Education Business 27.6

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ISSUE 27.6

Business Information for Education Decision Makers DESIGN & BUILD

OUTDOOR LEARNING

FIRE SAFETY

ENERGY

NAVIGATING THE ENERGY CRISIS Everyday energy saving tips, plus action to help school’s on their net-zero journey

PLUS: SCHOOLS & ACADEMIES SHOW | AIR QUALITY | BETT PREVIEW | CATERING | IT & COMPUTING

Order free period products for your learners As part of the Department for Education’s Period Equality scheme, schools and colleges in England are able to order free period products for their learners.

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phs are the official partner of the Department for Education free period scheme. Based in England or Wales? Speak to one of our experts about products for your learners, by calling 01827 255 500.

Comment

A settled Department for Education?

With five education secretaries in four months and a changing ministerial line up, the Department for Education has experienced upheaval since September. But it seems to have settled now, with the ministerial line-up confirmed by prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Gillian Keegan is now the education secretary, and the DfE sees some old faces return, such as Nick Gibb and Robert Halfon. Read our summary of who’s who in the new-look Department for Education, as well as Rishi Sunak’s likely direction for education, on page 15.

With the energy and cost of living crisis upon us, Suzanne Gibbon from the Let’s Go Zero campaign shares everyday energy saving measures for schools, and explains how the campaign is lobbying for the government to support schools in their net-zero ambitions, on page 19.

We also look at the impressive Glebe Farm School – a fossil‑free new build school in Milton Keynes. It’s so ‘green’ that it’s been removed from the grid and even its Bunsen burners are powered without gas. The school’s headteacher, Matthew Shotton, explains the project on page 23.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @EducationBizz

Angela Pisanu, editor

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Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Contents

Contents Education Business 27.6 19

07 News

43 Bett Show Preview

Quality leadership strongest factor in staff

On 29-31 March 2023, Bett is back at ExCeL London for three days of inspiring content, networking and product discovery

satisfaction; Oak Academy to address weaknesses in curriculum design and delivery; Bespoke help needed for struggling readers

15 Politics

Sponsored by

Department for Education has experienced

Technology affects every aspect of our lives – and delivers exciting career opportunities. Yet girls are still under-represented in computing. Julia Adamson from BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT,

upheaval since September. But it seems to have

discusses how to engage girls, and why it’s important

With five education secretaries in four months and a changing ministerial line up, the

23

47 IT & Computing

settled now. So what does the new Department for Education look like?

19 Energy The DfE’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy included many positive new policies.

But did it go far enough? Suzanne Gibbon from the Let’s Go Zero campaign comments on the

51 Education Technology

Sponsored by

Jane Ross reflects on how education technologies such as video learning are being embraced by primary and secondary schools, even after lockdown, and why such technologies will be central to education going forward

strategy’s missed opportunities, and provides everyday tips for saving energy

23 Design & Build Glebe Farm School is Milton Keynes’ first fossilfree new build school. It’s so ‘green’ that it’s been removed from the grid and even its Bunsen burners are powered without gas. Headteacher Matthew Shotton explains the project

27 Design & Build

34

LocatED was launched in 2017 to support the Department for Education with the delivery

63

of its free schools programme by buying sites quickly and at best value. Lara Newman, chief executive of LocatED, shares what the organisation has a achieved and how its work has evolved over the years

31 Air Quality Research has found that simple air quality measures – such as air purifiers, no car zones and green screens – can cut outdoor and indoor exposure of toxins in and around schools by almost half

34 Air Quality

57 Schools & Academies Show

Sponsored by

The Schools & Academies Show will return to Birmingham this November to unite school leaders and provide them with leading content, sector updates and practical resources

59 Fire Safety

Sponsored by

Analysis of Home Office data by insurer Zurich Municipal shows that in the period from 2015 to 2020, schools in England had experienced 2,300 fires, of which 47 school buildings were destroyed.

So what should schools know about fire safety?

63 Outdoor Learning When finances are stretched, how can headteachers make residential trips more costeffective and affordable? Mark Castle, CEO of the Field Studies Council, explores the options

67 Sport & PE The PE department at Colton Hills Community School needed the support of staff across the school to supplement its approach towards engaging students and raising participation in PE, with positive results

Poor air quality can impact pupils’ concentration levels and their health, so it is important to understand what is in school air and how to improve it. To do

67

this, the SAMHE project has been launched and is recruiting schools to take part

Education Business magazine

71 Catering Price increases and food shortages are some of the issues faced by the school meals industry, according to research by LACA, who is calling for increased funding for Free School Meals

www.educationbusinessuk.net Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Advertisement Feature

Konica Minolta provides The Sweyne Park School with a powerful and cost-effective surveillance system The Sweyne Park School in Rayleigh, Essex, is using Konica Minolta’s Intelligent Video Solution (IVS) which combines visual, thermal, sound and sensor data to accurately monitor and better protect any environment. Producing exceptionally high-quality images, even in low light, the interior cameras are mounted flush to the ceiling, without moving parts, delivering full 3600 view coverage with no blind spots.

Utilising cloud-based technology Konica Minolta’s IVS is highly cost-effective and simple to scale to any network size. No dedicated servers, recording or software licences are needed. The low maintenance solution can also broadcast audio messages, alerts, and pre-recorded files to support the management of the school.

IVS has enabled the school to reduce the number of cameras (and the associated costs) down to just one 4K enhanced resolution camera that covers corridors, dining rooms and vulnerable areas, helping to keep pupils, staff, and visitors safe. The system stores high quality imagery 24/7, delivering live low-bandwidth files and playback on demand, with powerful end-to-end cyber protection at no extra cost, that robustly protects the school’s IT systems.

The school’s Network Manager Dan Joslin commented, “It’s so easy to install that we can now fit and

configure additional cameras within 20 minutes.

The quality of the images returned are second to none, providing clarity that is above and beyond what our previous solution would provide. In addition to the 3600 viewing, the solution provides comfort that there won’t be any blackspots in viewing, providing 24/7 security for everyone within the school grounds.”

The solution has enabled a programme of pre-recorded lockdown security drills, with audio files providing guidance for pupils around fire safety, crowd management, and general safety. The intercom feature also allows operators to audibly alert those in the area and broadcast live messages. In the case of designated one-way corridors or entry and exit protocols, this feature allows operators to interact directly with staff or pupils in the vicinity of these areas to minimise any risks.

Gary Fletcher-Moore, Head of Sales – Intelligent Video Solutions at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd also commented, “Our solution is intelligent and can expand virtually without limits, ensuring long term investment and security for The Sweyne Park School. Software updates are available via a free download, ensuring the solution can be updated and enhanced as the requirements of the school and its daily operations evolve, making this a fully future-proof solution.”

www.konicaminolta.co.uk

POST-16 EDUCATION

Quality leadership strongest factor in staff satisfaction

Parents urged to get clued up on post-GCSE options

A new study in schools across England finds that the quality of school leadership is the most important factor behind satisfied and engaged staff – with teaching and learning, professional growth, and diversity and inclusion also key contributors.

The report by the social enterprise ImpactEd found that teacher workload and classroom behaviour, commonly cited as major contributors to staff dissatisfaction, were less important factors in whether school staff are happy or not.

ImpactEd’s study also concludes that where staff are satisfied, so are pupils.

It says pupils’ wellbeing is highest in schools where teachers have a more positive relationship with their work.

Owen Carter, co-founder and managing director of ImpactEd, said: “We know highquality teachers are the cornerstone of our education system, yet staff wellbeing and retention continues to be a pressing challenge for the sector. At the same time our research shows that pupils are struggling with mental

wellbeing and anxiety, in particular children with special educational needs and those eligible for the Pupil Premium.

“Our report’s findings demonstrate how important it is for school leaders to consider the wellbeing of staff and pupils in tandem, and that achieving one is more than likely to achieve the other.

“The last two years in particular have been very challenging for so many people working in schools, with Covid and changes in Government policy. However, whilst national policies may well impact on many aspects of staff engagement, the high variation in scores between schools suggests individual schools are able to have an impact on staff satisfaction and therefore on pupil happiness.

The quality of leadership is front and centre among the factors that drive stronger staff satisfaction and engagement.”

CLICK TO READ MORE

ASSESSMENTS

Views of assessments during pandemic revealed Research published by Ofqual reflects the views of students, parents and school leaders on assessment arrangements during 2021, following the cancellation of exams.

A series of YouGov surveys commissioned

by Ofqual finds the public and stakeholders had less confidence in arrangements for 2021 than in exams.

Just over half (52 per cent) agreed, however, that the arrangements for grading and assessing students in 2021 were as good as they could be in the circumstances. Agreement was highest among parents (59 per cent) and senior school and college leaders (55 per cent), and lowest among students (46 per cent).

Overall confidence in teacher judgements was relatively high. Stakeholders felt confident that teachers had the expertise to grade their students, although they were less confident that they would grade them accurately in reality, i.e. that they would grade neither too harshly nor too generously.

Meanwhile, confidence that grades would be reliable and comparable across schools and colleges was much lower when thinking about 2021 in general, in comparison with perceptions about grades pre-pandemic.

CLICK TO READ MORE

News

WELLBEING

Gatsby Charitable Foundation is encouraging parents to get clued-up on post-GCSE options in order to better support their children when it comes to making their decisions.

The call follows research which shows that parents feel as though they lose influence over their teenager’s education choices from the age of 13.

Only 16 per cent of parents surveyed believe they have a lot of influence over their teenager’s education decisions and 83 per cent of parents believe other people, like teachers, friends and careers advisers have the most influence.

Yet, according to a poll of students aged 14-16 they do feel most influenced by their parents, with an overwhelming 66 per cent of students saying they are still influenced by their parents when it comes to education choices. This also resonates with schools and colleges surveyed who said parents and family members were the biggest influencers when it comes to education choices for teenagers. These contradictory figures suggest a potential information gap that could mean teenagers don’t consider all options available to them post-GCSEs, such as T-levels.

As students confirm their parents as the most influential, Gatsby are encouraging parents to get clued-up on post-GCSE options in order to better support their children when it comes to making their decisions. New technical education options like T-levels are an exciting alternative to A-levels and Apprenticeships, which put career-focused learning at the forefront. T-levels have been designed with employers and combine classroom study with a 45-day industry placement, giving young people the skills they need for the world of work and addressing skills shortages faced by employers across the country to build the economy.

While many parents rely on their teenagers for more information around post-GCSE options (40 per cent), many also say they need to learn more about their children’s future career options (42 per cent) so they feel able to share knowledge on the pathways their children can take.

CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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News

CURRICULUM

Oak Academy to address weaknesses in curriculum design and delivery

The Department for Education has published the business case it made to the Cabinet Office and Treasury to turn the Oak National Academy into an arms-length curriculum body.

The business case says that rationale for intervention is to address two main problems in education - curriculum design and delivery and excessive teacher workload

associated with curriculum planning.

The report points out that in 2014, Ofsted reported serious concerns with the quality of curriculum design in schools and concluded that there are “a number of deficiencies in curriculum thinking” and “limited evidence of a thoughtful approach to curriculum”.

In response to these findings, Ofsted introduced a new focus on curriculum as a central part of its changes to the Education Inspection Framework. Introduced in 2019, this framework effectively increased school accountability for curriculum design and delivery. But the business case said that “the new 2014 National Curriculum has been implemented by teachers with comparatively little practical guidance. Overall, this has meant that since 2014, schools have needed to teach

a more rigorous and academically challenging curriculum, but with more autonomy and less support than they have been used to.”

The report also says that evidence suggests that many teachers struggle to find quality resources and end up having to create their lessons from scratch.

The report says: “Without government intervention, this business cases concludes it is unlikely that this cycle will be broken quickly enough, and the standard of curriculum design and implementation may well remain too low to achieve our wider aims for education recovery and levelling up.”

CLICK TO READ MORE

READING

INCLUSION

Bespoke help needed for struggling readers

Anti-racist training for education staff in Wales

Ofsted has published a research report looking at how high-performing secondary schools provide targeted support for struggling readers.

The aim of the study was to explore how schools make sure that pupils who leave primary school unable to read ageappropriate books fluently can become proficient readers and keep up with all their other curriculum subjects.

The six schools Ofsted visited for the research were chosen because a higherthan-expected proportion of their initially poor readers achieved a pass in English language at GCSE. In these schools, Ofsted found that senior leaders prioritised reading by investing in additional, bespoke help for struggling readers and training for staff who taught reading. Teachers also accurately identified gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge, and staff who taught reading

had expertise in teaching weaker readers.

Clear procedures were in place to monitor this teaching and its impact on struggling readers. As pupils’ reading improved, they gained confidence and became more motivated to engage with reading in class.

Ofsted’s chief inspector Amanda Spielman said: “The ability to read is a fundamental life skill. However, secondary school leaders and teaching staff should be aware that a significant number of their pupils are lacking the basics.

“All children, with very few exceptions, should leave school proficient readers. That’s why it’s essential that children who leave primary school unable to read well get the additional teaching they need to participate both academically and in wider society.”

CLICK TO READ MORE

Education staff in Wales are to be offered free diversity and anti-racist professional learning, as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic histories and experiences become a mandatory part of the curriculum.

The Welsh Government has pledged to create an Anti-Racist Wales by 2030, which calls for zero tolerance of racism in all its guises. To do this, its education system must broaden pupils’ understanding and knowledge of the diverse cultures which have built our past and present.

Wales’ first Black headteacher, Betty Campbell MBE, pioneered a curriculum which included Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic histories.

One of her former pupils, Chantelle Haughton, principal lecturer in early childhood education at Cardiff Metropolitan University, is driving a national approach to empower all educational staff with the knowledge, skills, empathy, and confidence to celebrate and value diversity Resources, training, and guidance for educational professionals are available in one place through the DARPL virtual campus.

This project is led by a coalition of partners with professional and lived-experience to support those working in education to understand and develop anti-racist practice.

The grass roots of the project were sewn earlier this year, with anti-racist professional learning for school-based practitioners. From the autumn term, provision will extend to early years and further education practitioners. A new anti-racist professional learning module for senior education leaders will launch in the Spring. DARPL has been fast-tracked as one of the new professional learning areas supported by Welsh Government as part of its National Professional Learning Entitlement.

CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Discover

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“Basic-Français” is a revolutionary application which helps your students acquire the basics of French by breaking the wall of words : we give the instructions, through the users' smartphones, orally in their mother tongue.

It is destined to be a formidable tool that will enable your learners to practice their French in between classes, and offline !

Do you want to download a free version of Basic-Français ?

Send us an email to: basic@ludo-vic.com More information on www.ludo-vic.com

News

FUNDING

EXAMINATIONS

Most schools face difficult cuts without more funding

Ofsted report identifies ways that T-levels can improve

A survey of 630 headteachers by the Association of School and College Leaders has shown that almost all schools are likely to have to make cuts due to rising costs and insufficient government funding.

Nearly all respondents (98 per cent) said their school or college would have to make financial savings either in the current academic year 2022/23 or future years, or both, compared to last year, as a result of cost pressures. Sixty per cent said they will have to make financial savings both in the current academic year and in future years.

In the absence of additional funding, 58 per cent said they were considering or likely to reduce teaching staff and increase class sizes, while 43 per cent are considering reducing curriculum options, and 55 per cent are considering reducing the number of teaching assistants.

