Education Business 30.2

Relive ViewSonic’s Innovations at Bett 2025

Empowering Educators with a Complete EdTech Ecosystem

At Bett 2025, ViewSonic showcased a comprehensive Education Ecosystem that integrates hardware, software, service, and content, ensuring seamless solutions for educators and students.

ViewSonic’s solutions help teachers save time and reduce workload through AI-powered tools and interactive displays. The company’s commitment extends beyond technology, emphasizing inclusivity and sustainability as key focus areas in education.

From interactive displays to real-time collaboration tools, ViewSonic brought its latest education solutions to Bett 2025. Watch the wrap-up video for a closer look at these innovations.

ViewBoard’s hands-on teaching tools.

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Visitors engaged with the latest ViewBoard innovations designed for immersive learning.

ClassSwift demo at Bett 2025 captivated educators worldwide!

Making a difference, together

DfE accredited online alternative provision that supports internal AP, inclusion units and hybrid provision.

Academy21, the online alternative provision experts, work in partnership with hundreds of schools and local authorities across England and Wales.

We provide students who have additional needs or challenging circumstances with access to the high-quality education they need and deserve.

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GCSE Rescue courses for students who may have missed large portions of Key Stage 4

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Anxiety management, counselling, EAL and other support courses

Report calls for free school meal auto-enrolment

The Education Committee has urged the government to remove the requirement to apply for free school meals for eligible children from low-income families, instead making it automatic enrolment.

In a new report, the Committee makes several recommendations for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, such as ensuring that children receive mental health assessments when taken into care, improving supporting for care leavers to help them live independently, and on ensuring breakfast clubs are accessible for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The report recommendations for the Department for Education (DfE) include that all children who are entitled to free school meals (FSM) should be automatically enrolled to receive them. One in ten children who are currently eligible miss out because of language barriers or difficulty with the admin process, and so auto-enrolling children for free school meals should they be eligible would remove barriers to entry.

Furthermore, the Education Committee recommends that the government ensures free breakfast clubs are accessible for children with SEND. The report calls for “common sense” measures to be taken, such as ensuring that children with SEND who rely on home-to-school transport should be able to arrive early enough to join breakfast clubs, and that government funding should reflect this provision...

More than 1,400 funded chargepoints at schools and colleges

There are now 1,407 electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints at schools and colleges across the UK, thanks to £3 million from the government’s Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) for schools, which started last March.

The government has confirmed that the Workplace Charging Scheme for state-funded education institutions has been extended for another year, ending 31 March 2026.

Lilian Greenwood, future of roads minister, said: “Schools are the beating heart of our towns and communities and rolling out chargers here shows we are building a practice and reliable charging network designed around people’s daily lives.

“Reaching 1,000 sockets at schools is a particularly significant milestone and builds on a record January for electric car sales, as consumer confidence in the electric transition grows every day. This is helping support jobs, making the UK a clean energy superpower and deliver our Plan for Change.”

Education Minister, Stephen Morgan said: “We are determined to break down the barriers to opportunity to ensure every child can get the best start in life – and that includes educating the next generation about climate change and ensuring schools are sustainable.

“By making EV charging ports readily available, schools can lead by example, encouraging greener travel options and expanding the community’s charging network.”

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Dashboard shows workforce challenges in schools

The NFER has expanded its teacher recruitment and retention data dashboard for England, which is funded by the Nuffield Foundation.

The dashboard now includes three additional years and covers the period 2015/16 to 2023/24. Users can access data on a number of key workforce indicators, such as teacher leaving rates, shortages, specialist teachers in key subjects, and initial teaching training. This is designed to better understand staffing challenges in English primary and secondary schools, broken down geographically.

The tool now includes the parliamentary constituencies for the 2024 general election. For example, it shows the three English constituencies with the highest rate of teacher turnover in secondary schools in 2023/24 were: West Bromwich, Hampstead and Highgate, and Beckenham and Penge.

The dashboard features data about Teaching School Hub areas for the first time, using the areas that came into effect in September 2024. Teaching School Hubs are school-led centres of excellence focused on professional development for teachers in a specific geographic area.

