

development programmes

Ofsted has published its new framework and handbook for inspecting lead providers of the Department for Education’s two new professional development programmes for teachers; the early career framework (ECF) and the reformed suite of national professional qualifications (NPQs). These two programmes follow initial teacher education (ITE).

These new inspections will look at the quality of professional development and training and the effectiveness of leadership and management to determine the overall effectiveness of the lead provider.

Ofsted has worked closely with the sector to develop the approach to this new area of work. Inspections will give

confidence to early career teachers and NPQ participants, school leaders and the DfE about the quality of the training and professional development offered.

Inspections will begin in summer 2022, with monitoring visits to check that early implementation is on track. Monitoring visits will judge whether leaders are taking effective action to establish the new courses.

From spring 2023, Ofsted will then carry out full inspections of each lead provider, a minimum of once every two academic years.

Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said: “These two new programmes have the potential to transform the quality of training and professional development for teachers.

They will support the government’s plans to recruit, train and retain the highly skilled workforce needed to give pupils the best experience in education.

“Our inspections of lead providers of the ECF and NPQs will make sure the programmes are of the highest quality and that teachers and school leaders are getting the best possible support.”

CLICK TO READ MORE

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Schools key focus of Wales’ obesity prevention plans The Welsh Government has announced its plans for preventing obesity in Wales, with schools and other education settings a key part of the plan.

Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales Delivery Plan for 2022-24, supported by a £13m investment, will support a range of prevention, early intervention and specialised services that will prevent and reduce obesity, particularly in areas of deprivation.

Enabling schools and other education settings to be places where physical and mental health are supported as a priority is a key part of the new delivery plan. There is a particular focus on early years and children, with local public health teams in Merthyr, Anglesey and Cardiff given funding to run three pilot Children and Families Programmes. The programmes will work with schools and other local settings to deliver activities that support families to plan, prepare and cook healthier food.

The next two years of Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales will also have a strong emphasis on recovery from the pandemic.

Obesity has been a strong risk factor for serious illness, hospitalisation or death from COVID-19. This has brought into sharp focus the reasons why dietary and physical activity behaviours are vital to people’s overall health.

CLICK TO READ MORE

News

TEACHER TRAINING

A consultation has been launched seeking views on plans to reform post-16 qualifications at Level 2.

Qualifications will be streamlined and strengthened so that young people and adults have a clearer choice of options available to them and can be confident that they will lead them to a career.

Employers will play a key role by setting standards that will define the core knowledge, skills and behaviours expected for all technical qualifications at Level 2, so they deliver the skilled workforce businesses and the economy need to thrive.

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds or with special educational needs or disabilities, who are more likely to take these qualifications, will also benefit from higherquality courses that provide the support they need to fulfil their potential, and help open the door to opportunities to progress.

Thousands of young people and adults study for a Level 2, Level 1 and entry level qualification every year in subjects such as construction, healthcare and hair and beauty - often as a bridge to higher level study or to prepare them to enter the workplace.

The current qualifications choice is confusing with around 8,000 qualifications available at these levels, many of which cover the same or similar subjects. For example, there are more than 650 building and construction qualifications at these levels, and nearly 560 in health and social care. This can make it difficult for people to identify the right qualifications that will help them to achieve their goals.

Research has shown that many students entering the world of work lack the technical knowledge, transferable skills and behaviours required and expected by employers to perform successfully in occupations, despite holding a technical qualification. The plans will ensure all qualifications meet a high bar before being approved for any public funding, and provide the skills employers and individuals need to get ahead.

CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

7

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News

RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

Ninety per cent of teachers set to quit before they retire

Just nine per cent of teachers said they would only leave teaching on retirement - a figure that remained the same across the state and private school sectors.

The survey of 4,690 teachers by Teacher Tapp for Bett 2022 asked teachers what

would be the biggest issue which would most drive them away from the classroom, aside from hours, pay and conditions.

Responses showed that problems with their superiors and management teams were the biggest factor in making teachers decide to quit, with 34 per cent of teachers citing it as their main push factor.

Private school teachers were a lot more likely to be driven out by management problems - with 49 per cent reporting it as the biggest deciding factor compared to 32 per cent in the state sector.

Pupil behaviour was the second greatest contributor to forcing teachers out – with 18 per cent citing this as their top reason.

Secondary teachers – 25 per cent – were more than twice as likely to

quit because of pupil behaviour than primary teachers, at 12 per cent.

Just eight per cent of private school teachers would quit over behaviour compared to 19 per cent of state teachers.

Shifting expectations on curriculum delivery was cited by 15 per cent of teachers while pressure from government to catch up pupils was the biggest motivator to quit for ten per cent.

Parental pressure would be the main reason to quit for just six per cent of teachers, although more than twice as many private school teachers cited this – 11 per cent compared to state schools at five per cent.

CLICK TO READ MORE

WELLBEING

AIR QUALITY

Governors concerned about school staff mental health

Air quality research supports calls to clean up school run

In new findings released by GovernorHub, school governors and trustees in England expressed concerns about the mental health and workload of those working in their schools.

The survey of more than 4,000 governors and trustees found that more than half (57%) are concerned about the mental health of their headteacher or CEO, and seven in ten (71%) are concerned about the mental health of school staff, including support staff On the issue of workload, a worrying 70% of governors and trustees responding to the survey said that they’re concerned about the workload of their headteacher or CEO, and 75% reported being concerned about the workload of all school staff.

Many governors and trustees are tracking workload and wellbeing, and the findings reveal that such monitoring has increased in the pandemic period. Eight in 10 (81%) of those surveyed said that their board is tracking the workload and related mental health of the headteacher or CEO, while 86% said their board is tracking the

workload and related mental health of all school staff. More than half (58%) of respondents reported that their board has increased its tracking of these issues for headteachers and CEOs since pre-pandemic days, and a similar proportion (60%) has increased such tracking of staff welfare.

While boards are clearly worried about the workload and wellbeing of the most senior leaders in their schools, only 12% of those surveyed do not expect their headteacher or CEO to still be in post in two years’ time.

And only one-quarter (26%) said their board has a succession plan in place for these roles – suggesting that this topic is not a regular feature in board discussions currently.

Despite the challenges, governors and trustees reported feeling positive about the role and the part they play, with an overwhelming majority (89 per cent) saying they would recommend being a governor to other people.

CLICK TO READ MORE

New research from Northumbria University experts outlines the health risks caused by harmful pollution from vehicles measured outside schools in Newcastle.

Air quality data from monitoring sites outside 12 schools in the city, covering a 24-month period, demonstrated that short-term levels of pollution, linked to patterns around school drop-off and pick-up times, would have consistently exceeded 2021 World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines which are yet to be adopted into UK or EU policy.

Short term levels of Nitrogen Oxide (NO2) and tiny, inhalable particles called particulate matter (PM) recorded during the research were found to have exceeded 2005 and 2008 air quality guidelines and legal limits on several occasions.

Their findings have now been published in the international journal of scientific studies, Atmosphere, in a paper which recommends steps to improve air quality around schools to help protect the respiratory health of children, including road closures outside schools, antiidling campaigns, staggered drop-off and pick-up times and relocating drop-off and pick-up sites away from school entrances.

The adverse effect air pollution has on health has long been recognised, but children are among the most vulnerable due to their developing lungs and higher rate of respiration.

Air pollution can cause suppressed lung growth, increased risk of asthma, wheeze and bronchitis.

The city council is consulting on and introducing measures across the city to help reduce traffic, lower pollution levels and improve road safety while also working with Newcastle’s Promise Board – a group of headteachers, school governing bodies and academy trusts from across the city – to look at ways of promoting sustainable ways of getting to school.

CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

9

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News

TEACHER TRAINING

CYBER SECURITY

University of Warwick pilots remote teacher training

Free cyber skills training for secondary school pupils

The University of Warwick is one of only six pilot providers selected by the Department for Education to deliver remote teacher training for educators overseas.

The International Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS) is equivalent to English Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), and allows trainees to gain the skills, experience, and knowledge to become an excellent teacher while living and working overseas, with no need to visit the UK. The University of Warwick’s pilot year will see all teaching, observation and assessment delivered online, except for a final summative teaching observation in person by a University representative. Successful candidates will be able to undertake the iQTS within a year, at school in their own region, receiving face-to-face mentorship from a trained in-school member of staff.

In February 2021, the UK government launched a public consultation which introduced proposals for a new international teaching qualification. This led to the announcement of the iQTS as part of the International Education Strategy 2021 Update to help export excellence in teacher training.

The iQTS will make high quality training accessible around the world, allow trainees to benefit from evidence-based ITT, and allow schools to develop local talent. The qualification is set to increase the global pool of quality teachers and support global mobility within the teaching profession. Furthermore, this will enable international teachers to come back to the UK and help develop schools locally. iQTS is a unique new opportunity for a range of prospective candidates outside the UK. Prospective candidates may vary from those who have taught but would benefit from a teaching qualification and mentorship, or perhaps practicing teachers who have training but are seeking professional development and an internationally recognised qualification. As long as they are able to secure a suitable placement school for themselves and meet the academic and professional entry criteria, a candidate may even have no previous teaching experience.

CLICK TO READ MORE

Free online cyber security learning is to be rolled out across UK secondary schools, with schools in Newport, Newry, Inverclyde, Birmingham and Bradford are among first areas to benefit.

The move is part of government plans to create a highly-skilled and more diverse pipeline of talent for the UK’s fast-growing and in-demand cyber security industry.

Cyber Explorers aims to introduce 30,000 11 to 14-year-olds to important security concepts such as open-source intelligence, digital forensics and social engineering.

Along with the help of both the friendly Cyber Ranger and the knowledgeable Cyber Squad, students will explore a variety of scenarios and collect virtual badges for making smarter choices online.

Using characters, quizzes and activities, the free website will show students

how digital, computing and cyber skills can lead to a range of career paths, including social media content creation, sports technology and medical research.

Brand new content and characters will launch over the coming weeks.

Cyber Minister Julia Lopez said: “For years the UK has led the world in cyber security but we’re now looking ahead to the future. This sector is home to some of our most exciting, innovative jobs and they must be open to everyone.

“Cyber Explorers will give thousands of young people the opportunity to learn digital skills they need for the modern workplace and get the best possible start on their journey towards a career in cyber.”

CLICK TO READ MORE

POVERTY

Welsh Government grant for families struggling with school costs extended The Welsh Government’s PDG Access Grant, which previously only applied to children in certain school years, has now been extended to children in all years from Reception right through to Year 11.

The grant provides funding of up to £200 to help families who are eligible for free school meals with the extra costs associated with going to school, such as buying uniform, sports kit and equipment for other extra-curricular activities.

Minister for Education Jeremy Miles said: “We know that families are facing extreme pressure with increases in the cost of living, and extra costs associated with going to school can be a real worry for them. Tackling the impact of poverty on learner attainment is a key priority for this Government, and removing barriers and worry around the cost of the school day by investing in the PDG Access Grant is one way in which we can support our children, young people and their families.

“The PDG Access grant has already made a huge difference to many families across Wales, and expanding

its provision means that more children will be able to benefit and buy the uniform or equipment they need.

“I want to make sure that income is not a barrier to children having access to activities around the school day, but that they are able to take part in the same activities as their peers and are given the support they need to reach their full potential.”

CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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D A V F E

SPORT

New guidelines on physical activity for disabled children

Commonwealth school linking partnership launched

The UK’s Chief Medical Officers have published their first ever guidelines on physical activity for disabled children and young people – and schools are being asked to communicate and promote them, along with parents, carers and healthcare professionals.

The guidance recommends daily levels of physical activity and is underpinned by research from Durham University, University of Bristol and Disabilities Rights UK. The infographic is the first of its kind to be co-produced with disabled children, young people and their families.

The new guidelines recommend disabled children and young people undertake 120 to 180 minutes of aerobic physical activity per week at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity. This can be achieved in different ways (for example 20 minutes per day or 40 minutes three times per week) through activities such as walking or cycling.

It recommends they complete challenging, but manageable, strength and balance activities three times per week which are particularly beneficial for muscle strength and motor skills.

For example, indoor wall climbing, yoga, and modified sports such as basketball or football.

They are urged to build up slowly to avoid injury when first starting to exercise, and to break down their exercise into bite-size chunks of physical activity throughout the day to make it more manageable.

CLICK TO READ MORE

TEACHING

New guidance for teachers to avoid political bias in lessons

New guidance to support teachers in tackling sensitive issues in the classroom in a politically impartial way has been published.

Teaching about political issues and the differing views on these is an essential part of the curriculum, helping pupils to form their own opinions and prepare them for later life.

The new guidance will help teachers and schools navigate issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the legacy of the British Empire or societal responses to racism in accordance with the law, which states that teachers must not promote partisan political views and should offer a balanced overview of opposing views when political issues are taught.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “I know one of the reasons many teachers feel so passionate about the profession is the remarkable role they play in young people’s lives, helping them understand more about themselves and their views of the world.

“I don’t want there to be any barriers – real or perceived – to teachers’ vital work in this space, which is why I am reinforcing that no subject is off-limits in the classroom, as long as it is treated in an age-appropriate way, with sensitivity and respect, and without promoting contested theories as fact.

“Clearer guidance on political impartiality is just one part of my wider work to give children the best possible education as the government continues to prioritise skills, schools and families, to enable young people to reach the full height of their potential.”

If parents or carers have concerns about teaching of politically contentious issues, the guidance will provide a plain English reference point for discussions with head teachers, helping resolve issues more quickly and easily.

The guidance makes clear that in identifying political issues, teachers should be mindful that they sometimes do not relate directly to government policy, for example a campaign for a business to boycott trade with a certain country.

It also clarifies the requirement for teachers to make a ‘balanced presentation of opposing views’ on political issues does not mean that pupils must be taught about an opposite view to every view which is covered, or that different views must be given equal time in teaching or that those views cannot be critically assessed.