Press reports have suggested that some schools may reduce to four-day or three-day weeks to reduce costs. We asked respondents whether this was being considered. None are considering a three-day week, but 17 schools (2.7 per cent) are considering a four-day week.

The cost pressures affecting schools and colleges include nationally agreed teacher and support staff pay awards for which there is no additional government funding to afford the cost of these awards, rising energy costs, and rising catering costs.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “School leaders in this survey use words such as ‘catastrophic’ and ‘devastating’ to describe the financial situation they are facing and the impact on their pupils. It is clear that the future is bleak unless the government acts urgently.

“No government can claim to be serving the public interest by presiding over an education funding crisis which cuts provision and imperils standards. And no government which does so can expect to remain in power at the next General Election.

“To make matters worse, we are concerned about the possibility of further public spending cuts being imposed in order to rescue the nation’s finances from the hole dug by the government. It should be clear to MPs of all parties that it is simply untenable to once again sacrifice schools and colleges on the altar of austerity, as happened in the wake of the last financial crisis. Education should not be seen as a soft target for government cuts but a vital public service and an investment in the future.

“It is imperative that the new Prime Minister and Chancellor make education a priority by improving the level of funding in their forthcoming financial plans.”

CLICK TO READ MORE

Ofsted has published an interim report evaluating the quality of the new T-level courses, which finds that while providers are working hard to ensure that T-level courses meet their aim, some challenges need to be overcome.

The interim report was commissioned by the DfE and draws on evidence from visits to 24 providers.

Overall, Ofsted found that learners were appreciative of the quality of teaching on their T-level course. However, not all learners felt prepared for how much work they had to do. Effective industry placements gave learners broad, high-quality and appropriate experiences that helped them to make informed decisions about their future career path. However, many learners experienced delays in going on placements.

Work experience is a fundamental component of the transition programme. Yet

in some cases, providers failed to help learners secure meaningful work experience relevant to their course, which resulted in learners sourcing their placements independently.

The review also found that many teachers did not receive comprehensive training and some found teaching the new curriculum challenging. What’s more, providers did not always have access to the resources they needed from awarding bodies in good time.

The recruitment and retention of staff with sufficient knowledge and experience were also a challenge, due to sector shortages and the effects of the pandemic.

The more effective T-level curriculums involved frequent collaboration between education providers and employers.

Ofsted’s report recommends that all T-level and T Level Transition Programme providers give initial advice to learners before they start a T-level course to help them decide which pathway to follow, and that they collaborate with employers to make sure the design and delivery of the curriculum is of a high quality.

It also recommends that the impact of work placements is monitored and that the DfE works with universities to make sure they accept T levels for entry to relevant courses.

CLICK TO READ MORE

COVID-RECOVERY

Most schools lack a system to assess impact of tutoring Ofsted has published a review of the government’s tutoring programme in schools, and found that the quality of tuition varied greatly depending on the school, and that most teachers did not know the extent to which tutoring was having an impact.

Despite some of the issues, leaders, staff and pupils were positive about the tutoring provided, and overall, the national tutoring programme, particularly the school-led tutoring route, has been well received by schools.

The review found that most schools prioritised English and maths tuition, while FE providers offered English and maths alongside a range of other subjects.

Most leaders in the 63 schools visited had chosen to use existing staff to tutor pupils through a school-led route, rather than external tutors, because this gave them greater control and oversight of quality.

Schools that had strong tutoring in place used assessments with teachers’ knowledge to identify the pupils who could benefit most from tuition. Ofsted found that sessions taught by qualified teachers tended to be of higher quality than those taught by other types of tutors.

Nevertheless, inspectors saw that tutoring

cannot really work without a wellconsidered curriculum in place. In the stronger schools, teachers and tutors were able to use the curriculum to identify the core knowledge that pupils had missed and made sure this could be covered. Tutors and class teachers collaborated to keep one another informed of a pupil’s progress.

In a minority of schools, the tuition provided was haphazard and poorly planned. These schools had not understood the purpose of having small tutoring groups and frequent sessions.

It was found that most schools had not yet found a good way to assess pupils’ progress and to decide when to stop tuition for individual pupils.

Some leaders found it difficult to extend the school day for tutoring, leading to many providing tutoring during school hours.

Some schools had mitigations in place to minimise the impact on other lessons, yet others had not thought through the risks of disrupting children’s learning by taking them out of regular classes.

CLICK TO READ MORE

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Advertisement Feature

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Save time and money on your expenses with Soldo Managing spend across departments is tough. Dealing with staff reimbursements, corporate credit cards, and petty cash can be a painful process.

But there’s an easier way to manage your spending that gives you a complete view of how each department is tracking against budget.

“

We like that it’s a payment-card system rather than a credit card.

There’s a greater feeling of security.

Mark Taylor Director of Finance, Plymouth College of Arts

With five education secretaries in four months and a changing ministerial line up, the Department for Education has experienced upheaval since September. But it seems to have settled now, with new positions confirmed. So what does the new Department for Education look like?

The turbulence within the Department for Education began when former prime minister Boris Johnson replaced the then-education secretary Gavin Williamson with Nadhim Zahawi. After that, following ministerial resignations and changes to the premiership, four more education secretaries were appointed.

Michelle Donelan followed Zahawi and was in post for two days, James Cleverly then took the position for 61 days and was replaced by Kit Malthouse, who served as education secretary for 49 days. Now Gillian Keegan is the current education secretary, and remains in post in prime minister Rishi Sunak’s government.

Alongside changes to the education secretary, the ministers in charge of education also changed. So who makes up the Department for Education now?

Gillian Keegan Gillian Keegan is the current education secretary, having taken post on 25 October 2022.

The MP for Chichester in West Sussex was born in Leigh, Lancashire. Keegan went to primary school in Yorkshire and completed her secondary education at a comprehensive school in Knowsley, Merseyside. She started work as an apprentice at Delco Electronics, a

Politics

Who’s now in the Department for Education?

Nick Gibb was schools minister for nine years before being removed from his position when former prime minister Boris Johnson reshuffled the cabinet.

Gibb has had a long and influential career within the Department for Education, serving as Shadow Minister for Schools from 2005 until 2010, and as Minister of State for Schools from then until September 2012, a position he returned to in 2014 and retained.

He had significant influence on education policy, particularly around phonics and children’s reading. He is a divisive figure, with some liking his traditional methods, while more progressive educationalists do not.

Robert Halfon Robert Halfon was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Education on 26 October 2022.

He was previously Minister of State at the Department for Education from subsidiary of General Motors in 17 July 2016 to 12 June 2017.

Kirkby aged 16. Whilst learning The MP for Harlow is the chair of about the manufacturing industry the Education Select Committee. In she was sponsored to study a this role, he scrutinises government degree in Business Studies at policy and leads the debate on ideas Liverpool John Moores University. on how to improve education.

In February 2020, Gillian worked at the The Education Committee Department for Education has recently raised concerns about where she was the the lack of resources in the SEND Minister responsible system and funding being for Apprenticeships Alongs targeted at more costly, and Skills – late-stage interventions. becoming the change ide The Committee is first apprentice the edu s to urging the Government to to serve as c a t i o n secreta heighten accountability for the Minister ry, the ministe schools and councils falling responsible r s short on SEND requirements for them. educati in charge of on have and to increase support for Keegan families navigating spent many change also d the SEND system. years living and The Committee also lead an working abroad in inquiry into the government’s catch the manufacturing, up programme, and found that it risks banking and IT failing pupils who need it the most, industries, most recently as and urged the government chief marketing officer for Travelport, to prove it is working. a travel technology company.

Halfon attended the University of Exeter, where he read for a bachelor Nick Gibb of arts degree in politics before a Former schools minister Nick Gibb has master of arts in Russian and been reappointed as a minister for state East European politics. E at the Department for Education.

15

The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is an internationally researched, thematic curriculum that develops children aged 5-11 into informed, globally competent, and future-ready learners.

It focuses on developing knowledge, skills and understanding through fun and engaging learning experiences that enable learners to make connections between subjects and the world around them.

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The International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) is a curriculum developed for 11-14-year-olds, underpinned by neuroscientific research which recognises the needs of the teenage brain.

It uses conceptual Big Ideas that enable students to make connections between their learning and the world around them, preparing them for their next stage of education and personal development for their future.

Find out more at fieldworkeducation.com/imyc

Politics

 Baroness Barran Academies minister Baroness Barran has remained in post under Rishi Sunak’s government. She has survived all the recent reshuffles, meaning Gillian Keegan is the fifth education secretary she will work under this year.

Barran was appointed Minister for the School System in September 2021. Her responsibilities include academies and multi-academy trusts.

Former prime minister Liz Truss was reportedly planning to scrap the proposed schools bill, which includes introducing new academy regulations. It is unclear as to what direction Rishi Sunak will take on acadamisation plans.

Barran is chairing a review into how government works with academy trusts, to future proof the role of academies.

It will look at the standards trusts are held to, and the thresholds at which the government uses its powers to intervene in rare cases of underperformance.

Claire Coutinho Claire Coutinho was appointed as a junior minister at the Department for Education on 27 October 2022.

She was previously Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions between 21 September 2022 and 27 October 2022.

The MP for East Surrey started her career at Merrill Lynch, before leaving the City for a career in social justice policy.

She focused on a wide range of issues from education to financial inclusion, to the regeneration of deprived communities including at the Centre for Social Justice. She then spent two years within Government as a Special Adviser, including at HM Treasury.

She has a master’s degree in Maths and Philosophy from Oxford.

Former schools minister Nick Gibb and education select committee chair Robert Halfon are returning to the Department for Education, both as ministers of state studying philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Oxford. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk

Sunak’s direction for education There have not been any official announcements since prime minister Rishi Sunak has taken post. His first speech said that he will “deliver on the promise” of the Conservative party’s 2019 manifesto, promising to deliver better schools.

He reportedly wants to reform post16 education with a new ‘British Baccalaureate’, which would require all pupils to continue to study core subjects like English and maths in sixth form.

He has also said he wants to improve professional development for teachers, and expand the use of artificial intelligence and digital technology in classrooms to reduce teacher workload.

Sunak has also said he will ask Ofsted to assess the quality of physical education in its school inspections, and that while he wants the PE and Sports Premium to continue, he wants to tighten the guidance on how it can be spent.

Sunak has also proposed that schools should open after the school day or over the summer holidays to allow local communities to use their facilities.

And what about Sunak’s own education?

He attended Winchester College, before Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

17

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In April, the Department for Education launched its Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. While this strategy included many positive new policies called for by the Let’s Go Zero campaign, it missed some big opportunities.

Let’s Go Zero is a campaign supporting all UK schools, nurseries, and colleges in their journey to becoming zero carbon by 2030. Schools sign up to show their intent and ambition to get to zero carbon and call on the government for support. With over 1,700 schools now signed up to the campaign it is proving, to government, that schools want to be part of the solution and lead the way to a zero-carbon future. Let’s Go Zero is also supported by 63 councils in the UK and growing.

The campaign has put forward many key policies, some of which were incorporated into the Department of Education strategy.

These include making sure every school has a Climate Action Plan and Sustainability Lead and that sustainability and climate change

Policy overview There were several Let’s Go Zero recommendations included in the Department for Education’s strategy. This includes the need to train teachers in education for sustainable development across the curriculum, and in equipping were made part of the teacher training colleges and schools to give all process. The strategy is a step in the right learners a connection to nature. direction but does not go far enough, fast It included the need for every school enough, given the climate emergency. to have a trained staff member to take In 2022/23 Let’s Go Zero will work closely with the Department of Education on the role of Sustainability Lead. to advocate for other key campaign policy The recommendation that all schools asks. These include the urgent retrofit of the will have a climate action plan was also school estate, making buildings more energy included – but there was no promise of efficient to lower emissions and fuel bills. funding to fulfil these plans, something we urge the government to fix.

Energy crisis Another recommendation included was As we move into winter, we are facing an a commitment to improving DfE building energy crisis with sky high bills, taking funds specifications, so that all new school buildings, away from important areas, such from 2022 onwards, will be net zero as teaching, support staff carbon. (It should be noted that this and building repairs, Lets’ Go Zero recommendation The negatively impacting was already agreed before the Let’s Go students who have publication of the strategy).

Zero ca m already suffered two p a i gn is ca years of turmoil Continued lobbying urgent lling for an from Covid.

Let’s Go Zero will continue r The Energy Bill working with government school etrofit of the estate, Relief Scheme to reach further goals. E

Written by Suzanne Gibbon, programme coordinator Let’s Go Zero

The Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy included many positive new policies. But did it go far enough? Suzanne Gibbon, programme coordinator of the Let’s Go Zero campaign, comments on the strategy’s missed opportunities, and provides every day tips for saving energy

Energy

Actions to save energy, money and carbon

that was announced in September will limit the cost of energy bills that schools face and help them in the short- term. But solutions for the long-term are still needed.

The Let’s Go Zero campaign says government help needs to come in the form of increased funding for schools to carry out retrofit. This includes high grade insulation on walls, floors and roofs to stop energy leakage, and the installation of renewable energy fuel sources such as solar and wind power or heat pumps. A government focus on training the construction and heating industries on retrofit techniques and renewable heating systems is also vital.

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Energy saving advice Here are a few energy saving tips from the Let’s Go Zero campaign: Firstly, get every department to do a Switch Off assessment for non-usage times for lights, computers, equipment, kitchens, science labs, and so on. A 10 per cent saving on an increased energy bill is significant, it could lead to £10k plus in savings, or maybe £20-30k for a large secondary.

Get your students involved in switch off campaigns and no energy audits. Students can be a force for nature when getting things done in the school community.

Have a look on Transform Our World for free lesson plans and resources.

Regarding radiators, don’t block them. Leave one metre distance around every radiator to enable air flow to heat the room, and check them for even temperature and let your facilities team know if they need bleeding.

Make sure that thermostats are set at the recommended temperature of 19 °C for classrooms. Only heat the school when everyone is there – not from when the first person arrives and the last person leaves.

Be ruthless about retaining the heat – ensure that doors and windows are closed and that you have insulated wherever possible Monitor your energy use – is the heating being left on over the weekend or holidays?

Share information on increased energy costs to everyone in the school.

Convert the increase into what else that money could buy (for instance a staff member’s salary or being able to buy in learning support).

Explore energy efficiency and renewable support programmes – there are many ways to improve your estate with both government and private finance. Work with companies that have been recommended by another school, or through your local authority.

Energy

 This includes ensuring the government commits to all UK schools being zero carbon by 2030 and announcing long-term and consistent policies and funding to enable this.

Let’s Go Zero also calls on the government to commit to adapting and retrofitting the school estate.

By 2025, the campaign wants every school mandated to have a funded Climate Action Plan that provides step by step guidance, cutting through the current complicated procedures that will result in zero carbon status. It should be noted, that while the Department for Education has agreed to this recommendation in principle in the strategy, it has not yet agreed to it being funded.

Therefore, Let’s Go Zero will continue to campaign for funded Climate Action Plans.

The Let’s Go Zero campaign will also continue to call for sustainability to be embedded as a statutory feature of careers guidance in UK schools by 2025.

The power of Let’s Go Zero’s policy work comes from sharing the views and experiences of schools, teachers and students and their link to classrooms, which is why government has worked with them in 2021/22 and will continue to do so in the future.