The tool aims to increase understanding of the nature of the teacher supply challenge, inform stakeholders by highlighting specific challenges, and support policymakers and decision-makers to take action to address teacher shortages in the areas where they are most prevalent...

SUSTAINABILITY

Free Carbon Literacy training available for schools

Climate charity campaign, Let’s Go Zero, is offering free accredited online training to support sustainability leads in schools to become more carbon literate.

From spring 2025, Let’s Go Zero will offer training accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project to schools and multi-academy trusts, to help their headteachers or sustainability leads to gain the knowledge and confidence to steer their school’s carbon reduction plans.

The course will address the Department for Education guidance for every educational setting to have a climate action plan and a sustainability lead in place by September this year.

Participants on the course will develop a set of actions to create or input into their school’s climate action plan, receive ongoing support from a Let’s Go Zero Climate Action Advisor after the course, and be eligible for the internationally recognised Carbon Literacy certification.

Specifically designed for education settings, the first course starts on 11 March 2025 and will be delivered as four two-hour interactive sessions every week, for a total of eight hours.

The training is available for schools who are part of the Let’s Go Zero – a campaign coordinated by climate solutions charity Ashden – which involves a simple online pledge that then provides access to climate action planning support from the charity...

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Time for play at school should be

ringfenced, report urges

The Raising the Nation Play Commission, a year-long independent inquiry into why play is critical to the wellbeing of children in England, has published its Interim Report, ‘State of Play’.

The Commission was launched in June 2024 by its chair Paul Lindley OBE – founder of Ella’s Kitchen, the UK’s biggest baby food business. It is working in partnership with former Children’s Commissioner Baroness Anne Longfield’s Centre for Young Lives think tank.

The interim report reveals how, despite the immense benefits of breaktimes to children’s development and learning, play time has been squeezed out of the school day over a 25-year period. It analyses four national surveys carried out in 1995, 2006, 2017, and 2021, shared with the Play Commission, which show the significant decline in average total breaktime in minutes per day in England’s schools between 1995 and 2021.

The report shows how the youngest school children in England lost 23 minutes breaktime a day on average compared to their counterparts in 1995. The average total time dedicated to breaktime in a day fell by 18 minutes over the same period for older primary school children, and by 17 minutes for Key Stage 3 children.

It also shows how breaktimes have fallen most sharply in primary schools in the most deprived parts of England. Schools with a higher proportion of children in receipt of Free School Meals have shorter breaktimes...

BREAKFAST CLUBS

First schools confirmed for free breakfast clubs

The first 750 schools have been selected to offer free breakfast clubs, as part of the government’s national roll out.

From April, chosen schools across all nine regions will kick-off the programme, with an early adopter phase set to inform the government about future implementation.

The early adopter schools will offer a free breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free childcare, every day, helping to support parents getting into work by dropping their children off half an hour earlier.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “Free breakfast clubs sit right at the heart of our Plan for Change, breaking the link between background and success for families all over the country.

“Breakfast clubs can have a transformative impact on the lives of children, feeding hungry tummies and fuelling hungry minds, so every child begins the day ready to learn.

“Alongside our plans to roll out school-based nurseries and get thousands more children school-ready, this government is delivering the reforms needed to give every child, wherever they grow up, the best start in life.”

Schools were chosen from across England to ensure the scheme tests and learns from a variety of locations, including those that do not currently run a breakfast club, and all will receive funding to cover food and staffing costs.

Early adopter schools will inform the future of national breakfast club policy, contributing directly to its implementation.

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insolvency over SEND spending

A survey has found that over half of councils that support children with SEND have said they will become insolvent when a temporary accounting measure that keeps SEND spending deficits off their main balance sheets ends next year.

Councils are currently able to keep high needs deficits, where the cost of providing support outstrips the SEND budgets available to councils, off their main revenue accounts.

With no clarity on what will happen once the mechanism that enables them to do this, known as “statutory override”, expires in March 2026, many councils have said they will not be able to balance their books when this runs out, according to the survey by the Local Government Association.

If the override ends as planned with no alternative method for addressing deficits, 53 per cent of councils responding to the survey, responsible for SEND provision, say they will not be able to set a balanced budget in 2026/27, rising to 63 per cent in 2027/28 and 65 per cent in 2028/29.