CLICK TO READ MORE

News

SPORT & PE

Sixty schools in the West Midlands have been twinned with 60 schools across 10 Commonwealth countries, as part of a new partnership between the British Council and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Pupils from the West Midlands took part in a video call with children in Sri Lanka at the official launch of the partnership, called Commonwealth Connections.

Through the twinning project young people will explore cultures and beliefs and learn how to communicate with people from different backgrounds and perspectives through a programme of sporting and artistic activities.

Attending the launch at Thorns Collegiate Academy in Brierley Hill were teachers and pupils from six schools in the Dudley area who took part in a live link up with six schools in Sri Lanka.

The pupils from each country took turns to perform demonstrations over a live video link.

The children in Sri Lanka showed off a traditional dance while pupils in the UK performed a fusion dance.

They were joined by Commonwealth Championships gold medalist Tom Davis and Paralympic gold medalist Liz Johnson – both athlete mentors for the Youth Sport Trust – and Birmingham 2022 mascot Perry the Bull.

The event included team building and leadership development activities.

It was officially launched by UK Commonwealth Envoy Jo Lomas, Kate EwartBiggs deputy chief executive of the British Council, and Alton Brown, Head of Youth Programmes and Policy at Birmingham 2022.

The £500k project is co-funded by Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and the British Council.

The project will run until July 2022 and will build excitement among young people and their communities in the build up to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

13

SEND Written by By Janvi Patel, co-founder, Support SEND Kids

14

What’s on the horizon for SEND education?

(EHCPs) are the legally binding document issued from a child’s Local Authority (LA) to make provisions for a SEN child’s support needs in school. Yet, in the system’s current state, securing an EHCP is a complex process, which often requires parents to resort to gruelling and expensive tribunals all in order to access their child’s right to education.

It is an access to justice issue – children are being limited from the support they need to access their education, and schools in turn are feeling the pressure on their limited resources. Parents are expected to apply to their LA for an EHCP through their child’s school, and yet in reality, schools often lack With challenges so great, the upcoming SEND review will not be the capacity to take on this process. A recent survey from Let Us Learn Too found that three able to present a quick fix to the difficulties SEND families face. quarters of SEND families in turn found that It is vital therefore that educators and SEND families understand their child’s school was not properly equipped what support networks are out there in the meantime to uphold the legal rights of their child.

Despite this unfortunate reality of their capacity, schools are essential to the EHCP process. It is far more effective to apply to Whilst plagued with a myriad of delays – reality that all too often SEND children an EHCP through a school, as they will be having been initially promised in September are overlooked and forgotten in a crisis. delivering the contract and implementing 2019 – the Government’s upcoming SEND Whatever measures are put into place, any care and support plans. However, the review promises to deliver a complete realistically the SEND review will not be bottom line of the issue comes down overhaul of the Special Education Needs able to present a quick fix to this situation, to the funding that a school and Disabilities (SEND) system. With the so it is vital for educators and SEND receives. An offshoot of the review expected to be published this quarter, families to understand what The catchment area postcode are SEND families actually going to see support networks are out past tw lottery, SEND education measures put in place to equip staff in there in the meantime. years h o is all too often an schools and colleges to respond effectively issue of the ‘haves’ to SEND needs, and end the postcode The vital role remind ave and the ‘have nots’. lottery that so many families face? of schools that all ed us It is not clear, but it is important to note In the UK, of the 8.9 million t o o often, SEND c The costs of that since the announcement of the review, pupils enrolled at the h i l d r e n are legal action circumstances for many SEND families start of 2021, more than overloo The number of SEND have deteriorated considerably, with school 1 million children qualified forgottked and families being pushed closures and working from home guidance for SEN support. However, en in a to take legal action, significantly increasing the strain on SEND in reality, only one in five c risis just to ensure their child parents and their ability to support the needs have access to this support in a is properly assessed, is of their children. What’s more, the past two formal and legally binding manner. provided an EHCP and/or obtains years have reminded families of the harsh Education, Health and Care Plans the provisions required within the EHCP, is growing. But unusually, in the case of EHCP applications that end up in the SEND Tribunal, this legal cost is one parents must fund themselves, with many parents even representing themselves due to the high price.

And just because a SEND parent is successful once does not mean they are done with the process. Parents must re-enter the process time and time again, such as when a SEN child changes institutions, if the families move across local authorities or as the educational needs to the child changes. The latter can throw up a particularly treacherous hurdle as the EHCP process runs across over 400 different LAs, and each with different workflows and using unstandardised forms. Parents cannot simply translate their learning, and this fragmentation increases the complexity of accessing advice, as differences across authorities can make it appear inconsistent or conflicting. And that of course means more rounds of legal costs.

Staggering new figures, from Let Us Learn Too together with the Disabled Children’s Partnership, show families in the UK have spent a combined £14.6 billion replacing missing disability support caused by the flaws in the system. In addition, the same report showed that 36 per cent of parents

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

SEND

have borrowed money to fight for their child’s legal rights, with spend figures reaching more than £100,000 for some families.

Given 95 per cent of tribunals find in favour of the families, the legal costs incurred as well as the £14.6 billion are a tragedy.

The support available Clearly the system is flawed, leaving much for the upcoming SEND review to address.

However, it would be naïve to hope for this solution to be either immediate or perfect, which is why free to access grassroots and charitable organisations are vital to fill the resources gap in the meantime.

Charities like IPSEA, Contact and Let Us Learn Too and forums such as Special Needs Jungle offer guidance and data on EHCPs and campaign for the systematic change SEND families deserve to see. At Support SEND Kids, we have collated legal advice and specialist guidance that helps families cuts through the many complexities of the EHCP system.

Using an easily digestible Q&A format, our platform brings together parents, guardians and professionals to answer questions, provide advice and share experiences.

In particular, the Support SEND Kids hub hosts the first digitised version of the definitive guide to SEND law and SEND tribunals, known to specialists as the ‘Noddy Guide’.

With the SEND review expected to be published this quarter, are we actually going to see measures put in place to equip staff in schools and colleges to respond effectively to SEND needs, and end the postcode lottery that many families face?

To help families identify the sections most useful to their circumstances, the authors of the guide have worked it into the hub’s bite-sized Q&A format hoping to empower parents to know what their entitlements are.

Our hope is to make this obfuscated system into something truly self-serve. Ironically, the current state of the SEND system is billed as self-serve, when in reality it is a ‘bureaucratic nightmare’ (as the House of Commons committee have put it) that hinders parents and guardians going through it from fulfilling their coterminous journeys, such as a career.

Closing thoughts We need to stop the unnecessary waste – the waste of children’s time and the waste of families’ money to give them

what they need now. The pandemic has shed some much-needed light on the difficulties facing SEND families and the inequalities of the current system, and we cannot continue to ignore either the process challenges or that children are missing out on education in crucial development years.

Educators and parents have the same goal, and by making legal insight around every stage of the ECHP application process freely available, Support SEND Kids hopes to help both parties work together to deliver on our central vision that every SEND child has the right to learn, develop and fulfil their potential. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.supportsendkids.org

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Contracts for Schools

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Giving you a helping hand on all your procurement contracts YPO has created a ‘Contracts for Schools’ offering with a team that can help schools maximise their buying power and simplify the procurement process, while also remaining compliant with public sector procurement regulations. Here’s how they can help We understand that you’ve got a million and one things to think about when it comes to running your school. So here at YPO, we’ve created a Contracts for Schools offering, handpicking a range of contracts, frameworks and DPS agreements to help save you time and money.

Research carried out by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) found that 40 per cent of schools currently believe that their procurement process is not cost-effective. With education budgets increasingly tight, our Contracts for Schools team offers customers a way to maximise their buying power and simplify the procurement process while also remaining compliant with public sector procurement regulations.

Since YPO was first established in 1974, we’ve helped drive public sector efficiency savings through our bulk buying power for product supplies and centralised contract services initiatives. Our newly established team offers schools direct access to these benefits completely free of charge, reducing the need for costly in-house administration and consultancy support.

Below, the team answer the most frequently asked questions around contracts for schools and how we can help.

Can a school hand over all thing’s procurement to YPO and is there a cost?

So how does the Contracts for School offer work I hear you say? Well, we’d first look at the needs and wants of your school.

It could be that your contract is running out in the next 6-12 months; you may be wanting to switch suppliers; you may need help writing a specification; need help with your supplier management; or looking at the prices that you’re paying.

As a team, we work out exactly what you’re trying to achieve and where we can give you support. So, whether it’s that simple piece of looking at specifications or that full end to end process of carrying out the procurement. Then, we come together, give you some advice, create a proposal to determine timelines and expectations and then take it onto the next level.

We’ll start by asking you ‘if you would like us to start putting together a procurement pipeline? So, what would you like to do over the next 12 – 24 months?’ And then what we’ll do is advise that if you’re wanting to make big savings, we’ll start by looking at your utilities, your photocopiers, carry out a catering review etc. So that we can start planning out projects for you to review over the next 6, 12, 18, 24 months and then map out what needs to be completed when, and hopefully help the school become more efficient and make some savings.

What if a customer is completely new to procurement and doesn’t understand the procurement jargon? Can you help?

When we carried out our research, we found that some of the terminology used in public sector procurement is quite complex and this was reflected in our framework offering that was predominantly used by our local authority customers. So, we’ve tailored our offering to strip back the jargon, and make it easy and simple to understand, and the team will hand hold customers every step of the way.

Procurement in general can be quite daunting as it encompasses an array of things. The team can help you with underperforming suppliers; the price of a service has gone up; your contracts need renewing; pulling together templates and checklists; credit checks on suppliers; check supplier’s insurance; check your supplier’s

third-party contractors; cdvertise your procurement for you; hold supplier opening days; take suppliers around your premises with you; work with you to answer any clarifications a tendering supplier may have; and we can work with you evaluating the tenders or leave it completely to you.

Once we’ve got the background, we’ll pull together some recommendations to see how we can help you, and how much support you need.

A customer might be someone who has been involved in procurement before that can just pick it up, or maybe it’s somebody that requires more hand-holding. We can help both!

We’d ask those high-level questions like how big is your premises, how many times will you need it cleaning, who’s your current supplier, are they private, public sector or through your local authority, how many staff members do you have on-site, how many pupils? Our team have a checklist of essential criteria we need to check to support you.

Another thing we do is supplier management. We’ve got a sales team that can be on-site, they can help stabilise that new supplier, ensure that they’ve got a physical presence on the ground. We can do that full end to end support. L FURTHER INFORMATION For more information, visit www.ypo.co.uk/contractsforschools

Where would YPO help us?

Where do you start?

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Design & Build

Nominating schools for the rebuilding programme For the first time in the School Rebuilding Programme, evidence of a building’s condition need can be submitted by the responsible body. We examine the nomination process Following a public consultation on how the Department will prioritise schools for the School Rebuilding Programme, up to 300 schools, rather than the usual 50, will be selected for participation in the programme later this year.

The Programme will continue to start delivery on 50 new projects each year, but will give other selected schools the assurances that they have been prioritised for future investment.

For the first time in the programme, the bodies responsible for running schools, such as local authorities and academy trusts, will be able to provide additional evidence of their buildings’ condition need, making sure the selection harnesses local knowledge.

Definition of rebuilding need The School Rebuilding Programme Schools will be only considered for the The School Rebuilding Programme carries programe if they have certain needs, which are out major rebuilding and refurbishment outlined by the DfE. Structural or safety issues projects at school and sixth form college that mean a block is not fit for use because buildings across England, with buildings it poses a risk to users is the first priority. prioritised according to their condition.

The next is schools with severe All projects in the School Rebuilding deterioration in the main building fabric Programme are built to the latest construction where the most efficient way of returning standards, resilient to climate risks, net-zero a block to good condition is to rebuild it in operation, and include modern facilities or carry out a significant refurbishment. to support a world-class education from Schools will also be considered if they have classrooms and science labs, to sports halls mechanical and electrical systems that are and dining rooms. There will be a continued close to failure and could cause a school block focus on innovative modern to close in the near future, but only if methods of construction, there is another need in the building which will support skilled Schools fabric that makes a refurbishment jobs in construction. or rebuild most efficient overall. wil

considel be the reb red for program uilding have ce me if they which artain needs, re o by the utlined DfE

Prioritisation of schools The Department for Education consulted with the school sector on the approach to prioritising schools for the programme, after there were calls for more transparency on the selection process. As a result of the consultation, up to 300 schools, rather than the usual 50, will be selected.

Schools will be informed that they have been provisionally allocated a place on the programme, subject to further due diligence, and projects will then enter delivery at a rate of 50 per year.

Responsible bodies can nominate schools from 3 February 2022 to 3 March 2022 using the online portal. Responsible bodies will have an additional four weeks to submit supplementary evidence where the need is severe enough to require the school to close imminently and can only be resolved through a rebuild. This can be submitted until 31 March 2022.

The DfE has also published an equalities impact assessment, covering the impact of its selection approach on school building users with protected characteristics.

Guidance for responsible bodies on how to nominate schools for the next round of the programme has now been published, and can be found on the DfE website.

How to nominate a school There are two ways to nominate a school for the programme: by block nomination or exceptional cases.

For block nomination, responsible bodies E Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Design & Build

 should nominate the schools they would like to be considered through an online portal, listing the blocks they consider need rebuilding.

The DfE will then assess this nomination against the first condition data. There must be a minimum threshold of 1200m2 of severe condition need. The Gross Internal Floor Area can comprise of several blocks within the school, or one single block meeting the total.

Exceptional cases include were the condition of the blocks are deemed to be so severe as to risk imminent closure or if a block is already closed. They also include where the issues have not been captured in the first condition data, such as structural issues, and where the issues can only be resolved through a rebuild.

In these cases, evidence can be submitted to support that the school blocks are likely to be forced to close within the next three years, or have already been forced out of use.

Professional evidence must be submitted from within the last three years to demonstrate the severity of need and submitted through the online portal.

Process for selection The information provided through the online portal must be submitted by the responsible body rather than individual schools. Schools should talk to their responsible body about which schools are being considered for nomination.