Don’t block radiators – leave one metre distance around every radiator to enable air flow to heat the room. Check radiators for even temperature and let your facilities team know if they need bleeding Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is an enormous amount of help and guidance out there, from local authorities, environmental groups, local businesses and Let’s Go Zero.

Learning from others Some Let’s Go Zero schools have been installing energy saving measures and encouraging energy saving behaviour.

For example, Stony Dean School in Buckinghamshire replaced all their old lighting with LED light bulbs which was financed through Salix funding. The payback was instant with an average £300 monthly saving on energy bills.

Through Salix they also manged to install 94 solar panels in April 2021 making a £2700 saving after loan repayments.

Furze Platt Senior School in Berkshire are also making savings from installed solar panels. They installed solar panels on two of their buildings by working with a local organisation, MaidEnergy, meaning there was no upfront cost for the school.

Dalmain Primary School in London, worked with their local authority and retrofit specialists Retrofit Action For Tomorrow (RAFT) on retrofitting their old school building. By repairing their roof, installing wall and roof insulation and new roof lighting they have made an energy saving of 62 per cent.

The bigger the campaign grows, the louder our voice will be. So, if you know a school that hasn’t signed up yet, tell them about Let’s Go Zero. And if you’re already supporting Let’s Go Zero, look out for opportunities to influence the policy work in 2022/23 and beyond. L FURTHER INFORMATION Join the Let’s Go Zero campaign: www.letsgozero.org

Energy efficiency tips Get every department to do a Switch Off assessment for nonusage times Get your students involved in switch off campaigns and no energy audits Leave one metre distance around every radiator to enable air flow to heat the room Check radiators for even temperature and let someone know if they need bleeding Make sure that thermostats are set at the recommended temperature of 19 °C for classrooms Only heat the school when everyone is there – not from when the first person arrives and the last person leaves Be ruthless about retaining the heat – ensure that doors and windows are closed Monitor your energy use – is the heating being left on over the weekend or holidays?

Share information on increased energy costs to everyone in the school Explore energy efficiency and renewable support programmes Ask for help and use the enormous amount of help and guidance out there

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

21

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Glebe Farm School is Milton Keynes’ first fossil-free new build school. It’s so ‘green’ that it’s been removed from the grid and even its Bunsen burners are powered without gas.

The school’s headteacher, Matthew Shotton, explains the project

Working together on the vision One of the exciting features of this project was the close collaboration from day one of the design and build project between Milton Keynes City Council as the commissioners of the school, IFtL as the appointed multi-academy trust to run the school, and the developers the Northern Home Counties business at Morgan Sindall Construction. Together they created the vision for a fully integrated all-through school (under one roof) whilst considering how the sustainable credentials would be maximised during the build and throughout

require gas-powered Bunsen burners. To its operation as a school for years to come. solve this issue, Milton Keynes City Council With construction of the school having installed electric Bunsen burners instead, started in February 2020, many of the so that no part of the building would recommended green building processes require a gas connection for any reason. were immediately underway, reducing any This is a good example of how this project impacts on the local environment. One of is ahead of the curve, as gas Bunsen burners the most significant ways emissions were are still routinely specified for new schools minimised during the build is by using despite the construction industry veering alternative and renewable power sources away from this fossil fuel. The move to drop for the equipment and temporary set-up. gas is especially evident in the recent Future This was accomplished by using a solar Homes Standard and its directive to take powered generator, powered through 32 new homes off the gas grid – a direction photovoltaic (PV) panels, to provide clean, that is likely to be keenly felt in public off-grid energy for the site’s cabins, canteen, sector construction in the coming years. toilets and even the CCTV system. Through Integrating underfloor heating (UFH) into embracing new technology, Morgan Sindall the school’s ground floor slab provided an Construction used five solar-powered, energy efficient heating method while saving wireless CCTV cameras around the site. time when compared to using a sand For those less sunny days, the generator and cement screed. The manner used bio-fuel Hydrotreated in which UFH heats an entire Vegetable Oil (HVO) instead of E mission space from the ground diesel to make sure that the s were up means that heat is work kept going without minimis used in a more efficient any disruptions, whilst manner compared to also emitting 90 per cent the bui ed during ld by us traditional methods less. Even when not on ing alterna such as radiators. solar power, this was still t i v renewa e and a much more sustainable The building in energy source for the for the ble power equipm operation team onsite, as HVO en and tem The green design only creates 0.195kg of porary t changes did not stop CO2 instead of the 2.68kg set-up at construction, and in created when burning red operation renewable power diesel. A solar-powered PV boot became an ever more prominent wash and electric charging car part of the project, with the number of parking spaces were also installed for staff. solar panels increasing and with six electric charging points added to the car park. When Removal from the gas grid it came to the components used to construct One of the most significant eco-friendly the school, the Green Guide for building design changes came with the decision to materials was consulted to inform sustainable remove the school from the gas grid, with specification choices, which included all the heating to be provided instead by choosing eco-friendly PVC-free hoarding renewable energy via roof mounted ASHPs. instead of a traditional option. 360 metres The emission reducing effectiveness of this of carbon neutral hoarding was installed move was highlighted by the Committee around the site, saving 12 tons of carbon. on Climate Change, which stated that The Morgan Sindall Construction Northern carbon emissions for a home can be up Home Counties business worked closely with to 90 per cent lower for a house and 80 Milton Keynes City Council and IFtL to ensure per cent lower for a naturally ventilated that the school’s design would continue to office when using ASHPs instead of gas. effectively minimise emissions during its dayUnlike most developments, this decision to-day use. A key way this has been achieved has an interesting knock-on effect for a is by designing a building envelope E school, as typically every science lab will

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Written by Matthew Shotton, headteacher, Glebe Farm School

At the start of this school year, Glebe Farm School, part of the Inspiring Futures through Learning (IFtL) multi-academy trust, opened its doors to 250 children and this will eventually rise to over 1,530 pupils. As an all-through school, children can enter at reception and stay all the way through to Year 11. There is also a 39-place full-time equivalent nursery.

Nothing new in that, you might be thinking – new schools or new school buildings are opening all the time – but our school is Milton Keynes’ first fossil-free new build school, funded and developed by Milton Keynes City Council with building works carried out by the Northern Home Counties team at Morgan Sindall Construction.

The driver has been Milton Keynes City Council which, since 2015, has opened six new schools and expanded 22 others, creating thousands of new local school places. The council is well on track, as part of its MK Futures 2050 strategy, to be carbon neutral by 2030 and carbon negative by 2050 and in each case, planners, architects and builders have aimed to have a positive impact on the environment by using clever designs and greener technologies.

The whole site has been designed to have a minimal impact on the environment.

Glebe Farm School is ‘gas free’, with air source heat pumps (ASHPs) which absorb heat from the outside air providing all the energy needed for air and hot water. All lighting comes from ultra-efficient LEDs whilst hundreds of solar panels generate power for the building. Furthermore, 840 trees, donated by the Woodland Trust, have been planted on the grounds.

Design & Build

Building a fossil-free school

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The heart of the community Beyond the design of the building and its ecofeatures, the school is a huge leap forward educationally. Underpinned by our strong values of Integrity, Responsibility, Endeavour, Bravery and Empathy, our school will be the ‘beating heart’ of a new and developing

community. Serving children and young people from the immediate residential area and nearby towns and villages, we will offer unrivalled curriculum and enhancement opportunities, enabling pupils and students from all backgrounds to pursue their interests and fulfil their potential. As a centre of innovation, equipped with the latest education technology including 1:1 devices, and a commitment to outstanding pastoral support, our school will give every learner the tools needed to be successful in the everevolving and challenging modern world.

As David Rowsell, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Northern Home Counties, summarised himself for this article: “This project is a great showcase for how to rapidly create a high-end educational environment that is not just at the cutting edge of sustainable design but which has been delivering tangible social benefits to the local community at every stage of its development.

Thanks to this combination

of factors, the local area has a significantly increased student capacity and the school’s pupils will go through their educational journey in Milton Keynes’ first fossil-free school.” L

Design & Build

 with very low air permeability to retain heat and reduce the energy required to warm the classrooms. While regulations state that schools should meet an air leakage rate of 5m3/hm2, the school benefits from a much better air permeability rate of only 3m3/hm2..

Externally, the school’s grounds were made to be green in more ways than one. Not only will 840 saplings donated by the Woodland Trust be planted, but all the mulch and topsoil will be reused instead of being moved, saving the emissions that would otherwise be incurred through transportation. The levels of the school’s ground were carefully redesigned and raised to accommodate this additional material. In operation, this now saves 40 tons of CO2 each year.

Matthew Shotton is headteacher of Glebe Farm School, part of the Inspiring Futures through Learning (IFtL) multi-academy trust.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.glebefarmschool.co.uk

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Design & Build

Building an efficient education estate LocatED was launched in 2017 to support the Department for Education (DfE) with the delivery of its free schools programme; buying sites quickly and at best value, proactively managing sites not currently in use, and selling surplus sites.

Over the past five years, our work has grown to include the delivery of innovative education-led mixed-use developments, strategic property advice to public bodies and the education sector, and estate efficiency and improvement initiatives for schools and colleges.

Through all of this, we support the government in building an efficient, world-class education estate – for communities today and in the future.

eventually used for LSA. We oversaw the redevelopment of this building, working closely with contractors and Architecture Initiative to preserve the heritage façade while undertaking a significant reconfiguration of the industrial interior; stripping back to the internal frame of the building, and forming a new three-storey professional film production studio with supporting facilities such as hair and makeup rooms and professional sound studios, surrounded by teaching and workshop spaces that are truly versatile and flexible.

The project was named refurbishment of the year at the Education Estates Awards 2020, recognising the difference it has made to the educational experience.

As ell as acquirin and bu g land LocatED ildings, the del manages educatiivery of o mixed-un‑led schemese s

Converting buildings for education Houlton School is another example of a non‑educational building being converted for education use. In 2020, we secured a Grade II listed former radio station for this project.

The secondary academy is part of the Houlton development in Rugby, which will see Urban & Civic deliver almost 6,000 homes alongside neighbourhood and community facilities.

Our in-house technical and planning experts provided crucial early advice on heritage considerations to support the sensitive transformation of this historic building into a modern and inspiring learning environment, delivered

by Urban & Civic.

The school, which opened in September 2021, E

Houlton School, image credit: James Britain and Urban & Civic

Securing sites for new free schools To date, we have acquired more than 200 sites, creating in excess of 100,000 potential school places for children across England. Our regionally based Acquisitions Team draws on its extensive property experience, local knowledge, and network of commercial contacts to negotiate at pace. We

consider sites that can deliver temporary school buildings as small as a few thousand feet, to permanent buildings upwards of 120,000 sq. ft. We don’t dictate the acreage of sites because we can – and have – delivered free schools over multiple storeys on constrained sites. Since 2017 we have broadened the types of properties which can be used for schools and have been involved with some really creative redevelopments.

London Screen Academy (LSA), for example, is a sixth form free school for up to 1,000 students, founded by some of the UK’s most successful film producers. It is now housed in an incredible 85,000 sq. ft. former 1920s radio and television factory in Islington.

Despite the site’s potential, it had been vacant for a number of years before it was acquired and w

Written by Lara Newman, chief executive, LocatED

LocatED was launched in 2017 to support the Department for Education with the delivery of its free schools programme by buying sites quickly and at best value. Lara Newman, chief executive of LocatED, shares what the organisation has a achieved and how its work has evolved over the years

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Delivering schools and housing through innovative mixed‑use schemes As well as acquiring land and buildings, we manage the delivery of education-led mixed‑use schemes to support the efficient and cost-effective provision of new schools.

These developments can make it viable to create much-needed schools in dense urban areas, where the cost of land might otherwise be too high. Typically, these schemes include a residential development on the same site and the sale of the homes can be used to offset some or all of the cost of the new school.

We currently have five mixed-use developments in progress; three secondary schools creating thousands of new school places, and two special schools which will deliver vital education provision in their local communities. In total, these schemes will provide more than 500 homes, a proportion of which will be affordable accommodation.

Our first mixed-use scheme to complete, the award-winning Fulham Boys’ School (FBS), opened its doors to pupils last year. The new permanent home for FBS was delivered on an extremely constrained inner-city site, as part of a development with police facilities and apartments. It was crucial, given the site’s limited size, to maximise the learning and play spaces through creative design and efficient space planning. The result is a high quality 800-place secondary school designed

by Architecture Initiative, with a 4.3m deep basement housing a three-court sports hall, a performance studio and theatre space, enabling more of the plot to be retained as an outdoor courtyard and play area.

In 2018, LocatED launched the Surplus Land for Housing Pilot with the DfE, to explore how to reconfigure a selection of school properties with surplus buildings or land in areas of high housing need 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The department has allocated over £13 billion since 2015 to improve the condition of schools. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform buildings at 500 schools over the next decade. To maximise opportunities to go further, we work with the DfE to explore ways of unlocking the potential in existing school sites to address capital need through a range of estate efficiency initiatives.

In 2018, we launched the Surplus Land for Housing Pilot with the DfE, to explore how to reconfigure a selection of school properties with surplus buildings or land in areas of high housing need. The aim was to unlock funds for reinvestment in school buildings and sports facilities while releasing land for housing. Linked to this is ‘building up’, where we have identified schools with condition need in areas where the residential values can enable homes to be built above a newly constructed school, to self-fund projects and minimise the loss of outdoor play space.

One of the projects identified through our estate efficiency work is an ambitious mixed-use development in Lewisham which will deliver a fully funded, brand new primary school with an increased play area, together with around 90 homes (including affordable housing) above the school.

Proactive asset management We oversee a rolling portfolio of around 90 sites owned by the DfE,

Design & Build

 is complemented with new buildings.

This includes a purpose-built sports centre, dance and acting studios, and a state‑of-the-art communications centre, fully resourced with a professional radio and television broadcasting station to continue the historic legacy of the site.

The project has been recognised with four awards this year, including Project of the Year (Construction News Awards) and Best Use of Heritage in Placemaking (Planning Awards).

which have been acquired for new schools and are awaiting development to begin. These sites are typically vacant, and we manage them until responsibility is transferred to a contractor for works, or to a school trust when it is ready to open on the site. Our Asset Management Team ensures these properties are safe, secure, and meet statutory compliance.

The team also delivers ‘meanwhile uses’ for vacant sites, which either support the local community or generate income to help offset holding costs, while retaining flexibility for the properties’ future intended use. Examples include flexible and affordable workspaces to support SMEs, car parking schemes, guardian schemes to provide affordable accommodation in areas of need, and film shoots. We also open sites for community use, and during the pandemic we worked with the NHS to use vacant buildings as vaccination centres in Hastings, Derby, Heathrow, Liverpool, and Letchworth.

Looking forward, LocatED will continue to support the delivery of the free schools programme, make additional efficiencies and improvements to the education estate, and contribute to cross-government initiatives such as levelling up and the provision of housing in England. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.located.co.uk The Fulham Boys’ School, image credit: Tony McAteer and Gleeds

Unlocking potential in existing school sites England’s school estate is vast, with many buildings from the

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Advertisement Feature

Clearing – and monitoring – the air

Sick Building Syndrome, the term first defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the 1980s, is now widely recognised. More recently, we have become even more aware of the need for fresh air due to the arrival of COVID. Despite the cold weather of two successive winters, we have become used to throwing open the windows and doors of school buildings at regular intervals to allow fresh air to circulate and to maintain a healthy indoor air atmosphere.