The Local Government Association is calling on the government to urgently address the issue in the Spending Review, as part of a wider programme of reform of the SEND system.

It says the Government should write off councils’ high needs deficits, which are projected to rise to £5 billion next year. This is despite councils being expected to be spending £12 billion to support children with SEND... Half of councils warn of

Research suggests SEND students have higher interest in tech careers: READ MORE

Abuse towards school staff widespread in Northern Ireland: READ MORE

New Energy Academy launched to boost climate skills: READ MORE

‘Reframing Behaviour’ training programme launched: READ MORE

Free translations of Keeping Children Safe guidance: READ MORE

Writing skills research project launched: READ MORE

SCHOOL PLACES

Demand for school places in London continues to decline

A new report by London Councils has found that demand for school places is declining across the capital, and predicts a further decrease of 3.6 per cent in reception pupils numbers in London over the next four years. This means is 3,195 places less, or a drop of 117 reception classes.

A further 2.9 per cent decrease in pupils beginning secondary school is also estimated, which translates to 2,646 places, or 100 year seven classes. These statistics increase the looming threat of further school closures to come in the future.

London’s decreasing birth rate is largely to blame, with a 20 per cent reduction in live births between 2012-2022, equating to 27,490 less babies. The sharp drop is birth rate is related to the severe shortage of affordable family housing in the capital, with more people deciding not to have families in London.

Reducing school places have a knock-on effect to the amount of funding a school receives, meaning schools are having to make increasingly difficult decisions about how to balance their budgets. Schools might, for example, need to reduce staff numbers, disproportionately affecting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who we will require more specialist support from school staff...

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Attracting and retaining talent in the workforce

Emma Hollis, CEO of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT), shares her views on the future of initial teacher training and strategies for both attracting and retaining new talent

The government has pledged to recruit 6,500 new teachers, focusing on subjects with shortages and areas with the biggest recruitment challenges. So how should this money be spent? And what can be done to stop teachers from leaving the profession?

We speak to Emma Hollis, CEO of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, for her thoughts.

Labour’s manifesto promised to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers, with £450 million earmarked for the pledge. In your opinion, how best could this money be spent to achieve this?

Today, as we know, the English state school system faces significant challenges, including teacher shortages, high attrition rates, and

low morale. Addressing these issues requires innovative, collaborative, and long-term solutions. We recognise the challenging financial situation the government faces, but we also strongly believe that the previous government’s approach to the recruitment (and retention) crisis has exhausted the majority of ‘obvious’ policy levers, yet made no progress in solving the issues.

This government’s commitment to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers, and where these are coming from, is viewed with scepticism. However, we are clear we must work to a position to fully fund all teacher training programmes directly through government support. If teaching is important to society (as surely it must be), then why should we ask trainees to take on debt in order to be able to do it? Whilst we cannot perfectly model E

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F the cost of that, as it is a bold move and one that has never been done before, it would signal to the world that the government believes teaching to be so important that they will ‘put their money where their mouth is’ and fund it. In return, we might even raise the bar for entry to the profession to ensure world-class quality.

High numbers of early career teachers are quitting the profession. Why do you think this is? And what could the government and individual schools do to tackle this?

School workforce in England data published last June showed the teaching workforce grew by less than 300 teachers last year as record low numbers of newly-qualified staff entered the profession and numbers quitting continued to rise. The number of FTE teachers leaving for reasons other than retirement or death remains at a record high of 39,971 – a rate of 8.8 per cent. Debate and discussion on ‘why’ this is happening has ranged from teacher pay, with private sector wages outstripping public sector wages, to the lack of flexibility compared to other graduate jobs, with solutions posed including offering a salary to all trainees and bursaries for all subjects not reaching their recruitment targets.