The DfE will review available information, including pupil capacity, before confirming provisional successful schools. If a school that is nominated is successful in entering the programme, the timescale to deliver the project will be confirmed with the responsible body.

If a nomination is successful, feasibility studies will be undertaken to determine the blocks in the scope of the project.

This is based on their assessed condition need, and it is not guaranteed that every block nominated will be included.

Size of project For block nominations, there must be a minimum threshold of 1200m2 of severe condition need. The Gross Internal Floor Area (GIFA) can comprise of several blocks within the school, or one single block. This is to allow a fair and equal comparison to be made between schools. Schools with a total GIFA smaller than the threshold will be considered based on the condition of their whole site, as in the first two rounds of the programme. A site is defined as an area maintained by the school that is not divided by a public thoroughfare such as a road.

In cases where the whole school is smaller than the GIFA threshold, responsible bodies should enter all the school’s blocks into the portal for consideration.

For exceptional cases, with professional evidence of severe condition need, there is no minimum threshold. This is to ensure that the DfE captures all structural projects where the need is both intense and significant enough that the ongoing safe operation of the school is at risk.

The School Rebuilding Programme carries out major rebuilding and refurbishment projects at school and sixth form college buildings across England, with buildings prioritised according to their condition All blocks that are nominated for consideration must currently be in use by the school unless already forced out of use due to their condition and required to deliver the curriculum.

Deciding which blocks to nominate Schools will only be selected if they demonstrate severe need where the block has been forced to close or risks imminent closure which can only be resolved through a rebuild.

When deciding which blocks to nominate through the selection process, responsible bodies may wish to consider the building age and construction type, as well as other factors that would deem a block to require rebuilding rather than localised remediation or maintenance.

These include whether they are ‘post-war system builds’, whether they have issues affecting external walls and cladding, and whether they are made from Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Asbestos will be considered as a factor where it has been the direct cause or an associated cause of block closure in the recent past, for example, asbestos has

been exposed by accident, or is contained in areas that are also deteriorated so there is a risk of exposure, causing a block or rooms to be taken out of use.

Asbestos will also be considered as a factor when it prevents routine maintenance or statutory compliance works (for example, fire alarm testing, legionella testing, emergency lighting) being carried out, or asbestos is easily disturbed during normal occupancy resulting in damage.

Schools with asbestos will also be considered if the condition of it has deteriorated such that it cannot be repaired and requires removal so that a rebuild or refurbishment is the best solution to resolve the issue.

Fire and flood risk The DfE will consider cases for inclusion for the School Rebuilding Programme where the evidence shows that fire risk could result in imminent or urgent closure of a school block. Likewise, if a flood risk assessment is provided that identifies a significant risk to the school resulting in closure or a potential risk to life. E Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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More detail and evidence When nominating a school, responsible bodies will be asked to confirm whether they are ready to submit or whether you would like to provide professional evidence of an issue that is not captured in the first condition data.

If a school is being nominated for consideration as an exceptional case where the need is severe enough to require the school to close imminently, the option where you can add the evidence of critical need will need to be selected.

For each school nominated, further detail about the issue will be needed. For example, whether the issue is structural, asbestos-related or another type of severe condition that could result in the closure of the school or block.

Responsible bodies will also be asked to provide a statement outlining the issue, which should include justification of the criteria outlined and how you have managed

In January 2020 the Department for Education launched the £3bn offsite framework, also known as the modern methods of construction framework the issue to date. An explanation of why that creates a risk of imminent closure and what action has already been taken to make the block safe should be stated.

Evidence will only be required if it’s been stated that the school has a severe condition need risking imminent closure which has not been captured by the first condition data collected and can only be resolved through a rebuild.

Reports submitted as evidence of severe need should be authored by a suitably qualified building professional. This means an individual who is a registered or chartered member of an appropriate professional body.

They should contain photos that clearly show the extent of the issue for consideration in the wider block, for example, an elevational shot highlighting where the issue is present. If available, a floor plan and aerial view for each block would also be helpful. Any surveys should have been completed within the last three years.

Photographic evidence of the condition need supporting the professional evidence helps assessors understand the issues, but they must show the full extent of the condition, not just localised issues.

Design & Build

 If ground movements and subsidence are likely to result in cracking to structural elements and finishes or decoration, then a school will be considered. Where a qualified building professional identifies structural issues resulting from ground movement, evidence should demonstrate the issues are widespread enough to warrant rebuilding as opposed to localised remediation.

Where a qualified professional report states that ground contamination is affecting the building structure or is harmful to students, evidence should indicate how rebuilding will address the issues raised.

The DfE offsite framework In January 2020 the Department for Education launched the £3bn DfE offsite framework, also known as the modern methods of construction (MMC1) framework.

The framework supports the government’s aim to move towards modern methods of construction as a preference for new build projects.

The MMC1 framework uses the next generation in standardised school design which builds on earlier component design approaches to offsite construction and incorporates the changes to the standard output specification.

Modern methods of construction are beneficial to the education sector as they make costs and timescales predictable, and allow for faster delivery, and less disruption, noise and dust on-site. Other benefits include 90 per cent fewer vehicle movements, improved health and safety, consistent quality, reduced environmental impact, and a major reduction in post-handover defects. L FURTHER INFORMATION tinyurl.com/4jakrh37

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If there is a silver lining from the Covid-19 pandemic, it has to be how much better we now understand the way airborne viruses spread inside buildings.

From the very earliest stages of the crisis, engineers spoke up about the importance of improving ventilation to protect building occupants. However, there was initial confusion about the nature of the virus which led to more emphasis being placed on surface cleaning and a refusal to accept that face coverings could help.

With the benefit of hindsight, some of those early arguments look somewhat embarrassing. However, we have moved on rapidly and the importance of building ventilation is now a key element of the government’s ‘Living with Covid’ strategy.

The focus on schools was intense from the outset, but the lack of available funding for mitigation measures put teachers and management at a major disadvantage. Once

Six teaching unions recently ramped up the pressure on government to find more money to help schools tackle growing indoor air quality (IAQ) problems: The ASCL, GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU and UNISON all expressed alarm at the extent of the air quality crisis in school buildings, which has been fully exposed since the government spent £25 million on classroom CO2 monitors.

Measuring the problem has only served to confirm what the The building engineering industry had been pointing out pandem i c for years that there was increas already a health crisis e d the foc in schools fuelled by underst us and inadequate ventilation. anding Pre-pandemic this was how vir responsible for a surge uses ar on e transm in asthma and other respiratory problems throughitted among school children – E the

the information about the airborne nature of the threat was communicated, they were limited in most cases to simply opening windows. This ‘natural ventilation’ helps to an extent but is clearly not a complete response and is totally impractical during cold winter months and if the school is located close to a busy road or other source of noise or pollution.

Challenge There is a long battle ahead to deliver a comprehensive solution, but the knowledge we now have means the education sector understands the challenge it faces and is prepared to fight for the funding it needs to safeguard the long-term health of our children.

Written by Nathan Wood, chair of the BESA Health & Well-being in Buildings group

The lessons we have learned from the pandemic about how ventilation reduces the risk of diseases being spread around buildings will have positive implications for future generations of school children, says Nathan Wood, chair of the BESA Health & Well-being in Buildings group

Indoor Air Quality

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The need for much wider deployment of mechanical ventilation systems that ciruclate the air to where it is needed and remove harmful airborne particles is now widely accepted Supporting BESA’s indoor air quality campaign, Rosamund Adoo Kissi-Debrah, Co-Founder of The Ella Roberta Family Foundation and World Health Organisation advocate for clean air and child health said: “This is about saving the lives of children. We are in a public health crisis, and we must stop ignoring it.

“Nine years since the passing of my daughter Ella, the same number of children are dying from asthma every year – even though medications and expertise have improved while smoking has declined.

“Health professionals are clear that air pollution is an urgent but solvable problem – and the goal to lower PM2.5 pollution to 10 micrograms must be the first stop on the way to meeting the WHO’s new guidelines for protecting public health. 2030 should be the absolute latest that we achieve it.”

Indoor Air Quality

 the failure of ventilation was simply fully exposed when Covid-19 hit.

In response, the government has pledged to supply 7,000 air purifiers for classrooms, but the unions agreed this was totally inadequate to address the scale of the growing air quality crisis.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), pointed out that this was little more than a token gesture: “Seven thousand more air purifiers is something, but it is completely inadequate for what should be a basic human right, the provision of clean air in every classroom,” she said.

“The fact that the Government has provided the extra purifiers shows that it recognises the problem but with over 300,000 classrooms in England it has failed to provide an effective solution.”

The unions are concerned that there will be further disruption to children’s education unless the IAQ problem is addressed and accused the government of offering rhetoric rather than solutions.

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), which represents ventilation providers and air quality experts, said there were a wide range of low-cost mechanical solutions available that could help schools take control of their air quality.

The NEU also reported on social media that 58 per cent of its teacher members said they did not have regular access to a CO2 monitor and, of those who do, 13 per cent said readings in their classrooms were regularly over 1,500 parts per million (ppm) and 32 per cent said they were over 1,200ppm.

Disruption The union said the government should carry out its own survey because “these levels indicate poor ventilation rates and make viral transmission and education disruption more likely”. The government’s own guidance is that all settings should have access to CO2 monitors and the ventilation should be able to keep CO2 below 800ppm in all occupied classrooms.

Sadly, this new level of understanding is not reaching everywhere. A story that recently E

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 appeared in the Sunday Times suggested CO2 levels of 1,500ppm in classrooms was “reasonable”. This is, at best, very unhelpful and, at worst, dangerously misleading.

The article promoted the concept of using natural ventilation alone to provide adequate IAQ, but such a high level of CO2 would also indicate wider problems.

1,500 ppm is almost double the government’s recommended maximum and high CO2 is a clear indicator that the ventilation rate in the room is not adequate to support good learning conditions and protect health. That level of CO2 has been shown to reduce children’s concentration levels, but it also acts as a ‘canary in a cage’ for underlying threats from other pollutants.

Natural ventilation will play a part, but it cannot provide a complete solution and does not allow full control over the amount and direction of air in the space. It also cannot filter the air, which is necessary for buildings close to main roads and in other areas of high pollution to remove harmful particulates.

The need for much wider deployment of mechanical ventilation systems that ciruclate the air to where it is needed and remove harmful airborne particles is now widely accepted. Professor Cath Noakes, who is one of two engineer members the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), is a powerful advocated for a national programme of building ventilation improvements.

She told the recent BESA National Conference that the impact of poor ventilation on human health and productivity had been clearly exposed by the pandemic. “Many of our buildings are under-ventilated and there is no excuse for it,” said Noakes, who is Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings at the University of Leeds.

“We know buildings can improve health and that poor indoor air quality reduces productivity by up to nine per cent – that’s half a working day a week.” She also pointed out that even before the pandemic 5.3 million working days were being lost every year to respiratory infections, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Breakthrough 2021 was a breakthrough year for building ventilation because the pandemic increased the focus on how viruses are transmitted through the air. Our industry has been aware of this threat to children’s health for many years, but now everyone is talking about it, and we finally have a great opportunity to address it properly and for the long-term.

Many of the solutions are relatively straightforward and inexpensive, but every building is different so must be addressed individually. There are also a lot of ‘snake

oil’ salesmen out there who are jumping on the bandwagon and offering ‘miracle’ air purification solutions that do not work.

Head teachers should approach local ventilation firms and ask them to survey their building before they do anything else.

The first step is to understand the challenge including which parts of the building are not adequately ventilated before drawing up a strategy with a ventilation expert.

Guidance and advice on this topic is available for free via the BESA website: www.theBESA.com/iaq L

Nathan Wood is chair of the BESA Health & Well-being in Buildings group and managing director of Farmwood M&E Ventilation. www.farmwood.co.uk

Indoor Air Quality

High CO2 readings are a clear indicator that the ventilation rate in the room is not adequate to support good learning conditions and protect health

FURTHER INFORMATION www.theBESA.com/iaq

BESA’S beginner’s guide to indoor air quality BESA has published a new ‘Beginners Guide’ to improving Indoor Air Quality’ (IAQ), which offers advice and guidance for employees and visitors to commercial buildings and, with so many people now working from home, includes some easy tips for optimising IAQ in residential settings.

This digital publication is designed to give a comprehensive, but non-technical introduction to the subject and can be downloaded for free. It is being promoted to the widest possible audience including consumers, commercial building managers, school leadership teams, policy makers, and so on.

The Beginner’s Guide will also be of interest to engineers and specialist firms involved in designing, commissioning, and maintaining indoor environments because it provides a useful overview of the main topic areas. It would work as a starting point for anyone looking to set up a strategy for tackling the poor IAQ that is having a detrimental impact on thousands of UK buildings and their occupants.

With an introduction from KissiDebrah, the Guide, which includes a wealth of information provided

by BESA’s Health & Wellbeing in Buildings group, explains how the ventilation and building services industry is able to turn buildings into ‘safe havens’ to protect occupants – particularly children who face the greatest risks – from the worst impacts of contaminated air.

Compiled, designed, and produced by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric, the Guide provides links to more information and organisations that can offer further advice. It is designed as a jumping off point from which anyone affected by the health and

wellbeing implications of poor IAQ can engage with specialists to start addressing their problems.

It explains how good ventilation and air filtration along with accurate measuring and monitoring of particulate matter are the keys to an effective IAQ strategy.

It also includes information about the main sources of air pollution and the contaminants that affect indoor spaces and explains why IAQ is often many times more damaging to human health than outdoor pollution.

Public Health England estimates the annual deal toll in the UK from air pollution at between 24,000 and 36,000 with associated healthcare costs between £8bn and £20bn.

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An open and shut case: we can’t ask teachers to live with covid and closed windows FURTHER INFORMATION

A new whitepaper reveals a quarter of teachers are working in classrooms with no ventilation. www.theBESA.com/iaq Chris Brown, head of public sector at phs, who works with schools to identify aircare solutions, discusses the findings of the whitepaper, and why opening a window is just the first step

I spoke with Professor Paul Linden, an expert on the role of ventilation in the airborne transmission of COVID-19, who has worked with phs on the launch of this whitepaper this month. He said: “If we’re going to keep our schools and colleges open, we have to keep our children and teachers safe.” I couldn’t agree more.