However, as the pandemic recedes and we learn to live with Coronavirus, and against a backdrop of alarming domestic fuel prices, we are returning to closed doors and windows, with greater reliance on ventilation systems. The monitoring of indoor air quality has once again become a pressing issue.

We know that students learn and concentrate more effectively in better

quality indoor air, so we should once again be looking at indoor air monitoring as a key building services issue. The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) highlighted the growing problem by publishing a guidance document, titled ‘A beginner’s guide to indoor air quality’ – 2021. This gives expert advice, stressing the importance of proactively testing indoor air quality, or IAQ, as it is now commonly known.

Healthy indoor air is defined as air that is predominantly free from airborne pollutants, while unhealthy indoor air may contain concerning levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter (PM), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Radon gas, mould and humidity.

Indoor air quality is important for staff as well as students. There is currently no

specific legal requirement to test IAQ, but there is a responsibility to provide employees with a safe workplace under The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations, and The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations.

The first step should be an indoor air quality survey, with spot-check monitoring being conducted in numerous representative locations throughout the building(s). Appropriately trained and experienced air quality surveyors should assess your property’s IAQ, measuring various relevant parameters which may be of concern.

A full report of your survey should follow, along with advice on any measures needed to address specific issues.

The WHO estimates that some 30 per cent of new and refurbished buildings suffer from a degree of Sick Building Syndrome, so it is becoming increasingly important, especially for the sake of occupants, to test and monitor your indoor air quality regularly. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.swiftclean.co.uk/indoorair-quality-monitoring/

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

Air Quality

Simple actions to cut air pollution Research has found that simple air quality measures – such as air purifiers, no car zones and green screens – can cut outdoor and indoor exposure of toxins in and around schools by almost half

Children spend a significant amount of installing air purifiers in classrooms, and their time during the weekday at school. organising School Street initiatives during For 10 million students in the UK, this pick-up and drop-off hours, improved air time at school accounts for about 30 per quality of classrooms and playgrounds. cent of their life, with about 70 per cent The researchers found that air purifiers of that time being spent indoors learning in classrooms reduced indoor pollution and carrying out various activities. concentrations by up to 57 per cent.

In the UK, about 2,000 primary schools The School Streets initiative, which stops are located in areas where air pollution people driving past schools at the start levels breach World Health and end of school days, reduced particle Organisation air quality concentrations by up to 36 per cent.

In limits (WHO, 2021).

Green screens at the school Primary school boundary reduced outdoor particle the UK children are levels coming from roads by about 2 , , amongst the up to 44 per cent, depending 0 0 0 primary most at risk, on wind conditions. s c h ools are loca since, at that where ted in areas young age, Breaching air quality a i r p their lungs are limits o l lu levels b still developing, Currently, all London reach Wtion HO and polluted schools are in breach air qua lity air can inhibit of the World Health limits their growth. Air Organization’s air quality pollution can also limits, leaving children exacerbate asthma, vulnerable to respiratory bronchitis, other respiratory diseases, poor lung and brain diseases and behavioural problems, as well health, behavioural problems, as adversely affect brain health, cognitive and increased risk of cancer. function and academic performance.

Prashant Kumar, founding In addition to air pollution, the quality director of the Global Centre for of the indoor environment, with respect Clean Air Research (GCARE) at to other parameters such as, fresh air the University of Surrey, said: ventilation, thermal comfort and relative “Everybody, especially our humidity, also plays an important role in children, deserves to live young children’s health and wellbeing and work where the and hence can affect school attendance, air is as clean and productivity, learning performance. safe as possible.

To assess what measures schools can Unfortunately, put in place to improve air quality, Arup, the reality Global Action Plan, and the University is far from of Surrey conducted a project, which ideal, with was supported by Impact on Urban many of Health. The research was published in our schools the journal Atmospheric Environment. unwittingly exposing Simple measures for a big children impact to harmful The research found that simple air pollutants. quality measures can cut outdoor The and indoor exposure of toxins in and problem is around schools by almost half. particularly Working with a select number of bad at schools London schools in Lambeth, researchers near busy roads. investigated whether putting up a green “Our research screen along the perimeter fence of a school, offers hope to

many who care about this issue, as the results show that taking reasonable action can make a positive difference.”

Kate Langford, programme director of the Health Effects of Air pollution programme at Impact on Urban Health, funders of the research, said: “Every child has the right to learn in an environment that keeps them safe and healthy. But, every day, children are exposed to dangerously high levels of air pollution in and around schools.

“Our partnership with Arup, Global Action Plan and the University of Surrey has shown there are practical ways that we can protect children in and around schools and can help guide schools to implement these solutions.

“These measures now need to be combined with efforts from local authorities at E

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Advertisement Feature

Why students, schools & parents love keyless locker management systems We are accustomed to school lockers, which have been used in schools for many years.

There were times when school lockers were used only during physical education classes.

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Overall, school lockers are believed to benefit students and the entire institution. Here are three significant reasons why every school should have keyless lockers for students: As schools develop their infrastructure to benefit students, an important thing to consider is where you should keep your lockers. School lockers have been a mainstay in the UK’s education system for decades, and with good reason. The management of keys has been the biggest headache, but lost keys are now a thing of the past through the Locker Space Keyless Locker Management Service.

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Secure place to secure belongings This may be why lockers are essential in schools, and rightly so. School lockers are designed to be durable and safe so that pupils can be safe knowing that their schoolwork or personal belongings are secure.

With an increasing number of pupils carrying mobile phones, tablets or even laptops, lockers for schools have become more critical than ever. With schools trying to keep theft and damage to a minimum, lockers are a great way to prevent this. Plus, it’ll give parents/ guardians peace of mind. No keys, no hassle Promote creativity Children and students are constantly being urged to be creative in school, and having lockers is a great way to promote this. With students juggling school rules and uniforms, having their own space to inject a little personality can be a source of great creativity.

Teachers must monitor designs to ensure they are appropriate for school use. Still, lockers are a great asset if you’re looking to boost grades in creative subjects such as art, design technology or media studies.

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If you’re looking for high-quality keyless school lockers that can provide all the reasons above and more, Locker Space supplies and installs bespoke lockers for free. We can also adopt and adapt your existing lockers. L FURTHER INFORMATION lockerspace.co.uk

Have you ordered your free Keyless lockers?

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

 regional and national levels to improve air quality and create healthier places for children to live, learn and play.”

Professor Prashant Kumar added: “My simple plea to decision-makers in the UK is this: simple actions speak louder than words. By giving every school resources to implement one of the measures detailed in our research, they could make a world of difference to tens of thousands of children in this country.”

London help desk Schools across London can access support to improve air quality by contacting the Mayor of London’s London Schools Pollution Helpdesk.

Supported by the Mayor of London and Impact on Urban Health, the London Schools Pollution Helpdesk supports schools across the capital to access easy-to-implement interventions to reduce air pollution.

Recommendations for cutting pollution include the above interventions: air purifiers, School Streets and green screens as well as free education resources, bespoke action plans, and campaign guidance.

Schools can contact the helpdesk by phone, email, online forms or text for advice and the website is a source for air pollution information signposting to the best resources and case studies for schools.

Shirley Rodrigues, London deputy mayor for Environment and Energy, said: “The Mayor is doing everything in his power to stop Londoners breathing toxic air.

Since 2016, there has been a 96 per cent reduction in the number of schools in areas

Mayor of London reveals success of School Streets initiative in London

Air Quality

Air pollution can exacerbate asthma, bronchitis, other respiratory diseases and behavioural problems, as well as adversely affect brain health, cognitive function and academic performance

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has revealed the success of the School Streets initiative in London at improving air quality, but says that more needs to be done, with 97 per cent of schools and colleges in outer London still exceeding revised air quality targets set by the World Health Organization.

Sadiq Khan revealed that more than 260,000 children are breathing cleaner air as a result of the capital’s growing network of School Streets.

Following the agreement of a funding deal for TfL to secure the transport network’s future, £69m per year will now go to boroughs to help them deliver even more School Streets. In the past five years, 373 school streets have been funded by City Hall and TfL, with the rest funded by the London boroughs.

School Streets restrict car access to streets outside a school at drop off and pick up times, making it safer, cleaner and easier for children to get to school on foot, by bike or by scooter. First introduced in Camden in 2017, there are now 547 across nearly every London borough with a quarter of primary schools now located on School Streets.

Despite the Mayor’s interventions meaning progress has been made, 97 per cent of schools and colleges in outer London still exceed revised air quality targets set by the World Health Organization. In around 75 per cent of these areas in outer London, air pollution remains so high that it exceeds even lower air quality targets set in 2005. As such, the Mayor is also calling on the Government to set much more ambitious air quality targets under the Environment Act.

which exceed the legal pollution limit for nitrogen dioxide, and he is committed to bringing that number down to zero.

“This research further reinforces the evidence that it is possible to improve the air quality of schools. We are pleased that the Mayor’s London Schools Pollution Helpdesk can offer free advice and support to school communities seeking to take action on air pollution.”

Larissa Lockwood, director of clean air at Global Action Plan, said: “Schools should be safe places of learning, not places where students are at risk of health hazards.

There is no safe level of air pollution, but children are particularly vulnerable to its impacts including the development of organs and their ability to learn. Services like the London Schools Pollution Helpdesk ensure that schools have access to advice on what they can do to reduce exposure to air pollution, including the actions tested in this research. But this needs to be rolled out nationally - all children must be protected from the health effects of air pollution in their everyday lives.”L FURTHER INFORMATION www.globalactionplan.org.uk

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Air Quality

Schools sought to take part in SAMHE air quality project Poor air quality can impact pupils’ concentration levels and their health, so it is important to understand what is in school air and how to improve it. To do this, the SAMHE project has been launched, with support from the Department for Education, and is recruiting schools to take part Supported by the Department for Education, the SAMHE project, which stands for Schools’ Air quality Monitoring for Health and Education, will distribute free high spec air quality monitors to schools, linked to a specially designed interactive Web App. This will enable pupils, teachers and school leaders to view and interact with the data on the air they are breathing.

Poor air quality can impact pupils’ concentration levels and their health, so it is important that we know what is in school air and when and how we should take action to improve it.

The quality of our air is important. After all, around 10,000 litres of air passes through each person’s body every day. However, air often contains pollutants that can have impacts on our health, ability to concentrate and levels of attainment. Young people spend lots of time at school so we want to make sure that the air in classrooms is good, and give schools access to data that will enable both students and teachers to make informed decisions about ventilation.

SAMHE is bringing together scientists, pupils and teachers to establish a network of air quality monitors in schools across the UK, creating an unparalleled dataset which will help researchers better understand schools’ indoor air quality. It is funded by the Department for Education and EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) and run by a team of scientists, software engineers and communication specialists from six institutions across the UK. What schools get Schools will get a free high spec air quality

monitor that measures carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM2.5), temperature(oC) and relative humidity (%). Teachers and pupils will be able to access their data through a specially designed interactive Web App, seeing how air quality changes over the course of hours, days or weeks and months.

The Web App will also offer a range of related activities and experiments, creating opportunities for pupils to be scientists and do hands-on experiments with their monitor. There will be activities for a range of learning aims, group types and session durations (subject lessons, extension activities, extracurricular clubs, careers activities, extended projects, five minute tasks). ● There will also be activities for different age groups (key stages 1-4 plus sixth form, and of different types including data analysis, environmental actions (e.g.opening windows), people actions (e.g. exercise), and data entry (e.g. telling us where the monitor is and what activity is taking place). ● There will be clear curriculum links for a range of subjects including, but not limited to, Science, Maths and PSHE. Lesson plans, videos and other resources will also be provided. ● There will also be activities focussed on career links, including information about the SAMHE project team members and their career pathways.

We’re also designing activities to teach specific skills such as data handling and analysis, developing scientific enquiry, and reasoning with evidence, and also art and design activities.

Taking part in SAMHE will give pupils the opportunity to be part of something bigger, working together with scientists and thousands of other school children towards a cleaner, healthier school environment. It will also look great on a personal statement!

Co-designed with schools Schools have been involved from early in the project, helping us design, refine and test our plans. About twenty schools helped design the project logo and the initial version of the Web App. We’re now looking for schools who are willing to help us test the initial version of our Web App before we launch it more widely early in 2023. We want to know how well the Web App works for students and teachers, to ensure it meets schools’ needs.

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Could your school be a SAMHE Pioneer School?

We’ll be asking pioneer schools to install their monitor, login to the SAMHE Web App to check that they can see the data it is recording, play with the Web App to check that it functions properly and try out some of the activities it suggests. This will be an early version of the SAMHE Web App which we’ve been working closely on with a small number of schools to codesign. We’ll be asking schools to share their feedback with us and providing a variety of channels through which they can do so. Of course, Pioneer Schools will have access to the full version of the Web App as soon as it is finished, and in addition will know that they have helped to create it!

If your school would like to become a SAMHE pioneer school and you are available to help with testing starting in November, please sign up now using the registration form on the SAMHE website samhe.org.uk.

Stay in touch If this is too soon for you, or you do not want to work with the early version of the Web App, you are very welcome to defer your school’s involvement until the Web App is fully up and running, meaning your school would receive a monitor as part of our UK wide launch in early 2023. You can stay in touch with developments by following @SAMHEproject on twitter or using the contact form on our website to sign up to the SAMHE newsletter.

Wider context and connections SAMHE is a follow on from the COTRACE project, which monitored CO2, temperature and humidity in a limited number of schools, with the aim of reducing the spread of Covid-19 in schools.

It is a collaboration between five UK universities (University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University of York (through the Stockholm Environment Institute’s York centre), University of Surrey, University of Leeds) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

SAMHE also has close links with the TAPAS (Tackling air pollution at school) network, The Association for Science Education (ASE) and the National STEM Learning centre. L FURTHER INFORMATION Find out more here www.samhe.org.uk

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Warneford Consulting provides a tailored funding consultancy service to academies Warneford Consulting is a specialist academy funding consultancy, providing personal and tailored services, including School Condition Allocation management services and Condition Improvement Fund bid writing and management

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“Tim has produced a fully dynamic costed estate management tool that has allowed the trust for the first time, to see the extent of our assets and liabilities in both meta and granular detail.”

Whether you are considering how to achieve the best return on your School Condition Allocation for your prioritised capital works or whether you are a school that is eligible to submit a Condition Improvement Fund, Warneford Consulting provide a bespoke estate and bid management service to meet your needs.

As well as our SCA and CIF services, we provide strategic energy funding and

procurement services and income generation strategies for academies to maximise their ‘out of hours’ income potential.

The key to all of our services being successful is our partnerships with key providers be that in energy services, the Condition Improvement Fund supply chain or the SCA data driven strategy.

And we don’t just select ‘any old company’ to work with, we have built our relationships on similar values and trust over the years and the results prove that.

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If you’re attending any forthcoming academy sector conferences, Tim may well be on the panel and /or exhibiting and would very much welcome thy opportunity to speak to you face to face. L FURTHER INFORMATION Call Tim on 07970 466 010 Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Whether you're a School on the journey to becoming an Academy, or a growing and developing Multi-Academy Trust, we at EPM can help with our strategic review tool: Readiness to Grow.