In-school mentoring capacity is one of the greatest barriers to effective provision, and we have been calling for the introduction of a fullyfunded Teacher Professional Development Lead, such as we see in every school in the role of SENDCO

This goes beyond ECTs, but we see a need to revisit the Recruitment and Retention Strategy and co-design with the sector a new “Retention Strategy” (with a deliberate focus on retention and not recruitment here) to provide a clear strategic direction which all future policy should then fall out of in terms of what schools then do. Everything feels so disparate at the moment that without an overarching strategic steer on the direction of travel for the sector, there is a serious danger that policy continues to focus on individual problems in isolation from one another. E

F In your opinion, what improvements could be made to ITT programmes? There is an opportunity to rethink teacher training and ECF models. For example, we might consider two-year funded teacher training models that include significant subject pedagogy to address shortage subjects. Develop subject- and phase-specific ECF programs that are flexible around individual needs. Train teachers of science holistically to GCSE level, while allowing specialisation at Key Stage 5. Generally, however, I think we need some stability. ITT in England has undergone significant transformations (and turmoil) since 2000, and these changes have been driven by a combination of government policies, educational research, and the evolving needs of the education system. And it really is a lengthy list of developments – over 20 major initiatives during this time period –beginning with the launch of the Graduate Teacher Programme offering Employment Based Initial Teacher Training, and on to more recent developments such as the much-maligned ITT market review, which has drastically reshaped the sector, reducing the number of accredited ITT providers. Has there been any other aspect of the education sector that has been tinkered with, and required to jump through so many different hoops, as ITT? Well, possibly, but ITT has got to be up there. Are we in a significantly better place as a result? Absolutely not.

What role do you think mentorship and induction programmes play in the retention of early career teachers, and what can schools do to make these programmes more effective? In-school mentoring capacity is one of the greatest barriers to effective provision, and we have been calling for the introduction of a fully-funded Teacher Professional Development Lead, such as we see in every school in the role of SENDCO. Mentoring has always been a vitally important part of training teachers (both those new to the profession and those progressing through their careers) but recent policy changes have brought the centrality of this role into sharper focus. For example, schools need to have a highly skilled mentoring team to meet the ITT quality requirements and the ITTECF – and, in doing so, develop skilled teachers to boost pupil outcomes.

To help schools do this, a lead mentor role has been introduced with up to £25 million funding available to schools and providers to allow mentors time off timetable to access highquality training. To achieve these ambitions, we advocate for the introduction of a Teacher Professional Development Lead (or similar title) to ensure that mentoring becomes an integral part of every school. They would take responsibility for upskilling the whole workforce on mentorship, just as a safeguarding lead upskills staff on their responsibilities under safeguarding regulations. E

F In the meantime, there is support there for schools, including through NASBTT’s Mentor Development Modules.

How can schools attract a more diverse group of individuals into the teaching profession, particularly in subjects facing high demand?

The last government believed that bursaries exert the strongest influence on teacher recruitment, particularly for high-priority subjects that might otherwise struggle to recruit enough teachers. New bursaries targeting a wider range of subjects will always be welcomed but we have noticed that schools that fall into opportunity areas are not always the places where we see teacher shortages so would argue they are not always targeted correctly and advocate for a more nuanced approach by subject and region.

However, going back to our bigger point, teacher training must be affordable (and ideally free) for everyone to inspire a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce. There is also work to be done on tackling public perceptions about teaching and the work of a teacher, and the reality that teachers are having to ‘do more with ‘less’ and schools are being required to run at a deficit model all the time. In addition, although we know why people want to become teachers, we need to understand why young people are not considering or choosing a career in teaching – and use the evidence from that to inform action. This would be a major step forward. DfE should commission research into why undergraduates are not choosing teaching as a career option, rather than relying on research which focuses on those that do.

What measures do you think schools could implement to improve the worklife balance of early career teachers, ensuring long-term job satisfaction and retention in the profession?

Flexible working is, of course, one area of work being looked at across the sector, and with the DfE-funded Flexible Working in MultiAcademy Trusts and Schools (FWAMS) project team, NASBTT is seeking to inform, empower and support providers in implementing flexiworking approaches in ITT, as one layer. However, to improve work-life balance and support job satisfaction and retention, there is a bigger discussion needed on the purpose of education. Primary school teachers often go into teaching with a motivation to develop young people holistically; and secondary school

teachers are generally excited by the opportunity to deliver the subject they are passionate about – yet they end up number crunching and dealing with a host of other issues.