We know COVID is spreading in schools and colleges, and we know poor ventilation increases the risk of infection.

In addition to close contact, COVID is spread through airborne particles carried around by air currents in a room which can be filtered from the air and removed by introducing more fresh air.

This is why the recent whitepaper published by phs, COVID-19: Time for a fresh air approach, causes so much concern.

Worryingly, for over a quarter (27 per cent) of teachers nationwide, implementing the open window policy isn’t possible, because they work in classrooms where windows cannot be opened.

Nine in 10 education staff said there was between one and 10 rooms in their school or college with windows that couldn’t be opened, with half of staff (50 per cent) saying it was impossible to implement the open window guidelines in up to 10 classrooms.

For those teachers who can open windows, it’s not necessarily a clear-cut picture either. A fifth (21 per cent) of teachers expressed the Government’s current guidelines on ventilation were impractical, with a further quarter (25 per cent) saying it caused more problems. A quarter (24 per cent) of educators claimed it causes more viruses due to students and teachers being cold in the classroom, leading to causing further absenteeism.

More than half (52 per cent) of education staff in primary and secondary schools in the UK feel that more teachers are off work now than ever before with absences caused by

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a combination of factors, such as COVID-19 infection, winter viruses, and the stress and exhaustion covering for sick colleagues.

This unprecedented level of teacher absence, at a time when schools and colleges are only beginning to make up for missed classes caused by lockdown closures throughout the pandemic is an extremely worrying trend.

Continuity of education is crucial to learners’ progress and academic achievement.

If record levels of teachers are not well enough to be in their classes – aside from the poor health and wellbeing of staff themselves being of concern – there is the significant detrimental impact on children’s day-today learning to consider, particularly when absences cannot be covered adequately.

What has the pandemic highlighted The pandemic has highlighted – like no other virus before it in living memory – that the air quality in buildings is crucial, not only to protect the personal health and wellbeing of both learners and staff, but to avoid relentless disruption to learning and prevent further spread of illness both inside and beyond classroom walls.

A hotbed of germs at the best of times, schools and colleges need efficient air systems to reduce airborne viruses.

But the critical question is how this is achieved, especially during the cold winter months when opening a window for prolonged periods of ventilation brings its own set of challenges.

As a part of our campaign to raise awareness of the issues around indoor air ventilation, we spoke to a teacher in Leeds called David, who told us it that recently it was minus-one degrees outside, and in their classroom, every single window and the fire door was opened to keep the classroom ventilated. It was a miserable situation for the entire school, pupils and teachers.

It’s clear why just one in 10 respondents feel that the government’s guidance is a ‘good idea’, with more than a quarter (29 per cent) saying children are unable to concentrate in class because it is too cold.

Having the fresh air come in makes teachers and pupils feel more at ease but

this also comes at a cost. Is it conducive to good learning? Or are we forcing another obstacle into the path of teaching?

Why PHS? At phs, we have been steadfast in our commitment to finding the most optimum ways of creating a cleaner and safer environment in schools and anywhere indoors. We will continue to work in this area during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond, providing advice on how to keep classrooms safe. We know our studies in this area will need to continue to protect us from this virus as well as any potential future variants or new viral threats, and, crucially, the ongoing risks that indoor air pollution brings.

Pupils, heads, teachers, assistants, canteen staff, caretakers, office managers; every individual should be provided with the best possible environment to learn, teach, work and stay healthy. L FURTHER INFORMATION To read phs’ whitepaper click here Chris Brown, Public Sector, phs Group

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

Indoor Air Quality

Learning to live with Covid in schools One of the key ways of helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19 spreading in education settings is to make sure they are well ventilated, as virus particles can linger in the air. We look at how good indoor air quality can be achieved in schools as we learn to live with Covid The government’s Living with Covid strategy has changed certain measures for schools.

Staff and pupils in mainstream secondary schools are now not be expected to continue taking part in regular asymptomatic testing and instead follow asymptomatic testing advice for the general population.

Staff and pupils in specialist SEND settings, Alternative Provision, and SEND units in mainstream schools however are advised to continue regular twice weekly testing.

Those testing positive, including school staff and pupils, will still be advised to stay at home if they test positive until April 1, and after that to exercise “personal responsibility”.

As we learn to live with Covid, the emphasis for schools is to keep well ventilated and continue to exercise good hygiene and cleaning practices. This is especially important now that testing is not being conducted as before.

Enclosed spaces like schools can become breeding grounds for infection as airborne virus particles remain concentrated without adequate ventilation.

Schools are therefore being asked to identify any poorly ventilated spaces as part of their risk assessment and take steps to improve fresh air flow in these areas.

Opening external windows can improve natural ventilation, and in addition, opening internal doors can also assist with creating a throughput of air. If necessary, external opening doors may also be used. However, schools should balance the need for increased ventilation while maintaining a comfortable temperature, especially in the winter months.

Mechanical ventilation meanwhile is a system that uses a fan to draw fresh air or extract air from a room. These should be adjusted to increase the ventilation rate wherever possible and checked to confirm that normal operation meets current guidance and that only fresh outside air is circulated.

If possible, systems should be adjusted to full fresh air or, if this is not possible, then systems should be operated as normal as

a poorly ventilated space. It is however important to note that air cleaning units are not a substitute for ventilation and they are not necessary in the majority of spaces Identifying poor ventilation where ventilation is already adequate.”

CO2 monitors are being provided to stateThe DfE is supplying up to 8,000 air funded education settings, so staff can identify cleaning units to ‘eligible’ schools. To be where ventilation needs to be improved. considered, schools must have maintained CO2 is released when we breathe out, sustained high CO2 readings (1500ppm or so higher levels of CO2 means there is higher) for at least one week while the room higher occupancy and lower ventilation, is occupied, despite taking all measures and can be an important red flag to possible to improve ventilation with current identify areas of inadequate ventilation. provisions, such as opening windows.

The DfE said at the time that the monitors Schools may also apply for air “will enable staff to act quickly cleaning units while remedial where ventilation is poor and work is undertaken to provide reassurance that CO2 address the underlying existing ventilation monito rs are ventilation issue. measures are working”. b eing pr Air cleaning units will be If areas of poor o to state vided allocated for teaching ventilation are educati -funded spaces only and not identified, the DfE for non-teaching advises schools to open so staff on settings, rooms such as staff doors and windows can ide ntify where rooms, halls, corridors and see how this ven and dining rooms. affects the reading. needs t tilation Schools with the But this does not mean o be improv poorest ventilation schools have to have ed based on criteria such as windows open the whole CO2 readings and occupation time. A DfE blog says: “Opening density will be prioritised. windows regularly for 10 minutes, The DfE has also launched an online or a small amount continuously, can still “marketplace” for schools not eligible for reduce the airborne risk from COVID-19 DfE funded purifiers to buy their own. substantially compared to spaces with no fresh air. The monitors will enable staff to Trialling air purifiers know when the ventilation measures are The Department for Education is currently working, helping to balance the need for good running a trial of air purifiers in 30 schools ventilation with keeping classrooms warm.” in Bradford, to assess whether they If the issue can’t be fixed easily, the DfE can reduce the risk of transmission. advises schools to assess what works could The research is being conducted by the be carried out to improve ventilation, such Centre for Applied Education Research – a as installing vents, doors or windows. collaboration involving the universities of If there is no solution, the DfE says it Leeds, Bradford and York, Bradford Council may be appropriate to consider an air and the Department for Education. cleaning unit while the underlying issue is Thirty primaries are involved in the addressed. The DfE blog says: “When used randomised trial, with a third equipped with properly, air cleaning units can help reduce high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, E the presence of viruses like COVID-19 in long as they are within a single room and supplemented by an outdoor air supply.

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 a third with UV purifiers and the final group continuing without any special equipment.

In the schools with devices, the kit will be placed in any room that staff or children are spending substantial time in.

It is hoped the air purifiers and UV lights will also help reduce absence due to cold and flu infections, and improve the air quality for those with asthma and hay fever.

Professor Mark Mon-Williams from the School of Psychology, at the University of Leeds said: “Research has suggested that children have lost as much as half a year of schooling because of the disruption caused by the pandemic.

“There is an urgent need to identify technologies that could be adopted by schools to try and stop the spread of COVID-19. We know that good ventilation can help disperse the aerosols that can cause infection, but in a busy classroom ventilation alone will not be enough.

“Environmental technology offers a potential solution - it will enable schools to operate as normal as possible and hopefully reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading among pupils.”

Bowling Park Primary School in Bradford is one school taking part in the study.

Headteacher Matthew Langley said: “Good attendance is key to children being successful at school. As for many schools, COVID-19 caused huge disruption to Bowling Park Primary School. Repeated lockdowns created very real challenges for our children, families and staff as we all worked together to continue learning from home, but the greatest problems were caused by individual cases of COVID-19 that led to bubbles, classes or groups of classes, being closed for up to 10 days at a time.

“Despite our very best efforts, our school had over 30 bubble closures last year.

“We are delighted to be part of this pilot study. All our classrooms are now fitted with air filters designed to remove airborne viruses and improve air quality for children and staff. It feels like a real step forward for us as we return to normal and try to make school as safe, consistent and positive for all our children, families and staff.”

from the air while allowing clean air to be pushed back out into the environment.

The other technology used is Ultraviolet light (UV-C), which is a well-established method of disinfection that has been used for decades to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. It can clean air, surfaces, objects and water by breaking down the DNA or RNA (ribonucleic acid) of microorganisms, rendering them harmless. All bacteria and viruses tested to date (many hundreds over the years, including various coronaviruses) respond to UV-C cleaning.

The device is designed to clean the air during day-to-day activities while people are present.

Ventilators pull the air from the room inside the device which then filters and cleans it.

Buildings resilient to infection The Coronavirus pandemic has helped highlight the importance of good indoor air quality, and how it should be addressed at the building design stage.

A report by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC) was commissioned

by Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, to review how we design, manage, and operate buildings and how we can make infrastructure more resilient to infection. The initial report, ‘Infection Resilient Environments: Buildings that keep us healthy and safe’, highlights the importance of good indoor air quality (IAQ) for reducing transmission of Covid and other infectious diseases.

The report calls for clear, consistent communication and advice on ventilation from government and professional bodies to help building owners and operators to manage infection risks. Clearly identifiable measures that can be implemented at moderate cost will help to ensure that adequate ventilation is prioritised alongside more visible measures such as surface cleaning and distancing.

The report also warns that there is an urgent need to plug skills and knowledge gaps and put in place the training, reskilling and recruitment needed to fill them.

Even in sectors such as hospitals have levels of skill and competence that vary.

Professor Peter Guthrie, Vice President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Chair of the NEPC infection resilient environments working group, says: “Buildings make an enormous difference to people’s health and we have often neglected this in the past, which is bad news in a pandemic, because they are one of the most significant levers that we have to control infection. We must take action now to make sure that good practice in ventilation is widely understood and applied across workplaces and public buildings.

“Longer term, this is a real opportunity to transform the way we design and manage our buildings to create good, healthy and sustainable environments for those who use them. We must also integrate this with thinking on infection control into our approach to Net Zero, to prevent inadvertently hard-wiring a susceptibility to infection and other health risks into our building stock and management practices.”

Dr Hywel Davies, technical director at the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, says:“Clear communication on ventilation is essential – we need to support owners and operators with clear and simple guidance, emphasising the importance of improving ventilation while maintaining wider good practice on infection control.

“Our aim should be to enable everyone who has responsibility for managing buildings or transport to understand how to respond in a practical and timely manner, and to establish an appropriate balance of measures to manage infection risks alongside thermal comfort, air quality and energy concerns.” E

Indoor Air Quality

The DfE is supplying up to 8,000 air cleaning units to schools. To be eligible, schools must have maintained sustained high CO2 readings (1500ppm or higher) for at least one week while the room is occupied, despite taking all measures to improve ventilation with current provisions, such as opening windows.

HEPA and UV technology The devices used in the Bradford trial use HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters. These trap unwanted particles such as dust, pollen, bacteria, viruses and hair

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The Coronavirus pandemic has helped highlight the importance of good indoor air quality, and how it should be addressed at the building design stage The guide is designed as a jumping off point from which anyone affected by the health and wellbeing implications of poor IAQ can engage with specialists to start addressing their problems.

It explains how good ventilation and air filtration along with accurate measuring and monitoring of particulate matter are the keys to an effective IAQ strategy. It also includes information about the main sources of air pollution and the contaminants that affect indoor spaces and explains why IAQ is often many times more damaging to human health than outdoor pollution.

Outdoor air quality If the air outside a school is polluted, then natural ventilation by opening windows can lead to other problems.

Research from City Hall has revealed that more than 3.1 million children in England are situated in schools in areas with toxic levels of air pollution.

Research from Northumbria University has recently outlined the health risks caused by harmful pollution from vehicles measured outside schools in Newcastle.

Air quality data from monitoring sites outside 12 schools in the city, covering a 24-month period, demonstrated that shortterm levels of pollution, linked to patterns around school drop-off and pick-up times,

Indoor Air Quality

 Improving indoor air quality The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and its affiliate member Mitsubishi Electric have created a ‘Beginners Guide’ to improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), which has gained the support of one of the UK’s most high-profile child health campaigners, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah.

The ‘Beginner’s Guide to Indoor Air Quality’ offers advice and guidance to a broad audience, including school leadership teams, given the importance of good air quality in schools.

The digital publication is designed to give a comprehensive, but nontechnical introduction to the subject and can be downloaded for free here.

The Beginner’s Guide will also be of interest to engineers and specialist firms involved in designing, commissioning, and maintaining indoor environments because it provides a useful overview of the main topic areas. It would work as a starting point for anyone looking to set up a strategy for tackling the poor IAQ that is having a detrimental impact on thousands of UK buildings and their occupants.