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People management for school business professionals With the need for specialised strategic HR leadership across schools and trusts, the ISBL is pleased to announce that from January 2023, the CIPD Level 7 in Strategic People Management will be offered as part of its portfolio of qualifications. Find out more here

During one of his recent blog posts, Stephen Morales, ISBL CEO, said: “As the role of the local authority continues to diminish, the burden of complex functions including technical finance and accounting, HR, premises and procurement now resides with schools and trusts. The range of specialist skills required to effectively operate a school or trust is on the increase.”1 With the recent Schools White Paper emphasising the trajectory towards a trust-led system and in light of the recent ISBL & Hays Survey2, which identified skills shortages and the need for increasing recruitment over the coming years across the sector, now may be the time to consider upskilling and specialising to stand out.

With the need for specialised strategic HR leadership across schools and trusts, ISBL is pleased to announce that from January 2023, the CIPD Level 7 in Strategic People Management will be offered as part of its portfolio of qualifications.

Why should I take the CIPD Level 7 course through ISBL? For a school business professional (SBP), the benefit of studying as part of an ISBL closed cohort is the education contextualisation that is offered compared to other similar courses. All content and materials used are tailored to SBPs and reflect the unique HR requirements of the sector. This includes the contextualised adaptation of session case studies and vocation-specific components, which are specifically tailored by the CIPD tutor around key issues relevant to educational environments whilst keeping within the academic framework of the advanced diploma.

engaging topic-based videos, and opportunities for collaboration with peers and tutors, plus learner forums for questions and feedback.

You will study eight units across the two-year programme including People Management and Development Strategies for Performance, Business Research in People Practice, Strategic Employment Relations, and Advanced Employment Law in Practice.

What can this lead to?

As a master’s-level programme, this is the most prestigious CIPD qualification you can attain.

Many schools and trusts are looking for HR directors and managers to have a level 7 CIPD qualification, so not only can this allow you to improve your career progression chances but it may also lead to increased levels of pay and

responsibility in the long term as specialist HR skills become a necessity across the sector.

For further details and to book on to this programme, please visit https:// isbl.org.uk/cipd-level-7/ L This is a sponsored article posted on behalf of the Institute of School Business Leadership.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.ISBL.org.uk Stephen Morales (2022). ‘How we decide on the right structures and delivery models for a particular context’. ISBL online blog.

1

Hays plc. (2022). ‘Skills shortages creating hiring and retention challenges’.

2

As the role of the local authority continues to diminish, the burden of complex functions including technical finance and accounting, HR, premises and procurement now resides with schools and trusts.

The range of skills required to effectively operate a school or trust is on the increase.

How is the course delivered?

The programme is delivered through a live online programme, with scheduled sessions from an expert tutor, allowing candidates to collaborate with peers to gain extra support and share experiences from an educational perspective.

Learners will also have access to a virtual learning environment offering interactive online activities, Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Schools and colleges throughout the UK that we are working with to safeguard student’s, staff and visitors.*

COMMUNICATE • LOCKDOWN • PROTECT ■ Providing instructions to students and staff directing them to find a safe, secure location or exit strategy, dependant on the type of emergency; therefore reducing or eliminating potential casualties and managing incidents.

■ The availability to send different messages to different locations dependant on the specific emergency requirement.

■ Content can be changed or updated easily using a mobile phone or computer.

■ The system can also act as a PA system, play music, make class change announcements and can also stream any content you choose .

■ The process is simple, we supply a turn-key solution

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*at various stages

Delivering Lockdown Solutions

NEWS

“School knife crime in West Midlands soaring, West Midlands Police probed 293 knife incidents on school premises in two years”

27 JULY 2022

“Primar y school put on lock down after reports of man 'waving mea t cleaver” Greater Manchester 15 July 202

2

report pupil was shot with to in n' io at ig st ve in te ia ed “Imm to have happened id sa is ch hi w , nt de ci in e BB gun. Th some relatives, om fr ry or w ed pt om pr s during a lesson, ha safeguarding issue.” or aj “m a as w it at th ng yi with one sa Nottingham 13th July 2022

“College steps up security after teen was stabbed in 'gang attack” Luton 25th May 2022

“ Former student with butcher's knife' climbs into secondary school. Parents have questioned why there were not better security measures in place, phones show dramatic scenes inside the school where children ran into the building , upturning chairs in the foyer and “trampling” over other stud ents.”

Islington 5th July

Would your current lockdown and safeguarding communications be effective in reducing or eliminating potential casualties and managing any of the above if they happened today at your school or college?

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The future of education with EdTech and smart procurement

As we embark on the new academic year, education is set to face a whole host of challenges, old and new, from teacher shortages, lack of wellbeing support, and the lasting effects of the pandemic.

There is no doubt that the pandemic has created huge challenges across the public sector, and education was no exception.

Almost overnight schools, teachers, and students were forced to adapt to and embrace what was later characterised as ‘the new normal’, leading to an increased reliance on online technologies and digital methods of learning.

Thanks to the digital revolution most of us have undertaken, this transition was straightforward for many, but

access to the best technologies and internet services is not universal, and this realisation led to a heightened awareness of a digital divide across the country.

As a procurement organisation working closely with the education sector, YPO explored what impact the pandemic had, and continues to have, on education, and what role procurement can play in shaping and supporting educators and schools in a post-COVID world.

YPO’s research, published in a report entitled, Education in a post-Covid world, found that 79 per cent of education professionals surveyed believe that the pandemic would have a lasting impact on teaching, resulting in a hybrid approach that combines traditional and technology-led teaching methods.

You can join a complimentary webinar on Thursday 13th October, where a panel of industry experts will reflect on the challenges taking place in the sector, and how EdTech tools and smart procurement can play a vital role in‌ ‌providing a solution to ever-rising costs.

What it will cover?

In this 45-minute session, Simon Hill, Managing Director at YPO, Sir Mark Grundy, CEO of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, and Sean Gardner, founder of GLUU, will cover: how a combination of EdTech tools and smart procurement can help tackle the challenges that educators face, and achieve more capacity from existing budgets. It will cover the ‘hybrid classroom’ and how EdTech can help with catch-up, wellbeing support, and attendance, as well as insights about the role public and private sector partnerships can play in addressing these challenges, for example, by investing in digital tools that provide wrap-around, out-ofclassroom support for students. It will also cover the challenges and learnings identified by YPO’s research into educators’ experiences throughout the COVID pandemic, from the recent report: Education in the post-COVID world.

If you’re interested in attending, just email us below confirming your interest. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.ypo.co.uk

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

The Education People Show on 10 November focuses on the development of effective school management, learning and teaching – offering a range of inspirational speakers, practical workshops, and a showcase of specialist suppliers for the schools and academy sector Are you looking for new inspiration on creating an exciting and dynamic education environment? Could your school benefit from innovative products and services? Would you benefit from a programme of relevant, unbiased content from sector-leading speakers?

If you answered yes to any – or all – of the above, make sure to add Thursday 10th November 2022 in your calendar and join 500 education leaders, managers and policymakers at The Education People Show at The Kent Event Centre.

This entirely free-to-attend event has become a key platform for the promotion and development of effective school management, learning and teaching – offering a range of inspirational speakers, practical workshops, and an extensive showcase of specialist suppliers for the schools and academy sector.

Each year The Education People Show brings together hundreds of school leaders from across Kent and surrounding counties to share ideas on improving outcomes for their pupils and to discuss current challenges.

The Education People Show welcomes all members of the school leadership team, including head and deputy headteachers, school business managers, bursars and finance directors, facility directors, department heads and governors from across the state, private, early years and academy sectors.

There is no upward limit to the amount of delegates schools can send – for the whole day or just a portion – to benefit from a comprehensive programme of engaging content and to catch up on the latest developments and resources for a modern learning environment.

the driving force. Chris is now an NLE and sharing the story of how he achieved this transformation with leaders from other schools.

During lockdown he distributed over 100,000 meals (including 36,000 in three hours – 19 tonnes) and sourced over 350 laptops and iPads for all his school community. His book, Parklands: A School Built on Love was a best seller this year on Amazon.

Follow him on Twitter for joy, excitement and positively aplenty, @ChrisDysonHT.

The on Educati how S People gether o brings t of school ds hundre rs to share leade improving n ideas o omes for outc upils their p

All you need is love This year, the opening keynote comes from inspirational headteacher Chris Dyson of Parklands Primary in Leeds.

One of the most deprived schools in Leeds, with 74 per cent Pupil Premium, when Chris arrived at the school eight years ago, it had been deemed inadequate and had 150 exclusions in a year. Today exclusions are one, the school has the highest progress score for maths in the country, and Ofsted has recently judged the school outstanding. Chris still has largely the same team as when he arrived, but has changed the culture of the school, with the proverbial ‘carrot’ being used rather than a stick, coaching used with staff, and the wellbeing of staff and children becoming

What’s in a Word?

Susie Dent, etymologist and lexicographer will host a fascinating lunchtime workshop, “Escape from Countdown’s Dictionary Corner.”

Best known for her role on the Channel Four programme Countdown, where she judges the letter rounds of the show, it is Dictionary Corner where her true expertise in lexicography and etymology is put to the test. After studying for a degree in modern languages at Somerville College, Oxford and later Princeton University, Susie joined the cast of Countdown 1992 and is now the longest-serving member of the Countdown team, having made an astonishing 2,500 appearances since her early Nineties debut.

In addition to Channel Four’s Countdown and 8 Out of Cats Does Countdown, the BBC’s Not Going Out and Would I Lie to You, Susie infused humour and etymology to produce her own ‘Susie Dent’s Guide to Swearing’ which saw her investigate the fascinating etymology the English language’s most popular swear words. Susie also produces and co-hosts her podcast, ‘Something Rhymes with Purple with Gyles Brandeth and has published several books including ‘Word of the Year’, ‘How to

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The Education People Show

Talk Like a Local’, and ‘Susie Dent’s Modern Tribes: The Secret Languages of Britain’ to name just a few. Now that’s quite a CV! To suit any budget: the largest education supplier showcase in Southeast England The Education People Show is the perfect opportunity to meet over 100 specialist education suppliers in a major exhibition of innovative products and services designed to future-proof and increase your school’s efficiency. Expect exclusive at-show discounts, free trials, giveaways, and product demonstrations, with something for every budget. It is an unrivalled opportunity to not only compare the latest offerings on the market, but also a chance to see, feel and use products in real-time.

Moreover, you’ll be able to chat, network and build valuable business relationships with leading school catering suppliers, recruitment & HR providers, legal & compliance advisors, health & safety experts, ICT and software specialists, buildings maintenance & refurbishment contractors, landscapers, utility providers, SEN specialists, pastoral care and safeguarding experts, leadership and development trainers and specialist media services including photographers, website designers, education-marketing specialists and more. It is the most comprehensive exhibition available to school leadership teams in the Southeast.

This free-to-attend event is organised in association with The Education People to provide a single one-stop-shop for school leadership teams across the Southeast.

Make sure your school is represented on Thursday 10th November 2022. L FURTHER INFORMATION theeducationpeopleshow.co.uk Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Bett Show Preview

Welcoming visitors back to Bett On 29-31 March 2023, Bett is back at ExCeL London for three days of inspiring content, networking and product discovery.

Bett aims to spark ideas, create connections and accelerate trade, resulting in improved outcomes for teachers and learners Bett is the first industry show of the year schedules content to ensure the Bett Arena in the education technology landscape, becomes a must attend, featuring the most bringing together over 600 leading exhibitors important voices in education. In its brand and sponsors and over 20,000 attendees new, sound proof home off the show floor, from the global education community. there will be morning and late afternoon The exhibition hosts innovative Arena sessions designed to not clash EdTech and resource solution with the other stages or its providers showcasing meetings programme. m Fro cutting-edge and Bett 2023 has six global impactful products and themes: leadership, global nies a services. From global futures, Inclusion, p m tech companies to wellbeing, skills, tech co owned renowned education to ren rands and and innovation. brands and startups, on b l visitors will find Theatres educati s, visitors wil l solutions for all There are a number tartup tions for al s education settings, of theatres at Bett u find soltion settings covering a range of challenges and budgets.

Brand new for Bett important topics. The educa 2023, the show organisers Leaders @ Bett theatre is will be restructuring the way it the place for policy, digital

strategy, whole school management, FE transformation and more. Sessions are led by institution leaders and their teams.

The Teaching & Learning theatre is where we celebrate the best use of technology for engaging all students, demonstrating creative learning experiences that enhance teaching and enrich learning across the curriculum.

Bett Academy Live will be modelled on the online series of Bett Academies.

This theatre is the perfect place for educators and leaders to top up their CPD. Bett Academy Live will take a closer look at classroom practice with schools sharing best practice and expert bodies delivering practical advice and support.

The Tech in Action theatre is the place for practical product demonstrations to deepen understanding and evaluate efficacy of hardware and software solutions.

The Futures theatre is the home of the startup where you can discover emerging innovations from EdTech companies in the UK and around the world, at the start of their journey. Sessions are a mix of advice for start ups, showcase pitches from exciting young companies and best practice case studies around evidencing impact.

The Global Showcase is the stage where Bett meets the world. The Global Showcase Theatre will host case studies from Ministries of Education, explore methods of entry into regional markets, and present key opportunities for international resellers looking for new products and partners.

These sessions will support those looking to build an international network and develop their import/export strategy. E Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Bett Show Preview

The Teaching & Learning theatre is where we celebrate the best use of technology for engaging all students, demonstrating creative learning experiences that enhance teaching and enrich learning across the curriculum.  Esports @ Bett Esports is everywhere in education, rapidly growing in K12, Further Ed and Higher Ed. An engaging, inclusive way to build STEAM and social-emotional skills, esports also helps develop students’ interest in future technology careers. In a 2020 survey of over 1,100 esports athletes conducted by GYO, over 60 percent said that they planned to pursue a career in either a STEM or esports field.

Esports @ Bett, hosted in association with British Esports, will showcase how schools and universities can harness this growing industry to engage students, support teaching and learning objectives and identify future skills. Each afternoon will host a takeover tournament between schools Esports teams.

Connect @ Bett Connect @ Bett is a new large scale meeting programme, designed to transform how meetings get done in the global education sector. It will enable EdTech companies and other solution providers, to connect with buyers from education institutions and governments via individual and group meetings.

More than 2,000 participants from education institutions and governments, 300 EdTech Companies and other solution providers are expected to participate in over 5,000 meetings at Bett UK 2023.

To ensure they are valuable, all Connect @ Bett meetings are double opt-in (both participants want to meet each other) and are scheduled based on each individual’s availability. The meetings will be held in a central location in the Bett Exhibition Hall.

Individuals from Education Institutions and Governments will be joining Connect @ Bett to use their time at Bett in the most efficient way possible, to meet the EdTech Companies and other Solution Providers they want to meet quickly and easily.

It will allow visitors to discover new and

emerging products, services and solutions that can help address their organisation’s challenges and opportunities.

It will also allow visitors to participate in 45-minute small peer group discussions called Tabletalks on key education topics.

“We launched Connect @ Bett to help our community of solution providers, education institutions and governments meet new people, discover new organisations and create incredible opportunities and meaningful connections at our events,” said Rachel Brodie, managing director of Bett. “This new meetings programme will result in positive changes for them, their organisations and their learners.”

Ahead by Bett Higher education institutions around the world are working at great pace to adapt to new approaches to learning, accelerate digital transformation, and take advantage of new business models recently introduced to the sector. With tech companies eager to pitch in on what is predicted to be a $40bn market by 2024, how can we ensure we are providing senior leaders in higher education with the right tools to move forward? To support universities and solution providers through this process and in response to emphatic demand from the Higher Education community, Ahead by Bett was launched in 2022 to sit alongside Bett.