At the present time, due to the closure of wraparound services, schools are taking on ever wider roles, meaning that we are asking teachers to be social workers and mental health professionals alongside a whole other host of roles outside of teaching. This state of affairs is not going to attract people to, and keep people in, the profession. If, as a society, we expect schools to take on a broader role then a fundamental re-evaluation of the system needs to take place and schools will need to be funded and staffed differently. M

Emma will be speaking at the inaugural Education Business Live Conference & Exhibition, taking place on 19 March at Evolution London. Register for free here.

www.nasbtt.org.uk

Industry Insight: The knock-on effects of VAT on private school fees

The introduction of VAT on indepedent school fees has incited a whole host of ripple effects, most notably for immigrant students. Michelle Holmes, managing director of Holmes & Partners Ltd, explores the necessity of compliance when indepenent schools are dealing with immigration regulations

What effects will the addition of VAT on independent school fees have?

The introduction of VAT on independent school fees would significantly impact families, schools, and the broader education sector. It would increase financial burdens on parents, making private education unaffordable for many middle-income families and driving some to state schools, straining public resources. Independent schools could face reduced enrolments, revenue losses, and closures, especially smaller schools in less affluent areas. Socioeconomic diversity could decline, reinforcing education inequality. The policy might trigger political debates over fairness while forcing schools to adapt by offering scholarships, targeting overseas students, or seeking sponsorships. Policymakers must weigh these ripple effects carefully.

How can independent schools ensure that they still attract a full and diverse student population following the addition of VAT?

To attract a diverse student population despite VAT on fees, independent schools must address affordability, accessibility, and value. Expanding scholarships, offering flexible payment plans, and providing longterm discounts can ease financial strain. Schools should enhance value through specialised programs, personal development opportunities, and individualised support while fostering international recruitment and engaging underserved communities. Transparent communication about fee benefits and leveraging digital marketing can strengthen appeal. Partnerships with companies, alumni, and other schools can subsidise costs.

To attract a diverse student population despite VAT on fees, independent schools must address affordability, accessibility, and value

What are the challenges around recruitment and how can independent schools ensure they attract and retain good quality teachers and staff?

Recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers in independent schools requires addressing challenges such as financial constraints, workload expectations, and subject shortages. Schools should offer competitive salaries with benefits like bonuses, relocation packages, and CPD opportunities while fostering a supportive culture that values staff contributions. Flexible work arrangements, clear career pathways, and regular recognition can improve retention, along with mental health support and wellness programs. To attract talent, schools should emphasise their unique offerings, partner with training programs, and promote diversity through targeted recruitment. By balancing compensation, development, and work-life balance, schools can ensure long-term success.

How can independent schools ensure they remain compliant with immigration regulations?

To ensure compliance with immigration regulations, independent schools must adopt a robust and proactive approach to managing their responsibilities as licensed sponsors for international students. Staying updated on UKVI policies is crucial, requiring regular monitoring of rule changes and staff training to understand compliance duties. Regular audits of records and mock inspections help identify potential weaknesses. Issuing CAS must be handled responsibly, ensuring students meet all visa requirements and are likely to comply with their conditions. Monitoring attendance and promptly reporting changes in student circumstances, such as withdrawals or changes in study status, is essential for maintaining compliance. Schools must also notify UKVI of changes to their license details, such as address or key personnel updates. Fostering a culture of compliance through staff and student education is equally important. Staff should understand their role in supporting compliance, while students should be informed

Michelle Holmes is the Managing Director of Holmes & Partners Ltd, an immigration consultancy specialising in the education sector. As an immigrant herself, Michelle has firsthand experience with the immigration routes to the UK and the psychological impact of emigrating.

about their visa obligations. Investing in external support, such as immigration specialists or solicitors, can provide valuable expertise, particularly for complex cases. Preparing for UKVI inspections by keeping documentation accessible and responding promptly to requests is also vital. Finally, avoiding common pitfalls, such as data errors in the SMS or delegating CAS issuance to untrained staff, can mitigate risks. By adopting these strategies, independent schools can effectively manage immigration compliance, protect their sponsor license, and support their international students. M

Michelle Holmes, managing director, Holmes & Partners Ltd.