With an introduction from Kissi-Debrah, the Guide, which includes a wealth of information provided by BESA’s Health & Wellbeing in Buildings group, explains how the ventilation and building services industry is able to turn buildings into ‘safe havens’ to protect occupants – particularly children who face the greatest risks – from the worst impacts of contaminated air.

“This guide is an invaluable non-technical introduction to the issue of IAQ and explains how we can make our own indoor environments safer and healthier for us and our children,” said Kissi-Debrah, who is also honorary president of the BESA group.

would have consistently exceeded 2021 World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines which are yet to be adopted into UK or EU policy.

Short term levels of Nitrogen Oxide (NO2) and tiny, inhalable particles called particulate matter (PM) recorded during the research were found to have exceeded 2005 and 2008 air quality guidelines and legal limits on several occasions.

Findings from the research has now been published in the international journal of scientific studies, Atmosphere, in a paper which recommends steps to improve air quality around schools to help protect the respiratory health of children, including road closures outside schools, anti-idling campaigns, staggered drop-off and pick-up times and relocating drop-off and pick-up sites away from school entrances.

Professor Namdeo, an expert in air quality management, monitoring and modelling from Northumbria University, said the respiratory health risks associated with the levels recorded demonstrated the need to act urgently to protect children in the city.

“This research confirms what we suspected in terms of the improvements needed to air quality near schools, providing a basis upon which to investigate why some schools in Newcastle experience noticeably worse ambient PM concentrations than others. We hope being able to demonstrate this variation will help to bring about change as part of discussions on the location of new schools, for example,” he explained.

Dr Bramwell, said: “The role of parents is very important in improving the current picture, with the decisions they make about whether they drive, walk or cycle to school with their children playing a big part in this. As does the availability of reliable public transport.”

Dr Keast added: “Our research provides evidence which organisations can use to plan and implement policy at both a local and national level to protect children from the harmful effects of ambient air pollution during their day at school.”

The city council is consulting on and introducing measures across the city to help reduce traffic, lower pollution levels and improve road safety while also working with Newcastle’s Promise Board – a group of headteachers, school governing bodies and academy trusts from across the city – to look at ways of promoting sustainable ways of getting to school. L FURTHER INFORMATION Read the DfE’s blog on ventilation in schools here tinyurl.com/3cyrsy64

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Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Chris Yates, chief executive at the Federation of Environmental Trade Associations

impacts on the performcognitive a individunce of als

Indoor Air Quality

The air inside public buildings

that buildings have a lower utilisation rate, effectively moving the IAQ problem to another building i.e., the employee or pupil’s home. We need to recognise this in our assumptions about the workplace going forward that it is equally important to ensure good IAQ at both the office and the home if we are to properly consider the welfare of our staff and pupils. CO2 emissions not only harm our planet, but us too as it impacts on our productivity. The landscape has shifted Chris Yates, chief executive at Federation of Environmental Trade to one where we have a wider building Associations, explores the issue of indoor air quality and the footprint that is not the obvious bricks and need for better ventilation in public buildings, as well as the mortar that we had before the pandemic and due consideration needs to be given. effect that heating requirements can have on the environment For buildings that we see returning to normal occupancy as we come out of the pandemic, risk assessing existing buildings Arguably the UK did a good job at COP 26. will need to address through ventilation, by a commissioning engineer is crucial to For the first time ever, reduction in fossil cooling and air conditioning. Indoor air ensure that the existing ventilation operates fuels was included in the text, which I think quality will need to be addressed through correctly, but also that it is capable of for many of us was a surprise as it had summits such as COP 26 and through our managing the risks of Covid in buildings not been included before. However, that own regulations covering buildings to ensure where there is likely to be a very high footfall. is often one of the challenges of bringing that we have safe environments for children This should already be part of the procedures countries together, coming from different to learn in and people to visit and work that the building operates to, but it is well perspectives, and it sometimes takes a long in, particularly in public buildings. worth reviewing given the impact of Covid time to get people on to the same page.

Different challenges are going to be present and likely changes in working practices Although I am sure we have all wanted depending on the use of the building. The that could impact the building as well. to see more progress being made in terms impact of the pandemic has meant many of There is also an opportunity to educate of how we deal with climate change, I for the buildings have not been utilised fully and when considering how to improve the IAQ one am very encouraged by the fact that will need to be assessed to ensure ventilation of buildings. Visitors and employees these discussions are going to take place systems are working correctly. are likely to see public buildings again next year and will look at how the as an exemplar when it comes targets can be reduced and improved further.

Occupant welfare Being to how the building is It is essential to get these targets properly We also have to able to managed. Reassurance defined and measurable, so we hit them, assess the impact of measur that the air quality is but not miss the point on climate change. hybrid working or e t h e CO2 levels in being monitored and In parallel with a drive towards the net zero learning, such as is very im a building managed by the facilities target we know that as the planet starts to that experienced management team gives heat up, this is going to increase the chances in the lockdown. we kno portant as w this an opportunity to E of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) which we That could mean

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Schools are being encouraged to seek better indoor air quality in the wake of the recent pandemic The good news is, benefits can exceed the vital need of controlling the virus with studies showing potential advantages to include lower healthcare costs, reduced sick leave of occupants, improved performance in work and lower cost of building maintenance.

For nearly forty years Purified Air have been operating out of the heart of Essex delivering clean air. We started filtering the air in pubs and restaurants back when it was permissible to smoke indoors. Since then we’ve delivered specialised Air Filtration to the Ministry of Defence, Houses of Parliament, the NHS, shopping malls, gyms, offices and airports around the world.

Our adaptable range of indoor air quality products incorporating Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Technology offers up to 99.9 per cent efficiency and up to 99.999 per cent deactivation rate for many viruses and bacteria. Our systems have been independently tested by Kent University / Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and have been shown to filter the air, removing particulate matter, virus and bacteria down to 0.01 microns.

When it comes to improving the Indoor Air Quality within schools we have various products, some being: portable plug and play

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devices, wall-mounted, standalone recirculating units, ceiling mounted, in-line ducted systems and fan coil units to complement existing ventilation capacities. This diverse range of capabilities enables us to look at each situation afresh and provide a bespoke service to ensure the end user is receiving the maximum benefits at minimum cost.

Quality and continuity of care is also at the heart of what we do – delivering over 16,000 service visits each year with our highly professional team of engineers, we can be relied upon to maintain and ensure any Air Filtration units are functioning to their optimum capacity.

As a UK manufacturer, we can assist in the design, supply and servicing of products to help you with the best system for your organization. We hold product for stock and produce it to the highest quality so why not take the opportunity to increase the integrity of your building and protect your occupants against harmful airborne pathogens such as the common cold, Covid-19 and mould spores.

Independently tested and globally trusted we’re confident we can deliver contaminantfree environments and return the spaces you love to one of safety and convenience. L

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

Indoor Air Quality

 engage with users in a positive manner to show what we are doing to protect them.

The Net Zero agenda Given the high profile of the term ‘net zero’ this can be used to hang many messages off the back of as consumers are seeing the term on a regular basis through the media, particularly as a result of COP 26. Looking at research over the last 18 months, produced

by BEIS, awareness has been on the rise.

Linking net zero, IAQ and climate change together gives an opportunity for the education of pupils, staff, visitors, and users in terms of how all three pillars fit together and also the plan to go forward.

Many companies have a sustainability statement so why not have a plan for buildings that is publicly available, particularly when the costs can be shown against the savings both in monetary and well-being measures that can justify the investment.

As part of the impact of climate change, what many public buildings are going to have to deal with going forward is the issue of overheating.

This is currently being considered as part of the building regulations review for England.

The Zero Carbon Hub’s working definition of Overheating is: “The phenomenon of a person experiencing excessive or prolonged high temperatures within their home/building, resulting from internal and/or external heat gains, which leads to adverse effects on their comfort, health or productivity.”

There are a number of factors that can affect overheating, such as location of a building. The climate tends to be hottest

The planet heating up is going to increase the chances of poor indoor air quality which we will need to address through ventilation, cooling and air conditioning in South East England, and dense urban neighbourhoods are at higher risk.

Fabric characteristics are another factor of overheating, such as highly insulated buildings, darkly coloured external walls, sky lights or large areas of unshaded south, east, or west facing glazing.

The type of property can be a factor in overheating. Top floor of buildings can absorb a lot of heat through the roof and can be more exposed to direct solar radiation.

To mitigate this, ventilation is the main method of removing heat from dwellings in the UK. Providing the outside air is cooler than inside, ventilating a dwelling with fresh air will help to lower the internal temperature. Air movement over the skin also has a perceived cooling effect.

Overheating issues may increase as existing buildings are better insulated to enable them to achieve net zero.

I would strongly advocate ‘Fabric First’ for any work being done on a building to reduce the input of energy required. With good planning of the design of the building and services, the effects of overheating can be minimised, but ventilation alone will not eliminate overheating.

CO2 levels Being able to measure the CO2 levels in a building is very important as we know this impacts on the cognitive performance of individuals. This is true for schools, offices and public access buildings and assessments need to be made to determine the optimal CO2 management strategy as well as how to deal with other pollutants that should be covered under the risk assessment.

And finally, government has put together a new campaign demonstrating the importance of simple ventilation techniques to reduce the risks of catching Covid-19 this winter. The campaign comes as new research reveals twothirds (64 per cent) of the public did not know that ventilation was an effective way to reduce the spread of Covid-19 at home. Only around a third of people (29 per cent) are currently ventilating their home when they have visitors.

Only three per cent of those surveyed continued to ventilate their homes for a period after their guests left. We can apply this thinking equally to buildings to mitigate the risks. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.feta.co.uk

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The Let’s Go Zero campaign is supporting schools around the UK working to become zero carbon by 2030. This movement is inspiring practical action up and down and the country and working with the UK Government to develop more support for school sustainability.

Now, barely a year since the launch of Let’s Go Zero, more than 1,100 schools have signed up to the campaign – proving the ambition of teachers, students, and school leaders to become zero carbon pioneers.

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Schools are the heart of our communities – so they are perfectly placed to inspire societal change and drive forward the country’s zero carbon transition. The steps schools can take include making buildings more energy efficient, supporting greener travel to and from school, boosting biodiversity on school grounds and cutting the carbon impact of their menus. The benefits created can include lower energy

announces long term and consistent policies and funding to enable this.

The campaign wants the government to ensure there is investment in training teachers in education for sustainable development across the curriculum, and in equipping colleges and schools to give all learners a connection to nature.

The government is also asked to commit to investing in adapting and retrofitting the school estate. The campaign is also asking the Department for Education to commit to improving their building specifications, so that all new school buildings from The voice of school sustainability 2022 onwards will be net zero carbon.

The campaign was prominent at the global The Let’s Go Zero campaign is also asking that COP26 climate talks, which took place in by 2025, every school is mandated to have a Glasgow in November. Now it is engaging funded climate action plan that provides step with the Department for Education as they by step guidance cutting through the create their new Sustainability and current complicated procedures Climate Change Strategy. Let’s Go that will result in zero carbon Zero is making sure the voices The status. It also wants every of teachers and students are Let’s Go school to have a trained heard loud and clear, with Zero ca staff member who acts seven main policy asks. is enga mpaign as a sustainability lead, The campaign ging w is asking that and for sustainability ith the DfE the government to be embedded as a a s they create t commits to all UK statutory feature of schools being zero careers guidance in UK Sustain heir new ability carbon by 2030 and schools by 2025. E bills, reduced pollution at the school gates, and more engaged and inspired students.

IKEA UK joined Let’s Go Zero in late 2021 and will be mobilising its co-workers and customers to engage with local schools and encourage them to sign up to Let’s Go Zero. Marsha Smith, Country Deputy Retail Manager at IKEA UK and Ireland says: “I’m thrilled that Let’s Go Zero has topped 1,000 school sign-ups in such a short space of time and I look forward to seeing this movement grow even further over the coming months.”

Suzanne Gibbon, Project Coordinator, Let’s Go Zero

The Let’s Go Zero campaign is supporting schools in their journey to becoming zero carbon by 2030, and now has more than 1,100 schools signed up. Suzanne Gibbon, the campaign’s Project Coordinator, explains how schools are making the zero carbon transition

Energy

The building momentum for climate action in schools

an Climate Changed Strateg y

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Energy

The Carbon Trust reports that 25 per cent of energy used in the average school is wasted – reasons include heating and devices being left on in empty rooms  Resources for schools Free school resources have also been developed, including the Schools Climate Action Planner, created by Global Action Plan at the Transform Our World website.

Lucy Archer is Senior Programme Manager for Youth & Schools at Global Action Plan.

She said: “In just over twelve months, with the incredible commitment of these 1,000 plus schools, Let’s Go Zero has turned into a framework for climate action across the nation. We’ve seen that there is definitely demand for climate action in all educational settings across the nation.”

If your school is looking to take climate action in 2022 and beyond, the curriculum is just one of the many areas to look at.

Schools across the UK are saving time, money and resources while empowering their students and staff to act on climate.

Rachel Wilson, Eco Coordinator of Down High School in Northern Ireland, said: “Sustainability is a key part of life in our school.” Down High has delivered a very successful ‘Save H20 and Stop the Flow’ campaign, to reduce water bills. The

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students led the way with video messaging, hippo bags (to reduce water used in toilet cisterns) and dripping tap audits.

By looking into costs and water saving measures, management discovered that they had been over charged by over £10,000, which may have been missed without the campaign. All the initiatives that the school runs are student led and where possible they will collaborate with other local schools, councils, community members and organisations.

Ian Chriswick, Assistant Head teacher of Ysgol Bro Dinefwr Secondary School in Carmarthenshire, Wales, said: “We firmly believe every secondary school should be doing what we’re doing. We have 1,300 human beings in our buildings (including students and staff) so there’s a lot of energy being used – it makes sense to focus on schools.” Their school has committed to run on 100% renewable energy in the next three years. They are doing this by increasing the number of solar panels they have and acquiring any surplus energy they need from a local wind turbine.