Ahead by Bett is 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 and collaborate with peers all within one place dedicated to Higher Education.

Founding partners Jisc, UCISA & Universities UK will be supporting the event and commenting on the launch of Ahead said: “Higher Education institutions around the world are working at great pace to adapt to new approaches to learning, address accelerated digital transformation, and adjust to and benefit from business model disruption.

Supporting universities through this process, Ahead by Bett provides a forum to connect with cutting-edge technology solution providers to jointly tackle urgent business and pedagogical challenges.

We are proud to support this event.”

Max Oliver, event director of Ahead by Bett said: “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.”

Last year, content was delivered in The Auditorium, The Sandbox and The Collaboration Space. The Auditorium is the heart of Ahead by Bett and a key platform for change makers, innovators and leaders in higher education.

The Sandbox is an opportunity to experience innovation in practice and get hands on with new technologies.

The Collaboration Space meanwhile is the central hub for peer to peer learning through curated networking sessions and in depth roundtable discussions. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.bettshow.com Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Why is it important to encourage girls into computing?

Technology affects every field and it’s not just about computers or smartphones. Technology is about medicine, energy, space research, entertainment, transport, fashion and food.

So, it’s vital that technology includes everyone, that we are all empowered, skilled and knowledgeable users and consumers – and that particularly means getting girls involved in computing.

Let’s explore what we mean by computing.

In schools, computing refers to a subject that is taught at every Key Stage and the computing curriculum is helping us to shape the ethical, accountable futureready users and creators of technology.

Computing is like glitter. It gets everywhere.

It’s in every part of life from our democracy to entertainment. Its sparkle lures us in.

It’s found in the places you’d least expect and it’s almost impossible to get rid of.

And increasingly jobs in every sector will require ever-broader digital skills. Every citizen will need to build their digital competence to participate fully in society.

Educators’ responsibility is to prepare young people as empowered, ethically informed, future-ready citizens and employees.

As part of that responsibility that means reaching significantly more girls.

Dropping the subject Our school system gives girls and boys an equal opportunity to access the computing curriculum, but when students make subject choices that equality fades away. In fact,

So what’s the reason for this? most students (85 per cent) Tech Are males and females drop computing at the and da fundamentally that first opportunity (at the t a can eas different? Research end of Y9, aged 14). i or mag ly reflect suggests not. Are males This is worse amongst n born with some inherent females, c.97 per cent or expli ify implicit c computing ability? of all girls drop it. i t b i ases and dis Research suggests not.

Of the students that against criminate Computing requires do opt to take a GCSE ind creativity, thinking skills, in computer science, groups ividuals, logic and an enquiring only 22 per cent of the a demog nd mind, all things that are entries are from girls. IT raphics abundant in females. vocational qualifications Are males more interested in perform a little better from computing? Whilst there’s no truth a gender perspective, around to this, some students will appreciate 35 per cent of entries are from girls. much more the context and the relevance When girls do choose to study computing of computing to their cultural and societal qualifications, they outperform their reality. So, how computing is taught, and male counterparts and this is found to be the contexts through which it is taught, are consistently true for GCSEs, vocational much more important to some students, qualifications, A Levels and the new T Levels. and this is particularly apparent in females.

Do we really need to worry that computer science is monocultural? Categorically, absolutely, yes. Let’s back to the glitter, everywhere, forever, everything. And let’s get back to technology, it is designed, developed, programmed and used by humans.

The systems that tech companies build and the kind of things we produce in monocultural teams, lead to voice recognition systems that are not responsive to female voices, face recognition systems that have major problems with black and ethnic minority faces, gender options that E

Written by Julia Adamson, director of education, BCS

Technology affects every aspect of our lives – and delivers exciting career opportunities. Yet girls are still under-represented in computing. Julia Adamson, director of education at BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, discusses how to engage girls, and why it’s important

IT & Computing

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We need the people who are designing, developing, programming, and using tech to be diverse, representative of society, ethical, accountable, and competent.  always start with male, and are usually binary, and a health tracking app which enables you to track your copper intake before it you can track your periods.

Tech and data can easily reflect or magnify implicit or explicit biases and discriminate against individuals, groups and demographics.

We, therefore, need the people who are designing, developing, programming, and using tech to be diverse, representative of society, ethical, accountable, and competent.

Let’s talk about algorithms The National Curriculum Programme of Study for five to seven-year-olds (key stage 1) says that pupils should be taught to understand what algorithms are and how they are implemented as programs on digital devices to following unambiguous instructions.

I’m sure there’s not a primary classroom in the country that hasn’t dabbled with the jam sandwich activity or laughed at Barefoot’s Crazy Characters.

Algorithms play a huge role in our lives. They can stop you getting a job, a mortgage, a credit card. They are not pure, transparent, or accountable. They hold the biases of the humans who work on them and the biases of the data they work with. It’s vital that users understand that algorithms present a particular view of the world.

Collaborative teaching approaches in STEM subjects have been shown to improve self-efficacy and achievement in girls. Pedagogical approaches can create a climate for building self-efficacy – so instead of writing code from scratch think about remixing collaboratively – focussed on improving something for a specific audience.

For example, move away from everyone using Scratch to get the cat to move across the screen to teams working

on improving/changing a maths game to help younger students to practise multiplication facts in a fun way.

A BCS/YouGov survey in February this year found that 96 per cent of parents in England think that learning computing and information technology skills at school are important for their child’s future.

Advocating for computing School leaders can advocate for computing and digital skills in several ways.

Firstly, make your KS1 – 3 curriculum interesting and relevant, enhance your curriculum offer with a range of enrichment opportunities including trips, competitions, clubs and projects.

Build a community of advocates in school which includes students, parents and local industry and invite advocates in from elsewhere such as your alumni and local employers.

Talk to your students about the economic benefits of a career in tech/ tech skilled careers.

Offer a range of computing courses and qualifications at KS4/5 including micro-courses.

Use the NCCE Computing Quality Framework to review your provision and get started on your journey including access to CPD and resources.

Encouraging girls on a computing pathway We need to support and equip parents and carers to be able to support and encourage their daughters to engage.

Research suggests that there are three key ingredients to encourage girls to choose a computing pathway.

The first is to believe computing is something you can do – someone has said you can do this (self-confidence is hard to develop and easy to knock).

The second is to believe computing is relevant to you – you can see the why, you can relate to the activity you’re doing in class, you can see how that relates to the real world.

And the last ingredient is to feel a sense of belonging; computing is for

you and you belong there. This is a bit trickier but research suggests that this is the most important aspect.

Using innovation It is only by delivering an inclusive computing education that we can create the empowered users and ethical creators of the future.

Sharon Cromie, UK regional director of the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) explained how UK state girls’ schools and members of the ICGS have developed innovative ways to encourage girls to take up computing.

She says: “Our schools have explicitly promoted the economic value of subjects such as mathematics and computing for girls’ future careers, and brought both traditional and non-traditional IT careers into sharp focus. They have trained teachers to do this and have increased work experience in digital fields and non-explicit digital fields such as medicine, health, environment.

“Perhaps the most innovative strategy adopted by some of our schools, is putting digital learning at the heart of the curriculum for all year groups, much like PE or RS. This, alongside increasing numbers studying mathematics (including Core Maths), ensures all girls leave school able to code and apply computational thinking. Such innovative programmes, taught by specialist teachers and external female experts have led to increased uptake of A Level Computing and have cemented the message: every career now requires digital learning and schools are best placed to deliver it. It does, however, require more than offering GCSE and A Level Computer Science. Ultimately, digital learning may need to follow the same statutory pathway as PSHE.” L

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How technology is energising the future of education From global online education institutions to local secondaries, schools around the world are embracing distance learning and cutting-edge education technology, even as lockdowns recede into memory. Pupils in hundreds of countries were introduced to online learning during the pandemic, with teachers taking the register virtually and delivering lessons via video and cloud-sharing tools. Such technology was key to helping children weather the early months of the pandemic in Britain, as in dozens of countries around the world. Whilst education technology has been growing and developed even before the pandemic, hybrid learning modes are now taking the lead in future education.

Teachers in particular believe that education technology has more to offer. More than half of teachers think education tools such as video learning that support virtual classrooms will have great potential for their school over the next ten years, according to the Government’s Future Opportunities for Education Technology in England report, based on interviews with experts and more than 5,000 teachers.

Teachers speaking to the researchers said that remote teaching could offer flexibility in staffing terms, for instance by reducing the need for agency staff, and noted the benefits of a blended teaching model where teaching is delivered in-person and online at the same time. The teachers interviewed for the research noted that pupils suffering from health problems actually perform better while studying from home.

how technology is breaking down barriers.

At Zoom, we worked closely with schools worldwide throughout the pandemic, and learned a great deal about what works and doesn’t work in terms of delivering remote learning via technology. Our experts took into consideration parents’ feedback to ensure that lessons could be delivered even over slow connections and to older devices.

In the latter parts of the pandemic, we also helped teachers to work out how to deliver An inclusive classroom education in a hybrid environment, with some Hybrid teaching and video technology pupils in the classroom and some at home. can also make classrooms more inclusive.

For schools, the benefits of remote learning One British grandfather passed a GCSE at and technologies such as video conferencing the age of 92 this year, thanks to distance don’t stop with remote and hybrid lessons. learning technology. Derek Skipper achieved Video technology also enables remote staff a grade five, the highest possible on the meetings across the whole school, or several foundation paper he took, with all his schools, virtual field trips and virtual lessons taking place via video mentoring, creating learning conferencing, on a course experiences that would For run by the Cam Academy not have been possible schools Trust in Cambridge. without the technology. , the ben Although an extreme Video technology and example, it shows remote learning E remo efits of

Written by Jane Ross, EMEA education lead, Zoom

Jane Ross reflects on how education technologies such as video learning are being embraced by primary and secondary schools, even after lockdown, and why such technologies will be central to education going forward

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 also offers parents a chance to be more involved in their children’s learning.

Video learning is not second-best Video learning isn’t always a ‘second best’.

In fact, the higher education sector is already working to rank institutions based on the quality of their video learning courses.

Researchers at the Open University partnered with researchers from Italy’s Institute for Educational Technology to create a ranking system for universities based on the quality of their digital courses. The new criteria could be used to analyse both face-to-face and online learning at universities, the researchers say.

Other global institutions have pivoted towards delivering learning via video. One success story for online learning both in Britain and around the world is OneSchool Global, which has 23 campuses across England, covering students from Year 3 through to Year 12, and which embraced online learning delivered via video with enthusiasm during the pandemic.

With 130 campuses in 20 countries, online learning helps to bridge the gap between different institutions in different countries. OneSchool Global had enthusiastically embraced both online and hybrid classrooms even before the pandemic. When lockdowns hit, the organisation shifted to full video learning for all primary and secondary students, with millions of minutes clocked up in video conferencing, and custom-designed security features to ensure pupils’ online safety.

Rating schools on their video lessons In the university sector, organisations as prestigious as Oxford University’s Saïd Business School switched entirely to using video conferencing to deliver lectures in the early parts of the pandemic, without losing a single minute of teaching time. Executives at the school credited their ability to switch to having been early adopters, and to be forwardthinking about the potential of the technology.

Increasingly, teachers and academics are

Session recording and automatic transcription mean that digital-native young people who have grown up with video streaming can re-watch lessons as required seeing that video technology has an essential part to play in the twenty-first century mix of education. Dr. Charles Hodges, Georgia Southern University has called on institutions to stop thinking of technology as a ‘nice-tohave’ or an ‘add-on’ and instead to ensure that technology is infused into their organisations to work out what’s important when it comes to delivering online and hybrid learning.

Tools to bring out the best in education technology Video education technology has also evolved to fit the education sector, and video learning now offers far more than a teacher talking in front of a blackboard, with synchronous and asynchronous learning tools to allow students to interact with the course at their own pace.

Session recording and automatic transcription mean that digital-native young people who have grown up with video streaming can re-watch lessons as required, and absorb information as quickly or slowly as they want. The technology also offers teachers the chance to deliver ‘micro learning’, breaking courses down into bite-sized bursts of three to five minutes, which can be appealing to children at primary and secondary schools.

Offering the capacity for students to ‘talk back’ via chat functionality and adding classroom-style digital whiteboards where children can interact directly with information, greatly increases the power of video learning.

Whiteboards in particular are perfect for

the hybrid classroom, allowing students in a classroom to draw on the board, and remote students to annotate live. Teachers can also offer children new and compelling ways to interact with video lessons, such as live polls and multiple choice quizzes. Video conferencing is not just for replicating the classroom experience: teachers can use video conference rooms to allow students to ‘drop in’ for private chats.

At Zoom, we believe that with the right technology, remote learning can replicate everything from the personal meeting with teachers which make school meaningful, to the joyous and collaborative classroom interactions which inspire pupils. The pandemic may be receding, but the usefulness of education technology is not diminishing. In Britain, schools are continuing to use technology for areas such as online staff training, meetings and parents evenings - with many institutions permitting students to self-serve with video lessons in secondary courses or offering courses delivered via video online. As this technology evolves – adding functionality for asynchronous learning, and tools such as polls and quizzes – it should be an integral part of the education mix for children, offering a new forward-looking way to work together, for teachers and pupils alike. L

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Schools & Academies Show

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The Schools & Academies Show Following a period of significant change across the education sector, where schools have had to adapt to unforeseen challenges, the Schools & Academies Show will return this November to unite school leaders and provide them with leading content, sector updates and practical resources to ensure efficiency is at the forefront of each operation Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham on 17th November, no other show in the UK boasts such a senior audience of school leaders, decision makers and innovative education suppliers, and we can’t wait to open our doors to over 3,000 attendees for contentpacked day of learning and networking.

Attendees will gain access to 30+hours of CPD accredited content, spanning across ten dedicated theatres, including the hugely successful EdTech Summit and SAAS Extra, an additional virtual day on 22nd November.

The Schools & Academies Show have been working hard to bring together the sector’s most decorated and influential speakers, to share their knowledge, expertise, and best practice guidance on how schools, academies and MATs can overcome some of the most pressing challenges facing the sector.

Confirmed speakers Confirmed speakers so far include Stephen Morales, CEO of the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and the Rt Hon. Lord Knight of Weymouth, Minister of State for Schools (20062009), and Chair of the Board of Trustees, E-Act. Also taking to the stage is John Edwards, Director General: Regions Group at the Department for Education, and Nicola Law, Assistant Director for Children’s Services at the National Autistic Society.

Other confirmed speakers include Alix Robertson, Associate, Centre for Education and Youth; Leora Cruddas CBE, Chief Executive at the Confederation of School Trusts; and Paul Gosling, President of the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT).

Meanwhile, Helen Burge, Deputy COO at The Priory Learning Trust, and Clare Collins MBE, Head of Consultancy at the National Governance Association will be speaking, as well as

Mike Glanville, Chief Safeguarding Officer at The Safeguarding Company.

Presentations will also be given by Pauline Aitchison, Network Lead at the National Network of Special Schools; Sir Andrew Carter K.B.E, CEO of South Farnham Educational Trust; Sam Henson, Director of Policy and Communications at The National Governance Association (NGA), and Jon Andrews, Head of Analysis and Director of School System and Performance, Education Policy Institute (EPI).