Energy usage According to the Department for Education, energy bills in English schools amount to over £600 million per year. The Carbon Trust reports that 25 per cent of energy used in the average school building is wasted – reasons include heating and devices being left on in empty rooms. But this also shows how much money and energy could be saved if every school in the UK used energy efficient technology or made improvements to their buildings.

Alex Green, Let’s Go Zero’s Project Manager, said: “Schools up and down the UK are taking climate action from litter picks to installing ground source heat pumps. No act is too small, and by joining the campaign they are asking the Government for help and support to do this. By transforming our schools, we can help safeguard the planet for future generations.”

Let’s Go Zero helps schools to act in seven areas: transport, waste, food, water, school grounds, procurement and energy. In this last category alone, there are a host of actions for schools to take, such as organising studentled energy audits, holding ‘low electricity’ or ‘no electricity’ days, and switching to a renewable electricity provider. Schools could also switch to LED lighting, use a thermal imaging camera to find out where energy is being lost, install a biomass boiler or ground source heat pumps, and possibly install solar panels and wind turbines. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.letsgozero.org

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

Advertisement Feature

Unlocking the potential of solar generation for schools In the current energy crisis, with prices higher than they have ever been since the deregulation of the market in 1989, schools need to start thinking about other ways to protect the energy budget to mitigate exorbitant price increases

When the energy market is highly volatile, as it is now, many look to the advantages of renewable generation to reduce reliance on the grid altogether while supporting sustainability goals. Solar PV (photovoltaics) is one such renewable technology that can help tackle the current energy crisis, as well as the climate emergency we are facing, which the IPCC has labelled a ‘code red for humanity’.

Clean power will play a key role in the decarbonisation of the UK’s electricity generation, but there is still a long way to go. According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, almost 44.8 per cent of the UK’s electricity in 2021 came from burning gas in power stations. However, many educational organisations are still overlooking the benefits of solar PV installations based on myths about the technology. Consequently, this means they could be missing out on savings and a potential revenue stream.

Solar panels in the UK Many argue that the UK’s weather is not suited to maximise solar generation. In fact, the UK has perfect conditions for solar PV panels to successfully produce power, since the panels convert daylight into electricity, which does not need to be direct sunlight – in fact, very hot weather can have a greater negative impact on their effectiveness.

Reported by the National Grid, in January 2022 alone, solar contributed to 1.3 per cent of the UK’s electricity generation.

Direction While it is true that south-facing panels will maximise the potential electricity generation, any direction can generate meaningful power. Panels which face east, or west can generate around 80 per cent that of a south-facing panel, while northfacing panels facing can generate around 50 per cent that of a south-facing panel.

Planning permission Unless you exceed a certain threshold size, planning permission is not usually required on non-domestic PV installations, although

there are some exceptions. The majority of solar PV projects fall under permitted development rights. However, listed buildings will require planning permission.

Any buildings in conservation areas or Areas of Natural Beauty will be limited regarding where they can install solar PV panels. However, installations are still possible, provided they are sympathetic towards their surroundings.

Maintenance Generally speaking, solar is a ‘fit and forget’ technology, with only limited maintenance required. Most manufacturers offer a 10year warranty on panels, with a 25-year performance guarantee as standard.

Roof types There is virtually no limit to the type of roof that solar PV panels can be fixed to. They can be installed on flat, tiled, corrugated fibre cement roofs, trapezoidal sheet metal roofs, standing or round seam roofs and ground mounts. The most important consideration is that the roof is of sound construction and not needing to be replaced in the near future.

Additional considerations There may be instances when the generation of your solar PV panels outweighs your actual usage. A solution can be to manage this with battery storage so that energy is kept and stored for when demand is high.

Alternatively, stored energy can be sold back to the National Grid through a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), managed and approved by your energy supplier. This can create revenue for your school, helping hard-hit budgets.

However, the best approach is to understand your electricity consumption to help size the project correctly, since a system that is too small won’t provide much reduction in your energy costs, while a system that is too large will result in the capital costs outweighing what you can sell back to the grid.

Eliminating the fear of cost For many, the upfront cost of renewable energy projects has prohibited implementation. Zenergi’s Solar PV Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) removes this financial barrier. The solution helps schools generate on site electricity using their available roof space for Solar PV, while reducing spend on imported energy.

This opportunity to reduce reliance on grid imported electricity avoids exposure to the volatile wholesale energy market, while demonstrating a commitment to sustainable energy and net zero targets.

For long-term plans, this will improve operational efficiency, save money and carbon, and protect schools’ cashflow.

A recent webinar further unpacked the benefits of the Solar PV Power Purchase Scheme and detailed how it can accelerate the journey to net zero, without financial pushbacks. To watch the full recording visit https://zenergi.co.uk/webinar-archive/.

To find out how to benefit from solar generation or to understand more about our PPA scheme, contact us below. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.zenergi.co.uk bepositive@zenergi.co.uk 023 8028 6300

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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CLOUD NETWORKING: THE VITAL PART OF THE EQUATION FOR EDUCATION Amid digital transformation and the transition to the smart campus, the need for hyper-reliable, easily-managed network infrastructure to support today’s sophisticated teaching and learning styles has never been greater. With the right infrastructure, institutions can adapt environments to be online and hybrid to drive a more enriched and personalised learning experience, and allow administrators to protect student information and satisfy compliance requirements.

ExtremeCloud™ IQ delivered by Daisy is the intelligent cloud network infrastructure management solution that education institutions need. Built on a 4th generation cloud platform, it offers flexibility, agility, and scalability.

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There is widespread concern that many Is all that tech just being used to keep children, especially from more disadvantaged some schooling going during lockdowns families, have fallen behind in their learning or can it be used for recovery? during the pandemic. The government have At the beginning of summer term last year given additional money to schools to help the NFER interviewed fifty senior leaders but many question whether it is enough. in mainstream schools serving deprived A recent survey for the Bett Show by neighbourhoods to understand schools’ TeacherTapp showed that teachers feared the responses to COVID. The response was clear learning gap blown upon by the pandemic and, as chair of a multi-academy trust serving would take 18 months or more to close. similar communities, it still resonates today.

The funding for schools to close this gap The NFER found that most schools had is for tutoring, staff development, summer changed their curriculum and pedagogy to schools and for social and emotional support. help them recover numeracy and literacy; that In amongst this mix, it is a fair question pupils’ wellbeing and mental health to ask how much can edtech help is an immediate and pressing with pandemic recovery? concern; pupils’ emotional Last May, the Department and academic readiness The for Education published a for transition has been require research report on EdTech. impacted; and that m e n t for remote Their survey of 900 the most urgent need learning has ma headteachers found that right now is help with ssively p almost two-thirds had pupil wellbeing. ushed schools introduced, increased a l o ng t edtech or upgraded technology adoptiohe in part because of n curve Covid. The requirement for remote learning has massively pushed schools along the edtech adoption curve.

Technology in the pandemic The implications are clear that education recovery must start with pupil wellbeing.

Whilst there is widespread concern that many children have fallen behind academically, many need to first be feel healthy and safe if they are then able to focus on extra time and effort on academic learning.

How does that sit with the rise of edtech during the pandemic? A tech sceptic would point to the correlation between the rise of remote learning and the increase in mental health problems in children. They would want a swift return to a tech-free normal. Of course, it is indeed true that too much time spent isolated at home, and only interacting socially and educationally online, will be damaging.

On the other hand, most teachers have seen the benefits of edtech in aspects of their work.

Who would go back to the old way of doing parents evenings now they have tried School Cloud? As a parent I would hate to lose the E

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Lord Jim Knight of Weymouth

How much can education technology help with pandemic recovery, from both an academic and wellbeing perspective? Lord Jim Knight, a former minister for schools digital and employment and a member of the Bett Global Education Council, investigates

Education Technology

The role of edtech in pandemic recovery

45

See Us At Bett 2022 Stand SB51

Education Technology

 engagement with my child’s class teacher that we now get through ClassDojo. I no longer see the point of teacher spending their May half term writing annual reports when we get feedback all year in real time.

In January last year there were over 600,000 downloads of Google Classroom in the UK. This more dynamic and interactive way of managing homework is surely here to stay. I am a board member at Century-Tech were we also saw huge adoption of the platform that allows learners to progress through Maths, Science and English at a pace, and on a learning journey, that is personalised for them. Teachers then love the feedback they get back to inform where and when they need to intervene.

Aiding teachers All of this points to the possibility of us now being able to embed the use of technology within the working lives of teachers to free up time for more of the human-to-human job that is at the heart of the profession.

By implication that means that if teachers need to spend more time than previously on the emotional support of some their pupils, then technology can free them up to do so.

Whilst there is undoubtedly a bunch of technology products out there that add little value, there are plenty that do. For any school leader worrying about education recovery the challenge is to then know what works and in what circumstances.

This sense, that school leaders are behind the curve on this, is reflected in the DfE Edtech survey that revealed that out of the 897 schools questioned 58 per cent didn’t appear to have an active edtech strategy in place. The picture is worst in primary, local authority schools, and rural areas.

The survey is also revealing in that teachers were most comfortable with software supporting remote teaching and learning, and much less so independent online learning.

This reflects an understandable truth.

Without leadership to the contrary, teachers will inevitably replicate existing pedagogy rather than reflect on what the new technology could allow them to do differently.

If teachers need to spend more time on the emotional support of some their pupils as a result of the pandemic, then technology can free them up to do so As a result, the pandemic has seen most trying to replicate in-person pedagogy online with their remote teaching. This is best exemplified by the Oak National Academy.

Using a technique developed for faceto-face teaching will always be lessened when used for remote teaching. By contrast, maximising the opportunity to individualise interactive learning online creates possibilities that are impossible teaching a class of thirty in the traditional way.

A technology strategy School leaders need to develop a strategy with a vision for technology at its heart.

I recently listened to Sir Anthony Seldon on a LearnIt podcast being asked about this very issue by Jenny Anderson.

Sir Anthony is very thoughtful on mental health and wellbeing. His starting point is that the human matters. “If we do not live in the real world of human relationships…there is no life”. But he also sees the need to shape the incoming technology of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He sees that AI “allows an outstanding teacher, and marker and assessor for every child, that personalises itself upon them” and allows a lot of the “heavy lifting” of teaching to be done at home, after hours and in the holidays. Learning at times that best suit the learner rather than the teacher.

Sir Anthony then sees the technology freeing up “so much of the school day for social activity: for sports, the arts, for debating, for teamwork, creative work and volunteering work.”

This is a vision that would use technology to transform the place-based activity of school into a deeply human experience with wellbeing at its core. The essential elements

of academic learning are than as likely to be delivered using technology and in a much more flexible individualised way.

This is an exciting vision for our schools to use when recovering from this pandemic.

Start your schools on a journey where they become institutions designed for wellbeing. They should be places that maximise social interaction and offer a range of learning activity that is more human and applied. Teachers should be freed up by technology to focus more on these precious human interactions.

The role of the technology is then to deliver instruction, impact knowledge, give feedback to learners and teachers, to match individual learners with the most relevant learning content, and continuously assess the success of the learning. It must also take away much of the burdens of feedback to parents, of marking, of manual data inputting and trawling through endless sources of teaching resources to find the perfect fit for your learner in your class in your context.

We are on the cusp of an exciting change in education. The pandemic has both highlighted the unfairness of our current model and accelerated the adoption of tools that can move us to make a better future.

We should grasp that opportunity. L

Lord Jim Knight is a member of the Bett Global Education Council and will appear at Bett 2022, the edtech show, on 23-25 March at London’s ExCeL. He is a director of Suklaa Ltd and a former minister for schools digital and employment.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.bettshow.com

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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More than 700 primary and secondary schools are now taking part in the Computing Quality Framework, a new free online tool designed to help schools evaluate their computing provision.

It’s also playing a vital role in boosting teachers’ confidence and subject knowledge in the newest subject to be added to the curriculum, explained the experts behind the new programme.

The Computing Quality Framework (CQF) has been developed by the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) to consolidate excellent standards in computing across primary and secondary schools in England.

Following its pilot phase in the autumn, hundreds of schools have signed up to the CQF and the first ten have now achieved the Computing Quality Mark, recognising their success.

“Being one of the first ten schools in the country to be awarded the Computing Quality Mark has been one of the highlights of the year,” said Simon

may feel isolated as the only specialist teacher, so the CQF is helping to address those challenges,” she said.

Claire, a former teacher with 20 years’ experience and now also a researcher at Leeds University, is based at the NCCE Computing Hubs in Yorkshire and has been working with schools across Yorkshire, the Humber region, and parts of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

“We have been supporting teachers, Addressing challenges leadership teams and directors of The need for a straightforward evaluation computing across MATs with the framework for computing in schools was clear. early adoption of the CQF. “Computing is a relatively new curriculum “It was apparent from the outset that all subject and not every pupil is taught by a schools would benefit from the self-review specialist teacher,” explained tool. Established departments could Claire Garside, senior lead evidence brilliant computing by facilitator at the NCCE. T he linking to their current practice “Those new to Compu and policies, thus mindful computing can ting Quality of teachers’ workload, and lack confidence in schools embarking on a their own subject Framew new phase with computing knowledge, and designe ork is can benefit from the existing computing d t o help schools framework’s approach teachers to strategic planning. their co evaluate mp “It was great to see some provisiouting of these schools in our n region among the first 10 schools nationally to gain the Computing Quality Mark.” E Roberts, Curriculum Leader for Computing at Carmel College in Darlington.

“We, as a school, have done a lot to promote computing within our school and to a wider audience across our local region and we have thought, how do we recognise that? The CQF has enabled us to achieve that validation,” he said.

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Victoria Temple, Press and Community Engagement officer, National Centre for Computing Education

With more than 700 schools now using the new Computing Quality Framework, Victoria Temple talks to some of the pioneering schools about their success in technology

IT & Computing

Evaluating your computing provision

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 Sharing experiences Schools are now also sharing their experiences with the CQF and computing expertise with others to raise standards.

“We’ve brought together local networks of computing teachers and this close collaboration, with a focus on using the structure of the CQF, has led to several computing initiatives. We have seen schools working together to develop computing strategies related to literacy, SEND, diversity and careers, and bringing in new opportunities for the computing curriculum from organisations such as STEM Ambassadors,” said Claire.

Saffron Waldon County High School in Essex is also one of the ‘first ten’ schools to achieve the Computing Quality Mark. Janet Symonds, Head of Computing at the school, said the CQF had helped to boost awareness of computing across the school community.

“Over the past 10 years our department has improved and grown, to engage a wide range of pupils. The CQF has encouraged us to have more interaction with the governor’s so that they are more aware of all the work that is being done within the department and they are able to better support us in ventures when they are well-informed,” she said.

Computing hubs The NCCE, funded by the Department for Education and supporting partners, has engaged with 34,000 teachers from more than 19,000 schools since its establishment in 2018. It delivers training and has created the Teach Computing curriculum, with more than half-a-million lesson downloads. Now it has added the CQF to its provision, a free, online framework to develop computing education.

The NCCE’s network of Computing Hubs, based at 34 schools across England, offer support to schools to help them complete the CQF pathways.

Sophie Fenn, computer science teacher at Pate’s Grammar School in Gloucestershire and also lead at an NCCE Computing Hub, said: “Engaging with the CQF has allowed our department to review our aims holistically,

The NCCE, funded by the DfE and supporting partners, has engaged with 34,000 teachers from more than 19,000 schools since its establishment in 2018 considering each aspect of the work we are doing from a fresh perspective. Working through each of the strands in the CQF we have created measurable, focused plans.

“As an NCCE hub, we are looking forward to supporting other schools in working towards their Computing Quality Mark and seeing the inspiring things others are doing and aspiring to do.”

Sophie is not alone in welcoming the CQF as a tool for schools to ensure their computing education is up-to-date, vibrant, and creative.

“The first schools to attain the ‘Computing Quality Mark’ have led the way to deliver higher standards in computing education, but we know many more schools also have brilliant computing education and NCCE teams are working closely to support them,” said Claire Garside. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.computingqualityframework.org

Record applications for computer science degrees The number of people applying to study computer science degrees has risen by 13 per cent this year – the biggest increase of any UK university subject, according to BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. Overall, there were 158,340 applications to start full-time undergraduate degrees in computing, compared to 140,420 last year, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said.

The number of UK 18 year olds hoping to take computing degrees increased by 21 per cent according to BCS’ analysis of new January deadline data from admissions service, UCAS. Most of the increase was driven by applicants from England (up 18 per cent) and Wales (up 10 per cent) with Scotland and Northern Ireland broadly unchanged.

Over 30,700 applications to computing degrees were from women (19 per cent of total applicants to UK undergraduate

computing degrees) meaning the gender gap has closed only fractionally on 2021.

Julia Adamson, Director of Education at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT said: “The demand for computer science follows the rising profile of AI, global cyber security, social media safety, and tech’s role in understanding climate change and pandemic modelling.

“The impact of Covid-19 and lockdowns have also made us realise how important digital technologies are in our personal and professional lives. The long term challenge of closing the gender gap in computer science remains clear and starts at school level.”

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Bett 2022 Preview

Bett: EdTech’s biggest reunion Taking place on 23-25 March at ExCeL London, Bett will provide educators with the space to discover the latest products, suppliers and EdTech trends both nationally and internationally Now that the new normal for this academic year is very much underway, the education industry is focusing on how it can harness the surge of EdTech consumed in the past year, to look ahead and explore how this new and innovative tech can be integrated into the curriculum and enhance current teaching methods. With the acceleration of digital adoption, digital safeguarding and the closing of the digital divide are now at the forefront of the EdTech industry - with a key area for consideration on SEND student experiences in remote learning.

The last 18 months have offered more challenges than most, with rapidly changing guidance from the government, fasttracking the use of technology and social restrictions causing lasting impact on student wellbeing. Now, more than ever, educators need support on how to make the most of the technology they were forced to use to deliver lessons, and advice on the new and improved technology now available to them.

EdTech’s biggest reunion We are thrilled to welcome back Bett, EdTech’s biggest reunion in person on 23-25 March 2022 at ExCeL London, to facilitate connections by providing educators with the space to discover the latest products, suppliers and EdTech trends both nationally and internationally. A range of networking opportunities will enable the education industry to have meaningful conversations and create lasting symbiotic relationships, as

Bett will also be running a Hosted Leaders Programme, with curated one to one meetings allowing global education leaders and change-makers to convene through Learnit.

Esports @ Bett A new event showcasing the new world well as meet with the right EdTech providers of esports will be unveiled at Bett 2022. to help them find the solutions they need.

It will be hosted in association with Six global themes structure the Bett 2022 the British Esports which will allow agenda: Leadership, Futures, Inclusion, teachers, education leaders and parents to Wellbeing, Skills, Innovation – leading to experience and understand the potential the overarching theme Create the future impact on esports in education.

– ensuring that education stakeholders The move comes as it emerged that esports worldwide can address their most will be piloted as a competitive sport at the pressing challenges and priorities.

Commonwealth Games later this year.

With over 90 hours of CPD content, the As part of the esports takeover, Bett seminar agenda will offer an exciting line-up 2022 will host daily tournaments with over 225 inspiring speakers. on the popular Rocket League This includes one of the world’s For game and feature teams leading authorities on those w from the British Esports growth mindset, Eduardo Student Champs, the Briceño, the comedian cannot ho a national schools and and actor Sally Phillips, t t e during nd colleges competitive who will speak about t h e d ay, this year se gaming tournament. home-schooling during e Unlike any other lockdown and life of Bett s the launch After H education event before, with a SEN child, and ours on Thu Esports @ Bett will Gogglebox favourite r s d a y host a dedicated space Baasit Siddiqui, whose 24 Mar that is the epicentre of all Siddiqui Education ch things esports, providing a organisation helps boost hub within which visitors can the morale and achievements participate in gaming and experience of disadvantaged pupils. real time product demonstrations.

You will access to over 550 exhibitors There will also be opportunities to and sponsors, from tech superpowers hear from inspiring industry experts like such as Microsoft, Google, Lenovo and Chester King, CEO of the British Esports Pearson to specialist education suppliers and Mark Weller, Chief Gaming Officer such as Arbor Education, NetSupport, from GB Esports Team, VEXED. Promethean and 2Simple to rising start-up After making waves in the education stars – offering impactful solutions for technology community as an alternative E institutions of all sizes and all budgets.

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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

Ahead by Bett Ahead by Bett is the new co-located event designed for Higher Education leaders accelerating disruption.

A range of networking opportunities will enable the education industry to have meaningful conversations and create lasting symbiotic relationships, as well as meet with the right EdTech providers to help them find the solutions they need.

Ahead by Bett will be the destination for higher education leaders to come together with their peers and the world’s leading EdTech’s to learn, network and trade.

Ahead by Bett’s content spaces provide an opportunity for senior leadership, heads of faculty, technology leads and heads of research and innovation to congregate and tackle the current business issues faced in tertiary education.

Spread across three learning and networking spaces, Ahead by Bett will be hosting over 60 speakers including highly acclaimed author and journalist Matthew Syed, who will be discussing mindset and high performance in Higher Education, Professor Sir Steve Smith, the UK’s International Education Champion on the future of Higher Education, Professor Rose Luckin on AI’s uses for understanding student data and Professor Diana Laurillard on professional development as the new frontier of Higher Education.

Visitors will also be able to hear from other changemakers, experience innovation

Bett 2022 Preview

 recreational activity for students, esports has boomed in popularity having recently been featured on BBC’s The Apprentice and has now been officially sanctioned as a pilot event for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Federation.

In a UK national first, the British Esports Association has partnered with Pearson to introduce the esports BTEC, the first qualification of its kind in the world with a skills-based focus launching back in April 2020, with more than 1800 students currently taking part in the BTEC over both Level 2 and Level 3.

For the first time at Bett, visitors will be able to hear from the educators, leaders and technology providers championing esports across schools.

The three day agenda will showcase sessions on how schools and universities can harness this growing industry to: build their own esports programme, drive greater student engagement and skillsets, and explore the role diversity and inclusion plays across esports.

Eve Harper, UK Portfolio Director, EdTech said, “We are thrilled to welcome Esports @ Bett to this year’s show to celebrate esports in education and exhibit some of the opportunities it can provide to young people. With more than 70 per cent of schools considering an esports programme, and with the expectation that the global esports market will triple by 2025, Bett is proud to be supporting such a fast growing and innovative industry.”

and collaborate with peers all within one place dedicated to Higher Education.

Max Oliver, Event Director of Ahead by Bett said: “This year is the first year that we are dedicating a whole new sister show to the Higher Education sector. The appetite and interest in this sector has grown over recent years and now is the perfect time for academics, changemakers, heads of faculty, and technology leads to gather together to share the very best in Higher Education practices and their vision for the future of tertiary study around the world.”

For those who cannot attend during the day, this year sees the launch of Bett After Hours on Thursday 24 March, which provides delegates the opportunity to explore everything Bett has to offer until 20:00.

Bett 2022 is open for registration – join the education community at the latest instalment on 23-25 March at the ExCeL London. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.bettshow.com

Action Mats: a fun and engaging fitness resource for all children

Action Mats produce educational fitness resources, devised to engage children in exercise, using a series of highly visual cardio fitness stations that can be moved around to create multiple games and team challenges. Fundamental to the concept is the simple way activities are conveyed using illustrations and graphics printed onto each mat, so that children of any language and ability can easily and quickly get involved.

Initially designed for EAL children (English as an additional language), we hear daily that the simplicity of Action Mats is brilliant for pupils (and teachers) in every part of society. The speed of setting up lessons and the ease of understanding Action Mats is the key to their inclusivity encouraging child-centred learning and individual empowerment.

There are many ways to use Action Mats including fitness circuits, competitive games, problemsolving challenges and educational games. In addition, we have created multiple, curriculum-linked activity plans, to assist with the successful delivery of lessons for everyone.

Action Mats are lightweight, durable and non-slip, with cheerful designs to guide children through various activities, games and circuits.

From improving overall learning and development to honing coordination, balance, agility and teamwork, Action Mats are specifically designed for EYFS, KS1 and KS2 settings.

With pre-defined lesson plans, you can use Action Mats to create standalone PE lessons, energise classes with “wake up, shake up” activities or run fun, problemsolving games for core subjects like Mathematics and English. L

FURTHER INFORMATION www.actionmats.co.uk

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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In partnership with

Protect your school against rising energy costs Transition towards net-zero with zero capital cost – CILS can upgrade your premises with…

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We were very impressed with your team and have been singing their praises to everyone about the way they have completed this project. We are delighted with the first set of data reduction figures too, long may it continue!

I have worked with CILS on a number of projects and am always impressed by their ability to produce high quality results on each and every project. The team provides us with innovative solutions and it’s a pleasure to work with a company which is so committed to helping us solve complex problems.

Cecilia McCarthy, Putteridge School

Sue Davies, Luton Council

Get in touch now - info@cilsuk.com

cils.uk

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• ASCL Annual Conference @ ICC | Birmingham – stand 42 • The Schools & Academies Show @ ExCel | London – stand K32

Schools & Academies Show

The Schools and Academies Show returns as a live event The Schools and Academies Show, taking place on 27 April in London, gives education professionals the opportunity to hear from top industry speakers on ways to tackle the challenges in the sector The UK’s largest education policy event returns to London to deliver an unforgettable face-to-face experience for leaders across the education sector, for the first time in two years.

After the success of our first in-person show in two years in Birmingham, we’re excited to be back hosting our next live Schools & Academies Show at the ExCeL exhibition centre in London on Wednesday the 27 April 2022.

The Schools & Academies Show is a staple in the education calendar and over a decade has now become the go-to event for education leaders to source solutions for their schools, meet innovative suppliers, network with like-minded peers and hear from the most influential policy makers and decision makers in education.

Our show unites the biggest names across the UK’s education sector to share insights, advice and solutions. Attending our show presents all education professionals with a fantastic opportunity to discover inventive ways to tackle the day to day challenges that arise across the sector.

Your free ticket will give you access to over 30 hours of CPD accredited content, spanning across nine themed theatres.

Visitors will also have eight hours of peer to peer networking and access to meet with over 140 leading education suppliers showcasing revolutionary products & services for the sector.

The Schools and Academies Show is proudly supported by the Department of Education and the Education & Skills Funding Agency. There is no other event in the country that attracts over 3,000 senior education leaders for networking opportunities all under one roof.

Our organisers work very hard to meet the growing demand from the sector by inviting the best in educations speakers to share their knowledge, expertise and guidance on how schools, academies and MATs can better adapt to the changing landscape.

Top education speakers This year we are proud to have a great selection of talented speakers, including a keynote address from Ofsted’s Amanda Spielman.

Dominic Herrington, National Schools Commissioner at the Department for Education will be discussing how MultiAcademy Trusts are challenged to ensure strong long-term improvement, as well as the importance of collaboration between Multi-Academy Trusts in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kevin Draisey, from the DfE’s Commercial team will discuss the support that schools can get with their procurement. Aimed at Schools-Business Professionals, this session will introduce Get help buying for schools and how to access the service, as well as

detail the DfE’s approved frameworks and what they cover. He will also advise how using DfE approved frameworks can help schools get value for money and support.

Also speaking will be Sofia Costa, EdTech Policy Advisor at the Department for Education. She will be discussing how the importance of a strategic approach to the use of technology in a school, and how technology should form part of the school’s improvement plans, to assist in delivering goals and enhance the school’s vision. Sofia will also tackle what stakeholders should be involved in the process, and how upskilling staff needs to be part of the strategic plan.

Tim Bowen, National President at the NAHT, and Stephen Morales, Chief Executive at the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL), will also present, as will Rachel Sylvester, Political Editor at The Times and Chair of The Times Education Commission, and Serdar Ferit, Co-Founder & CEO of Lyfta.