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

home to our first ever Educators Networking Hour, where attendees will be able to share their experiences and develop partnerships and raise the knowledge base of the sector.

The 2030 Trail Following the publication of the Schools White Paper in March 2022 with a target of full academisation by 2030, we’ve also put together the 2030 Trail for the Schools & Academies Show Birmingham. Sessions on the trail will focus on the key aspects of the 2030 agenda for all the key stakeholders and will include must-attend sessions for all those involved in the school’s conversion process.

Register for free Registration for The Schools & Academies Show & EdTech Summit is completely free for those working in schools, multi-academy trusts, charities, and local and central government. Register your place today and be the first to receive the latest insights, initiatives and guidance on the changes shaping the ever-evolving education sector. L

Key networking opportunities As we return to Birmingham, we will also be providing school leaders with the much-needed opportunity to share ideas and initiatives via our dedicated networking areas across the show floor. The Government Education Village will be returning, providing an opportunity to meet with representatives from the DfE and Education & Skills Funding Agency, and the CPL Village will feature a range of leading education framework suppliers. The Schools & Academies Show Birmingham will also be

The EdTech Summit returns The Schools & Academies Show Birmingham will once again be co-located with the EdTech Summit, bringing together education technology leaders across schools, academies, colleges, and universities to assess and identify their common challenges, find appropriate solutions, and source the right technology solution for their institution. In joining the show, visitors will gain free access to the Summit, and have the chance to learn from best-practice case studies, test out technology from leading suppliers and network with EdTech pioneers.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk

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Understanding requirements for fire safety Analysis of Home Office data by insurer Zurich Municipal shows that in the period from 2015 to 2020, schools in England had experienced 2,300 fires, of which 47 school buildings were destroyed. So what should schools know about fire safety? Will Lloyd and Neil Budd from the Fire Industry Association, explain There are over 32,000 schools throughout the UK. Analysis of Home Office data by leading insurer Zurich Municipal shows that in the period from 2015 to 2020, schools in England had experienced 2,300 fires of which 47 school buildings were destroyed. This has a significant impact on not only the local community, but also individual pupils. Keeping both teachers, pupils, and the school buildings safe from fire is of utmost importance.

revision of BB 100 closed on the 18th of August 2021. The Government has issued a response to the consultation, but the revised guidance has yet to be published.

Approved Document part B is the baseline guidance for fire safety in buildings, and the recommendations of part B will typically be satisfied where the life safety guidance of BB 100 is followed.

Fire doors Requirements One key fire safety element of the building’s Understanding the UK requirements for construction is the presence of fire doors. fire safety in schools can be challenging.

Fire doors are used to prevent Fire safety starts with the design of fire and smoke from the building and Building Bulletin 100: spreading Design for fire safety in schools (BB 100) to protected is the starting point, alongside Approved routes i.e.

Document B (ADB) volume 2, to establish protected a good foundation of fire safety. corridors BB 100 was recently the subject of a and stairways. government consultation to seek views on a They can also be revised version. Some of the questions asked used to restrict during the consultation included: views on disproportionate which fire suppression systems (including damage to the school, sprinkler, misting systems etc.) are most as a result of a fire effective in a school environment; whether by acting as means BB 100 should include advice on specific of compartmentation, property protection measures; thus limiting the and whether BB 100 should spread of a fire. provide greater guidance Therefore, it is e h T on meeting fire fundamental that these f use o or safety management vital fire safety measures sf r e l long‑term, to support are subject to a suitable k n i r sp ion t c e users to meet the system of inspection and t o r p requirements of maintenance, as required roperty f the main p o the Regulatory by the Regulatory Reform t e a is on g factors th Reform (Fire Safety) (Fire Safety) Order 2005. n i Order 2005.

As fire doors are one mitigat implemented e The consultation of the key elements of b n w a c ne on the new fire safety in a school (and ithin a

w

school

other buildings), it is essential that where they need to be held open, in order to allow the free movement of students, teachers and visitors around the school, they are not “wedged” open, but rather a suitable alternative method is adopted. This could be in the form of electronic hold-open devices that are linked to the automatic fire detection and fire alarm system so that they release upon detection of fire. BS 7273-4 is the appropriate British Standard for the interconnection of a fire detection and fire alarm systems and electronic hold-open devices, and anyone employed to install and maintain these devices should be competent. One of the easiest ways of ensuring competence is by the use of third-party certified companies.

Many schools, for security purposes, will implement an access control system to restrict access to authorised people. Where these systems are adopted on doors that form part of the means of escape, under BS 7273-4, BB 100 and Approved Document B, these doors should release upon detection of a fire.

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Raising the alarm All schools should have suitable arrangements for raising the alarm to warn occupants in the event of a fire. A fire detection and fire alarm system, installed to BS 5839-1 by a third‑party certified company, provides confidence that a fire situation will be detected at the appropriate time to allow sufficient opportunity for evacuation of all persons from the affected building(s). The size and complexity of the fire detection and fire alarm system will be proportionate to the size and complexity of the school. For example, a small school on one storey with no more than 160 pupils may only require a manual system with no automatic detection. Whereas a large multi‑storey school with multiple buildings may require automatic detection throughout the buildings and possibly the installation of a voice alarm system complying with BS 5839-8, which may also incorporate a public address system, which will provide both an audible signal and verbal instructions in case of fire.

Many schools are implementing a means to warn occupants of a security situation withinthe school grounds, whereby there is a need to keep students within designated areas in the building.

This is commonly known as lockdown and more recently known as invacuation. E

Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Fire Safety

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 The FIA has produced a guidance note on these systems1.

With increased awareness of people with sensory sensitivities, the FIA created a Special Interest Group (SIG) to discuss the needs of those people who may not react in the manner that the specifiers and designers of the fire detection and fire alarm system may expect. The guidance document2 that the FIA have subsequently published is intended to highlight the issue and provide guidance, not only for schools, but for the wider fire safety community.

Dual approach With arson (wilful fire raising) being one of the main causes of fire in education establishments, the need to not only protect people’s lives in the school, but also the need to protect property (e.g. the IT equipment, education resources and the buildings themselves) leads to a dual approach to tailor the fire safety measures to the location, use and risks identified. The use of sprinklers for property protection is one of the main mitigating factors that can be implemented within a new school building, and even installed retrospectively to existing buildings to protect the property. A fire detection and fire alarm system which satisfies both the property protection objective and

The size and complexity of the fire detection and fire alarm system will be proportionate to the size and complexity of the school the life safety objective, and which includes automatic transmission of alarm signals to a monitored alarm receiving centre (ARC) to summon the fire and rescue service, will assist in early attendance without the need for a telephone call. It is advised that where possible, an automatic signal to the ARC is backed up by a telephone call to the fire and rescue service to provide confirmation of a real fire event.

The ARC connection is particularly important with regards to property protection at night when the school is not occupied. The fire detection and fire alarm system needs to be designed and maintained to ensure that false alarms do not occur, however in practice, this is extremely difficult. Schools may be subject to malicious false alarms and a badly designed system could lead to false alarms from environmental influences. These create disruption to the school day, and where the fire and rescue service attends, wastes valuable

time and could be taking resources away from a real fire situation elsewhere. The FIA has further guidance on how Premises Management can help to limit false alarms in their buildings https://www.fia.uk.com/ cut-false-alarm-costs.html.

The FIA will be holding a series of regional events in 2023 with a specific focus on fire safety in schools. Signing up to the FIA email newsletter will keep you informed of all the events FIA taking place. L

FIA guidance note: Use of fire alarm systems for lockdown (specifically in schools) 2 FIA guidance document: Fire alarm considerations for people with sensory sensitivities 1

FURTHER INFORMATION www.fia.uk.com

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Safety starts with communication How do you ensure that students and staff are kept safe throughout the day? The answer is communication. With Call System Technology’s wireless technologies, schools and universities can address accidents and emergencies with speed and efficiency

On any given day, there can be hundreds, or even thousands, of people on a school or university campus. With so many onsite daily, the importance of slick and robust communication solutions can’t be understated. High-speed, reliable communication and security monitoring are vital to keeping your students and staff safe.

With Call System Technology’s (CST’s) cuttingedge wireless technologies, you’ll address accidents and emergencies with speed and efficiency, all whilst offering your staff, students, and visitors the peace of mind they deserve.

Whilst it’s likely that you have a communication system in place, and it may work for you, integration is key for it to be truly effective. Communication devices have the capability to connect with other on-site systems, such as fire and intruder alarms, effectively supporting rapid lockdowns and emergency evacuation procedures. With such broad communication lines, you can interconnect between teaching, administrative, maintenance and management staff.

Integration of building and infrastructure of communications can help reduce response times when it matters the most.

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Calling for medical help in the case of an emergency; alert maintenance and clean up staff when required; diffuse student disruptions; monitor pick-up and drop-off sites; communicate with staff on large fields; and monitor security to ensure staff and student safety.

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you’ll be able to call first aiders instantly, no matter where you are on campus. Call points will help you to lessen response time and keep everyone safe and free from harm.

Stay in touch with two-way radios Whether it’s a maintenance, first-aid, or security incident, sometimes more than an alarm is required. CST’s selection of two-way radios allows your staff to communicate crucial information immediately to the correct parties.

Durable and simple to use, our radios have a long battery life, can be used throughout campus, and boast noise-cancelling technology.

Emergency containment with lockdown systems During an emergency, it is sometimes vital to restrict movement within and between certain areas. CST’s lockdown systems allow your staff to do just that. Subtle and easy to operate, these systems can be catered to your school’s needs and operated from a simple system such as a transmitter relaying to a pager. This is all done without creating panic or alerting perpetrators, keeping everybody on-site out of harm’s way.

Nobody gets left behind with DeafCall™ Even in 2022, people with disabilities face safety and accessibility challenges in UK educational facilities. One such group is the deaf and hard-of-hearing. DeafCall lets you provide critical alerts for people affected by hearing loss, ensuring they don’t miss an alarm in the event of a fire or other emergency.

Improve responsiveness with AlarmCall™ AlarmCall is a critical alerts solution which increases safety and safeguards productivity.

As the market’s only solution that sends simultaneous alerts to pagers and two-way radios, you’ll see response times improve drastically. And because it identifies false alarms, your productivity won’t be affected in the event of any non-starters.

React fast with first aider call points There won’t always be a trained first aider whenever a student or staff member has a health emergency. With CST’s call point buttons,

Unify your security system with Gen2™ CST’s state-of-the-art security software syncs with all your communication channels. This lets you send real-time messages to different kinds of devices, including pagers, DECT handsets, GSM mobiles, and two-way radios.

It can even integrate with other systems such as fire alarms, security systems, lone worker pendants, and access controls. With Gen2, you’ll be more secure, safe, and efficient than ever.

Call Systems Technology (CST) solutions allow education establishments to scale from daily to critical communication and accommodate any situation that may arise. Proven solutions that are effective in primary & secondary schools, colleges, universities, SEN schools, deaf education establishments, and more. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.call-systems.com solutions@call-systems.com Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Outdoor Learning Written by T Mark Castle, CEO, the Field Studies Council

Making field trips affordable When finances are stretched, how can headteachers make residential trips more cost-effective and affordable so they can continue to offer the all-round learning experiences that such trips offer?

Mark Castle, CEO of the Field Studies Council, explores the options With budgets getting tighter all the time, headteachers need to make the money they have available work as hard as they do.

While many schools are looking for “nonessentials” to cut from the budget, it’s vital that the proven value of residential field trips is not discarded in the cost-cutting.

Residential trips have been shown to boost academic, social, mental and physical development, particularly for disadvantaged pupils for whom it might be their first experience away from home.

So, when finances are stretched, how can headteachers make residential trips more cost-effective and affordable so they can continue to offer the all-round learning experiences that such trips offer?

Planning Careful planning before the trip can help you make the best use of available resources,

use of group discounts for train travel. including time. Think about making the trip Consider your accommodation options cross-curricular – a destination which is good carefully. An all-inclusive study for studying geography, for example, centre, such as those run by also probably has something to the Field Studies Council, offer for English, history, possibly Many could be the most costlanguages, and maybe even of the effective option and science and art. Writing a saves the hassle of poem or keeping a diary nationa arranging meals about their trip and l academ i c for the party every experiences for example, s o c ieties offer sm day. Field Studies can boost literacy skills. to run a all grants Council also includes This means you can ctivities the equipment you offer the trip to a wider to stimula may need for your group of students to help t e studying as well spread the fixed costs. If interest as any wellies and you are travelling by coach, waterproofs so that your make sure you fill every seat learners don’t have to bring (although don’t forget your staffing their own or buy them specially. ratios). If you can’t fill every seat, talk Hostels and out of town budget hotels to the travel company to see if a smaller, are also much more cost-effective than E cheaper coach is available, or consider making Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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 city centre accommodation and offer a nicer location – especially valuable if your students don’t usually have the chance to leave a built-up urban environment.

When you travel can also have a major impact on the overall cost. A trip in the autumn or spring term is likely to be significantly cheaper than the summer term, when schools are competing with the holiday market for deals.

The Field Studies Council, for example, offers special off-peak rates for all its sites, and hotels and hostels are also cheaper outside the peak summer months. Booking well in advance can also secure much better prices.

Residential trips also don’t need to be farflung destinations. Choosing somewhere closer to home can save you a fortune in travel costs, as well as allowing more time for actual activities. Just being somewhere different and away from home can be really exciting.

Once you have decided where you’re going, and where you’re going to stay, thoroughly investigate the local area and find out what free or low-cost activities are available.

There are free museums all over the UK – with more than 30 in London alone – but don’t restrict yourself to the big “names”.

Many smaller, local organisations are happy to run workshops and activity sessions check the local council website for a taste of what might be available in the area.

You might find if you book a residential trip with some providers like The Field Studies Council that the accommodation is in such beautiful, wide-open spaces that there’s more than enough options for activities on site that you don’t need to venture further afield.

Financing Keeping residential trips affordable for all pupils is hard, especially for families in financial hardship, looked after children and those with additional needs.

To make sure everyone can still be included, you are likely to need some careful financial management to cover costs for disadvantaged children without financially overburdening your better-off cohort.

Grant funding is one option worth exploring.

The Field Studies Council Grants for Schools scheme, for example, has been offering grants of up to £7,500 to help schools with more than 10 per cent of pupils eligible for pupil premium to pay for residential visits. These grants are often awarded on an annual basis and can be a real help towards the overall cost of a trip.

Look to local charitable organisations for help too. Most towns have Rotary or Lions clubs which might be able to make small contributions towards the cost, especially if it can be shown that the trip will benefit disadvantaged groups.

For specific themed activities within your trip, think big! Many of the national academic societies offer small grants to run activities to stimulate interest, and some charities will make grants to support specific groups such as children with disabilities.

Word your application carefully to make sure you meet the criteria of the funding available. Several small grants could make a big difference in the overall cost of your trip.

Fundraising is also a good way to supplement the budget, as well as a good opportunity to teach your students about working together, planning and budgeting, and resilience. As soon as you have rough numbers signed up, set the students a fundraising target to achieve as a group, and let them enjoy planning and executing how they can achieve it.

Bag-packing is a popular and relatively easy way to raise money, and most major supermarket branches have slots available.

They are limited though, so will need to be booked early, and bag packing does rely on enough people turning up to help.