Other speakers include Andy McHugh, Teacher and Editor at HWRK Magazine, Hannah Stolton, CEO of Governors for Schools, and Sharon Warmington, Founder of the National Black Governors Network and National Association of School and College Clerks.

Tom Goldman, Deputy Director at the DfE’s Funding Policy Unit will also be speaking, as well as many more. E

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Schools & Academies Show  Each speaker, dedicated to their respected craft across the education sector will lead in either a keynote session, live debate or discussion, or tailored workshops, ensuring visitors feel empowered, inspired and ready to implement key techniques, guidance and resources at the forefront of their institution.

Schools & Academies Show Extra New for 2022, we have now launched Schools & Academies Show Extra, an additional virtual day on our ConnectEd platform on Thursday the 28th April. This extra virtual day is exclusive all show registrants, as well as our Hosted Leaders and will provide visitors & exhibitors with the chance to take part in virtual 1-2-1 meetings the day after the in-person show.

Schools & Academies Show Extra will also include limited on-demand content that does not get covered at the face-to-face event.

Registering for the show Registration for The Schools & Academies Show is free for those working in schools, multi-academy trusts, charities, and local and central government. Register for free on our website at schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk.

By registering early, you’ll be the first to receive the latest insights, initiatives and guidance on the changes shaping the ever-evolving education sector.

Once you are registered for the show, you will receive a confirmation email and then approximately four weeks before the event you will be given login details to the ConnectEd Platform where you can start to benefit from the event experience. L FURTHER INFORMATION For more information on the show’s agenda and speakers, visit www.schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk

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How to protect your Budget with Smart Technology In partnership with

CILS will protect school budgets against soaring energy costs, while helping with your carbon reduction targets. At no capital cost.

To reduce your energy bills and carbon footprint, we offer estatewide solutions – from smart lighting systems to solar panels and complete de-carbonisation.

Our systems are designed to last and guarantee you peace of mind for the duration of your service agreement and beyond.

Since the withdrawal of Salix funding, in England, finding the means to pay for energy reduction works can seem impossible. It’s not.

Visit us at K32 and join our talk at 11:30 at the Business & Finance Theatre to find out how Luton Council, working with

CILS, significantly reduced their schools’ energy consumption.

Learn about government approved – zero capital – funding options for schools.

With reliable state-of– the- art tech at the heart of the Luton Council projects, the average lighting energy savings are circa 90 per cent.

‘Net Zero with No Capital: Optimise Your Buildings with Smart Tech and Future-Proof Your Budget’ will be presented

by Ian Porter, CILS UK and Sue Davies from Luton Council. L

FURTHER INFORMATION Stand K32; Talk 11:30am Business & Finance Theatre www.cils.uk info@cilsuk.com

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

Advertisement Feature

Installing school fencing?

Consider the hedgehogs There are many factors to consider when choosing fencing for schools. First, the threats need to be assessed, taking into account the location and size of the school, as well as the general risks that many schools face: vandalism, truancy, burglary, and even terrorism. Second, the fencing needs to fulfil requirements for safety, quality, longevity, sustainability, and increasingly important – wildlife protection such as V mesh and twin wire panels, and also chain link fencing actually pose a worse threat to the species. The gaps are small, but not small enough to stop a hedgehog from attempting to get through the fence and then getting stuck.

We’ve seen a few images of hedgehogs which have been trapped in these types of fences.

Many people argue that digging a hole under, or cutting a hole in the bottom of mesh fencing is sufficient to help hedgehogs through safely, but sadly it isn’t as simple as that. Hedgehogs will take the quickest route, particularly if they are startled or being chased by something, and will not stop to check if a hole is too small to pass through.

In 2021, schools across Wales became part of a trial project to become ‘Hedgehog Friendly Schools’. The scheme, funded by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, aims to make primary schools in the UK safer and more welcoming for hedgehogs. Measures implemented in the participating schools included litter picks, running hedgehog footprint and wildlife camera surveys, planting hedgehog-friendly plants, as well as raising awareness of the hedgehog decline in their local community. The University of Hull has also made a pledge to create a hedgehog friendly campus, partaking in similar activities as well as installing bug houses, attaching hedgehog awareness stickers to gardening equipment, sending leaflets around campus, and building hedgehog houses.

Hedgehogs are currently listed as ‘vulnerable’ in the UK, so these tactics are all important for helping the population to thrive, but what more can be done?

Hedgehog friendly fencing Jacksons Fencing has been an advocate for helping wildlife for many years. In 2015, we were the first British fencing manufacturer to create a hedgehog friendly gravel board. The gravel board is treated for ground contact

and can be used with all our timber fence panels and slotted posts, simultaneously protecting the fence panel from the ground while allowing hedgehogs to pass through the specifically designed gap. Hedgehogs depend on being able to move between gardens in search of food and mates for their survival, so this one small change can have an extremely positive impact on their declining population.

There are many fencing options available for schools, popular choices include vertical bar or metal railings, and welded mesh panels.

Timber fencing is often used for demarcation as well. Hedgehogs can find food, shelter, and mates in any location – whether it’s residential or commercial. A simple change to make with timber fencing in schools is to include a hedgehog gravel board. Unfortunately, it has come to light that some metal fencing types are less hedgehog friendly than others.

The dangers of mesh and chain link fencing Welded mesh panels are a popular choice in many applications – they are simple to install, offer high visibility, and are often cost effective.

While 358 mesh and similar mesh types do not allow hedgehogs to even attempt to pass through, mesh fencing with bigger apertures

So, what’s the solution?

Vertical bar fencing ticks all the boxes when it comes to security and hedgehog preservation.

Featuring pales spaced to conform to anti‑trap regulations, hedgehogs have more than enough room to pass between the pales to the other side. Its welded pale-through-rail tubular construction with concealed panel‑to‑post connectors and fixings is strong, secure, and tamper-proof. Additionally, it provides a smart appearance which is ideal for creating a welcoming school environment, while visibility is not hindered by its slender pales. Featuring the same design principles, anti-trap bow top railings are ideal for primary schools, as they prevent children from getting their necks and heads trapped between the hoops.

Conservation and sustainability go hand‑in‑hand, so when thinking of installing vertical bar fencing, consider investing in a high quality, galvanised solution with a 25-year guarantee. This will ensure that any manufacturing faults are covered, as well as reducing costly repairs and replacements, and preventing rusty fencing from going to landfill. Fewer installations will also prevent disturbing wildlife and habitats in the grounds.

All Jacksons’ school fencing comes with a 25-year guarantee and can be polyester powder coated in a range of colours to suit your school’s branding. There are many wildlife friendly options available, so next time you specify school fencing, please think of the hedgehogs. L FURTHER INFORMATION Contact Jacksons Fencing on 0800 408 1359 www.jacksons-security.co.uk/school

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Sport & PE

An active recovery from lockdowns The Youth Sport Trust shares ideas on how schools can rebuild children’s activity levels and their love for PE following lockdowns

Improving wellbeing Physically active children are happier and achieve higher levels of academic attainment than their less physically active peers. PE and sport are not a ‘nice to have’ in children’s lives, and today more than ever they are essential to their physical, social and emotional development.

Working across the UK in the last academic year, our programmes and training used the power of sport and play to support more than 250,000 young people and train more than 10,000 educators to lead good quality, inclusive sport and Physical Education. In our latest Impact Report, the young people we supported reported feeling happier and more confident as a result. Communication skills, leadership and teamworking improved,

while the positive experience they had inspired them to become more active.

We passionately believe that this offers just a snapshot of what can and should be possible for all young people if, at a national level, we are able to unlock the power of play and sport to level up opportunities and support the recovery of every child.

The findings of our agenda-setting Class of 2035 research last year set out how PE and sport could evolve to help tackle this, while our Active Recovery research highlighted the positive impact already being seen in schools which have prioritised getting young people active as they returned to the classroom.

Active Recovery Curriculums A key part of achieving this is the idea of Active Recovery Curriculums, which aim to see children spend more time learning outdoors, more active approaches to teaching and learning in lessons other than PE, and an increased focus on learning about health and lifestyle.

An independent survey of 470 young people across 10 schools led by spear The Centre for Sport, Physical Education & Activity Research at Canterbury Christchurch University, revealed that since taking part in an Active Recovery Curriculum 75 per cent of teachers reported improvements in academic progress, and three quarters (74 per cent) of pupils said being active at school helps them learn.

Inspiring change The survey also showed that 71 per cent Building on the ambitions set out in the of pupils increased their physical activity Levelling Up White Paper and ahead of the levels and 68 per cent of pupils reported Government publishing a new School Sport an improvement in their resilience. and Activity Action Plan this year, we hope to What’s more, 86 per cent of teachers felt that galvanise and inspire changemakers to harness children’s mental wellbeing had improved. the power of play and transform attitudes, The group of schools which took improve practice and drive policy change. part in introducing Active Recovery Our work will be driven by three objectives.

Curriculums and which were part of the The first is to build back healthier, happier in-depth study now plan to maintain and more resilient young people and level the them into future academic years. playing field for those most disadvantaged.

Sian Hall, who is a headteacher The second is to help young at St Breock Primary School people balance the demands in Cornwall, said on using of the digital age through Physica the Active Recovery a focus on play and active c lly h Curriculum Principles: sport delivering fun, i l d ren are hap “When children returned friendship and human p i e achieve r and to school in March connections.

2021, their stamina levels o higher f for schoolwork had a c a attainm d significantly reduced. ent tha emic Their physical fitness less phy n their had also declined. After active psically introducing an Active eers Recovery Curriculum, we saw increased engagement, stamina, progress and a more resilient attitude towards their learning.

“The introduction of simple active strategies had a huge impact on our positive return to school, and I would highly encourage other schools to look at how they could increase activity throughout the day.”

The results speak for themselves but by doing the below, schools can play a part in improving children’s overall wellbeing. By adding more physical activity across the school day, it will not only boost physical fitness, stamina and understanding of overall health but it can also improve children’s readiness for learning, concentration and support academic catch up. E Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by the Youth Sport Trust

Over the last two years, the pandemic, lockdowns and school closures have taken their toll on children. Existing inequalities have widened, and physical activity levels, attainment and wellbeing have suffered.

Sport England’s Children and Active Lives survey recently showed that only 44.6 per cent of young people (3.2 million) average at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day – the recommended amount set by the Chief Medical Officer. And a governmentcommissioned research report has also revealed that 56 per cent of primary and 37 per cent of secondary schools said they had reduced hours for certain subjects, “particularly music and PE” over the course of the 2021/22 academic year.

The third objective is to transform society’s perceptions and attitudes towards the importance of physical literacy, play and sport in young people’s education and development.

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 Tips for rebuilding activity Here are some top tips on how schools can rebuild children’s activity levels.

Schools can use sport in cross curricular learning to set challenges and encourage ‘active’ problem solving. Can you get children to climb a ‘ladder’ as they go up and down their timetables or the alphabet?

Take a look at ideas from Teach Active.

Schools should also listen to young people and what matters to them. Our Class of 2035 report has shown that if young people are empowered to lead and influence PE and sport’s delivery, it could not only drive-up participation and improve their health but also contribute to social mobility and foster a greater sense of belonging.

It is a good idea to focus on wellbeing and development priorities in PE lessons.

Young people’s awareness of the benefits they should get from PE and physical activity are in decline. Compared with six years ago, fewer children agree that PE and physical activity helps them to be healthy (down from 78 per cent to 72 per cent), be fit (down from 80 per cent to 71 per cent) or improve their social and team building skills (down from 43 per cent to 34 per cent). It is important to promote a more explicit recognition of the positive outcomes young people gain from sport among educators, parents, and policymakers.

Focusing on enjoyment is most effective in motivating pupils and inspiring them to pursue healthy habits and new hobbies.

Schools should also offer more extracurricular activities and opportunities to try new activities. Afterschool clubs are a great opportunity for encouraging children to be more active and to have the opportunity to try new sports.

Schools should also find opportunities to be active every day. This could be a ‘brain break’ in-between a period of intense learning where children are up out of their seats and moving on the spot to increase their heart rate, or it could be taking lessons outdoors, so you have space for children to move around and bring the theory to life. A whole school approach and cohesion between teachers has been key to successful Active Recovery Curriculums.

Schools can access more ideas on how to implement Active Recovery Curriculums and more information on the benefits here. There is also a hub of free ideas and resources for getting children active before, during and after the school day through a Sport England National Lottery funded ‘Active Recovery Hub’ which sits on the School Games website. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.yourschoolgames.com/ active-recovery

Sport & PE

Active Recovery Curriculums aim to see children spend more time learning outdoors, more active approaches to teaching and learning in lessons other than PE, and an increased focus on learning about health and lifestyle

Youth Sport Trust’s partnership with Decathlon The Youth Sport Trust’s partnership with Decathlon, the world’s largest sporting retailer, means that when schools purchase through Decathlon for Schools, a direct contribution is made to ensure the Youth Sport Trust can continue to change even more young lives.

With a mission aligning very closely to YST’s, Decathlon wants to make sport accessible for as many people as possible, believing that being active and discovering new sports every day is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Eric Mazillier, UK CEO, Decathlon, said: “Our mission is to help everyone in England get physically active through sport. We aspire for every young person, every family and every school community to have active and healthy lives.

We want to be the platform of choice that empowers people to live sports experiences, try new activities and find their passions.

We are here to help everybody choose the right sports equipment at the right price. The Youth Sport Trust is a key partner for us in ensuring we are doing all we can to support schools and families when they need it most.”

Ali Oliver, CEO of Youth Sport Trust, said: “Taking part in fun and inclusive PE, sport and play improves wellbeing, increases confidence and helps build relationships and a sense of belonging. This is absolutely key for young people’s recovery from the impact of lockdown, as recent Sport England research found that a third of children said the absence of school during the pandemic had a major impact on their ability to be active. Decathlon share our belief in the life-changing benefits that come from sport and we are absolutely thrilled to be furthering our partnership with them.”

Issue 27.2 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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