Sponsored events, charity concerts, bingo and fashion shows are just some of the events students can organise to help towards the total. Obviously, though, students shouldn’t be given personal targets to raise themselves – not everyone has a large network of relatives and neighbours who will be able to chip in.

Choose carefully When money is tight it’s tempting to cut corners and take a DIY approach to organising your trip, but choosing an established and reputable provider could save you money – and hassle – in the long run.

Established operators like Field Studies Council have almost 80 years’ experience of working with schools and will make sure that all the essential details are properly covered.

Still can’t afford it?

If you decide that the budget really can’t stretch to a residential trip this year but you still want to give your pupils an enriching experience, it’s worth thinking creatively to find a solution.

Does your school have a field where you could camp out for a night, or a

The Field Studies Council is an environmental education charity committed to helping people discover, explore, understand and be inspired by the natural world. It has 14 residential and day centres around the UK and has several initiatives to make field trips costeffective for schools.

The Field Studies Council offers grants to support schools with the cost of trips. Applications are accepted at certain times of the year so do keep an eye on the website, www.field-studies-council.org, to make sure your school doesn’t miss out. The Field Studies Council also offers low season pricing – book between the October and February half terms for lower off-peak prices for your residential trip.

The Digital Hub, meanwhile allows schools to subscribe to get access to an array of resources. Additional free resources are also available.

There are also small group courses – small A Level cohorts can join a group course with no minimum number requirements.

Outdoor Learning

Residential trips don’t need to be far-flung destinations. Choosing somewhere closer to home can save you a fortune in travel costs, as well as allowing more time for actual activities

The Field Studies Council

sports hall where your pupils could have a big fun sleepover? Activities can then be tailored to the resources you have available, using a raft of online tools such as the Field Studies Council Digital Hub. The hub is a subscription service with everything you need to create a virtual field trip, and complements the free resources offered by the Field Studies Council.

Online resources can also be used if you decide day trips are the best option, with activities that can be transferred to your local park, riverbank or woodland.

If your staff lack the confidence to create meaningful fieldwork themselves, the Field Studies Councils’ teacher twilight series in November could help. These sessions will help biology and geography teachers build confidence and knowledge, and help them to support students in their outdoor learning.

However, you decide to deliver your field trip, the educational and social benefits for your students will be felt for years to come. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.field-studies-council.org

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Sport & PE

All teachers can help boost PE participation The PE department at Colton Hills Community School needed a reboot. Being smaller than the average-sized secondary school, it was facing many challenges: a high number of English as an Additional Language (EAL) students, a high number of students in receipt of the pupil premium, and a high mobility rate. As a result, it needed the support of staff across the school to supplement its approach towards engaging students and raising participation in PE Luke Jones, Head of PE at Colton Hills Community School, turned to funding provided by the Sport England-funded Secondary Teacher Training (STT) programme. It has allowed staff to provide the opportunities its students so rightly deserve.

Thinking of ways to raise the profile of PE at the school, Luke turned to social media as a key part of the department’s strategy. Every member of staff uses the department’s Twitter and Instagram accounts to celebrate successes. PE teachers post images, which enables staff from other departments to be involved and to build relationships with individual students. They in turn help promote clubs run by the PE department.

Luke has focused on building a team that is able to teach a broad curriculum so that all students can flourish and excel.

Together, the PE department has worked hard to give every child the opportunity to engage in sport. Sport England’s research revealed that the least active students don’t recognise opportunities to be active at school as easily as their more active peers. The PE department at Colton Hills now ensures students are aware of all the activities available to them. Perhaps a student doesn’t enjoy football. Instead, staff will introduce them to other sports such as swimming, badminton, baseball or basketball.

PE and the wider curriculum Luke encourages schools to see how PE can be woven into the wider curriculum.

This can be something as simple as using examples from a sporting context during an English or maths lesson to bring a subject to life. A maths teacher can discuss the angle of a shot or a corner in football.

They can also discuss how a player heads the ball – for example, is it better to head the ball with a glance or head it straight?

At Colton Hills, you will overhear a PE

you praise a student there and then for teacher talking about geography and a something they have done. That in turn maths teacher discussing PE or science. helps build great relationships with It is up to all members of staff to collectively individual students which allows work to promote the importance of being teachers to develop their understanding active in PE. This can be achieved by of the barriers and motivations ensuring that a science teacher praises an of each of their students. individual for something they had achieved According to research in PE, for example. This simple conducted by Sheffield Hallam acknowledgement builds University, as part of the relationships between At programme, found that students and staff across more active students the school. Likewise, Colton report an average talking about finance Hills, al happiness score from the perspective l m embers of seven out of 10 of a particular collecti of staff (compared to just football club can v five out of 10 for spark a student’s to promely work less active students). interest, allowing a o t e i m t he portanc Almost three-quarters relationship to flourish e of be of students (69 per and create a positive i n g a c tive in cent) agreed that being role. Using sport as a active helps them build hook means that all staff PE resilience. More than half (62 are driving the importance per cent) agreed that it helps them of being healthy and active. make healthier life choices. More than half (59 per cent) said it improves their mental A whole school approach wellbeing, and nearly three-quarters (71 Historically not seen in this way per cent) said it improves their mood.

PE now has a clear connection with Today at Colton Hills Community the wider school curriculum and is part School, students understand how a of a whole school approach at Colton healthy lifestyle will benefit them as Hills Community School. How? It’s all they progress through life. That’s why about the ethos of understanding and incorporating PE across the curriculum E participation. With PE, feedback is instant: Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Sport & PE

 and constantly reinforcing its importance in daily life can make such a difference.

PE really can be the vehicle to ignite change and give students the drive that hey need to seek more in life, and this can be sparked in any subject across the curriculum.

For teachers looking to make PE, school sport and physical activity a more inclusive and enjoyable experience for their students, head to the link below for easyto-implement top tips and advice. L FURTHER INFORMATION https://bit.ly/3fUZEeO

Sport England’s research revealed that the least active students don’t recognise opportunities to be active at school as easily as their more active peers. The PE department at Colton Hills now ensures students are aware of all the activities available to them. Perhaps a student doesn’t enjoy football. Instead, staff will introduce them to other sports

Research shows benefits of an inclusive PE environment Research from Sport England’s Secondary Teacher Training programme shows how secondary schools can adopt inclusive practices and incorporate student voice to provide a better PE environment.

Inclusivity, increased participation and student voice were the dominating topics brought to life through pupil-focused research. It found that giving young people, especially those who are less active, the chance to shape their PE lessons created a happier environment. It also showed how getting to know and understand students’ motivations and barriers can help encourage enjoyment and engagement. What’s more, it found that the least active students don’t recognise opportunities to be active at school, as easily as their active peers.

Luke Jones, Head of P.E at Colton Hills Community School

To showcase the findings, Sport England has created five infographics detailing key outputs from the STT programme to be shared far and wide across the teaching community. Teachers can find tips which answer questions about why PE matters and why PE makes a happy school, as well as insight on how to make PE great and accessible for all students.

In addition, Sport England has also developed 10 short films which feature case studies of teachers and students positively impacted by the programme.

The films highlight the easy-to-adopt ways secondary school teachers have implemented new approaches having completed the STT programme.

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Planning for the future Thursday 12 January — Thursday 26 January 2023

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Price increases and food shortages are some of the issues faced by the school meals industry, according to research by LACA, who is calling for increased funding for Free School Meals LACA has conducted a survey of school meal providers operating in 9,874 schools, feeding 1.8m pupils every day. The results paint a stark picture of the challenges facing the school food industry across England and Wales.

According to the survey 91 per cent of respondents are experiencing food shortages, with over 60 per cent saying this has not improved since May 2022 (when the last LACA survey was conducted). Bread, fish, cheese, pasta and potatoes are the items most affected.

Since the survey in May, prices have risen by a further 30 per cent across the board, this is in addition to the 20 per cent price increases that its members reported in May (compared with April 2020). Some caterers have experienced 50 per cent price increases since May 2022.

The survey shows that 76 per cent of LACA members have had to change their menu because of food shortages. Twenty-eight per cent are now using more processed foods to cope with rising costs, and almost 35 per cent are now considering switching from British meat to foreign meat – an increase of almost eight per cent since May 2022. Twenty-four per cent of members may have to reduce cost through

The survey show per cens that 76 membe t of LACA to chan rs have had ge becaus their menu eo shortagf food es

the quality of meat purchased, and over half (52.2 per cent) expect the quality of school meals to continue getting worse over the coming weeks and months.

Additional challenges The sector is facing a recruitment challenge, 74 per cent of LACA members are facing a lack of applicants, with kitchen assistants the hardest position to fill. Recruitment has not improved since May for 87 per cent of respondents.

Whilst 94 per cent of LACA members are still able to meet the school food standards, which are mandatory, this is coming at a great cost. Already LACA members are saying that they have had to reduce portion sizes and offer less choice to cope.

Meeting the School Food Standards is unlikely to be sustainable in the long-term without an increase in funding from the government. The 2.9 per cent increase in Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) funding announced in June is insufficient to deal with the challenge the industry is facing.

LACA are urgently calling on the government to increase funding per meal for both UIFSM (currently £2.41) and FSM (currently £2.47) to address the current cost of living crisis and for this to increase annually with inflation.

LACA believe this funding increase is a necessary investment in children’s futures.

Eligibility for Free School Meals Additionally, LACA is calling on the government to increase the FSM eligibility threshold to include all children whose parents are entitled to Universal Credit. Around 800,000 children are thought to be going hungry because they are not entitled to an FSM, but their parents cannot afford to buy them a school lunch. Too many children are falling through the cracks.

To ensure funding follows the child, LACA are also calling for school meals funding to be ring

Catering

The issues faced by school meal providers

fenced. The budget is currently issued to schools who do not always pass the full amount to the caterer to provide school meals.

In May, over one-third (38 per cent) of LACA’s members who responded said they did not receive the full funding per meal for FSM. Similarly, 28 per cent of our members who responded said they did not receive the full UIFSM amount.

Commenting on the survey’s findings, Brad Pearce, chair of LACA, said: “Despite the best efforts of our members and dedicated frontline staff, the school meals industry is on its knees. The challenges facing our industry are set to get worse over the coming weeks and months. Without an increase in school meal funding the most vulnerable children in our society will go without, possibly, their only hot, healthy, and nutritious meal of the day.

“We are also urging the government to raise the FSM entitlement threshold to all children whose parents are on Universal Credit, to ensure that no child misses out on a school lunch. A hungry child cannot learn, but for too many children this could soon become their reality.”

Championing the food industry The food and drink supply chain All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) was established this year by a cross party group of MPs to champion the food and drink supply chain in Parliament. It seeks to shine a light on a complex industry and tackle the misconceptions that exist, by providing a forum to explore the challenges it faces and what Government action is needed to overcome those issues.

The group met with MPs to discuss the issues faced by the industry. They heard that greater support is needed from the Government on school meals to ensure that growing supplier costs do not result in a reduction in quality and nutrition for children.

The group have told MPs that early advanced warnings must be given in the event of blackouts to safeguard the provision of food and drink. MPs also heard that redundancies, business closures and a sharp decline in investment are likely to follow should businesses within the food supply chain miss out on energy support after March.

Ian Mace, head of government affairs and policy at Associated British Foods, said: “We’ve seen the ONS data that food price inflation is approaching 15 per cent, most commentators would believe there is some way to go, and we would certainly agree with that.”

The APPG will be issuing recommendations for Government upon the conclusion of the inquiry. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.laca.co.uk

71

Sustainable electric water heating – avoid the pitfalls Electric-only designs for school & higher education water heating are attractive, providing a simple-toinstall, cost-effective, and familiar technology that delivers lower carbon emissions. It also addresses regulatory changes on new gas connections and improves indoor air quality (IAQ). However, for the primary high-grade heat required for domestic hot water (DHW) applications, electric immersions can have a catastrophic impact on a system if located in one of the hard water areas that span approximately 65% of the UK While excellent as backup heat sources in commercial boiler-fed indirect cylinders, immersions, if used as the primary heat source in hard water, accelerate scale formation, which can lead to costly system failure in as little as six months. When hot water is essential for operations that is a cause for concern.

An electric boiler, such as the Adveco ARDENT, heats water using

immersion heaters located in a small tank within the boiler housing rather than directly installed into a hot water tank. This creates a sealed ‘primary’ loop to an indirect coil in the cylinder, eliminating the common problems of direct electric heating. The electric boiler heats the same water continuously so there is only a small, finite amount of scale in the system which will not damage the elements.

The electric boiler additionally offers a level of redundancy and with significantly less scale, reliability also improves, drastically reducing maintenance demands for operational savings. L

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Business Information for Education Decision Makers

Business Information for Education Decision Makers

Business Information for Education Decision Makers

Business Information for Education Decision Makers

SPORT

DESIGN & BUILD

IT & COMPUTING

RECRUITMENT

PLAY

STEM TRIPS

BETT 2017

A showcase of the latest education technology that is transforming teaching and learning

IT & COMPUTING

DESIGN & BUILD

STEM TRIPS

EVENT REVIEW

ACADEMIES

A SMOOTH CONVERSION

WORK, LEARN, PLAY AT KIDZANIA LONDON KS1 – KS3 STEM learning through real life activities at KidZania

Seven steps to make academisation a smooth and successful process

DESIGN & BUILD

TRIPS

COMPUTING

OUTDOOR PLAY

PLAY IS THE FOUNDATION FOR LEARNING

Playtime by Fawns illustrates how outdoor play develops creativity, imagination and problem-solving skills

STEM

KIDZANIA LAUNCHES STEM EVENTS KidZania London showcases new KS1 – 3

FURTHER INFORMATION

STEM activities in partnership with the Year of Engineering

PLUS: ASBESTOS | DESIGN & BUILD | FACILITIES MANAGEMENT | PLAY | SECURITY

PLUS: ENERGY I ROBOTICS | SEN | TRANSPORT | AUDIOVISUAL | DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY

PLUS: APPRENTICESHIPS | DATA PROTECTION | FIRE SAFETY | OUTDOOR LEARNING | STEM

PLUS: AI & ROBOTICS | DATA PROTECTION | LANDSCAPING | ROOFING | STEM

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ADVERTISERS INDEX The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service Action Mats Ltd Adveco (AWP) Ltd

Konica Minolta Business

6

Lapsafe Self Service Solutions

8

Alternative Stretch Tents

25

LockerSpace

32

Apollo UK

58

Ludo-Vic

10

Audiebant

38, 39

Optoma Europe

50

Aver Information Europe

52

Perfect Controls Ltd

20

Browne Jacobson

70

Philips Monitors MMD

Cabins for Schools

28

PHS Group

Call-Systems Technology

61

Powergistics

Eightspace

34

Red Cross

36

Revolution Events

EPM EXA – Networks Ltd

42, 44

Rosehill Furnishings Ltd

54,55 IFC 4 IBC 41 OBC

Fermacell

26

Soldo Software Ltd

14

Fieldwork Education

16

Space For Me

64

Filestream Ltd

46

Strictly Education

56

GDPR in Schools Ltd

48

Stuart Canvas

62

GovNet Communications

57

Swiftclean (UK) Ltd

30

Harlequin Floors

66

Warneford Consulting

35

Yeoman Shield

22

YPO

40

Holmes & Partners Ltd

72

68 18, 72

12, 13

Hue

44

Institute of School Business

37

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

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