Modernising the computing curriculum

How should the computing curriculum be modernised to reflect current jobs? And how can schools attract a more diverse student pool to take the subject? Julia Adamson from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, shares some thoughts

As the digital world continues to evolve rapidly – so must the education system in order to successfully prepare young people for the future. With the continued growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies, it is clear that the current computing curriculum in schools needs a significant overhaul. It has proved to be unappealing and disengaging for many students. Young people need a new digital literacy qualification focussed on AI and modern tech skills, as part of reform to the school curriculum.

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT’s recent response* to the Department for Education’s

(DfE) Curriculum and Assessment review stated that the current Computer Science GCSE works for just a narrow group of students, due to its theoretical focus. The Institute’s analysis of DfE data found that 94 per cent of girls and 79 per cent of boys in England drop computing as soon as they can, at 14 years old. The lack of focus on practical outcomes puts a great many students off.

The scope of the existing GCSE should be broadened to include a focus on how AI is built, as well as its risks and opportunities – and do more to show teenagers the ways in which computing changes the world.

Unmotivating

The current computing curriculum is abstract and unmotivating. It doesn’t show teenagers how the subject can be applied to solve society’s big challenges. Its focus on theory limits its appeal, especially among young people who are

A more inclusive, crossdisciplinary approach to computing education would better reflect the reality of modern careers, where technology is integrated into every industry

more interested in seeing how computing can solve real-world problems.

The key stage 3 curriculum and the GCSE need updating to reflect this and to include areas like AI – as well as an understanding of the huge social and economic impact of computing.

The lack of a universal digital literacy qualification is an issue in modern education. While literacy and numeracy are foundational skills assessed through national exams, digital literacy remains largely ignored at Key Stage 4. This oversight is concerning, as digital skills are now as vital to young people’s futures as reading and writing.

A more inclusive, cross-disciplinary approach to computing education would better reflect the reality of modern careers, where technology is integrated into every industry. The introduction of a digital literacy qualification would also be an effective tool in E

F addressing the digital divide that disproportionately impacts students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Barriers to learning

A significant number of young people in the UK, particularly in areas of social deprivation, struggle with access to technology and the internet, creating barriers to learning. By ensuring that digital literacy is integrated into the curriculum, schools could offer more equitable opportunities for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Tackling gender and ethnic disparities will help engage a more diverse student pool. A major challenge in computing education today is the lack of diversity among students pursuing the subject. Gender disparities are particularly stark, with a significant gender gap in the number of girls opting for Computer Science at all levels – GCSE, A Level, T Level, apprenticeships and degrees.

A contextually relevant curriculum with opportunity for meaningful practical work is likely to be more appealing. The focus on technical aspects of computing often fails to universally appeal to the broad student cohort, who are more motivated by the potential for technology to make a positive social impact. Research has shown that girls’ interest in computing increases when topics are

presented in more socially relevant contexts. A curriculum that highlights how computing can be used to address global challenges, such as climate change, healthcare and social justice, could potentially inspire more girls to engage with the subject. Students from disadvantaged or underrepresented ethnic backgrounds face additional barriers in accessing computing education. Schools in poorer areas are less likely to offer GCSE Computer Science, and students in these areas often lack the resources necessary to practice computing outside of school.

This digital poverty exacerbates existing inequalities and limits opportunities for these students to pursue careers in technology. Addressing this issue requires not only curriculum reform, but also targeted investment in resources and support for schools in disadvantaged areas.

Creating a path to digital literacy

Modernising the computing curriculum will help create a path to digital literacy and inclusion. It is essential that the computing curriculum reflects the technologies and skills that are shaping modern careers an increasingly digital world.

A broad, inclusive curriculum that incorporates practical skills around areas such as AI will ensure that all students – regardless of their background – leave school digitally literate and

ready to thrive in the workforce. By addressing the gender, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities that exist in computing education, schools can help ensure that all young people have access to the opportunities of the digital age. Students should be to equipped not only with technical expertise, but also with the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the ethical and social implications of technology. With the right changes to the curriculum, schools can provide young people with the tools they need to succeed in a world increasingly reliant on digital technology. Pupils should be taught for example, how to get the best out of tools like ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini, understanding their strengths and limitations, so they can succeed in life and modern careers.

All young people deserve to leave school digitally literate – or they’ll be left behind. This needs to be recognised in a new qualification that proves this and gives employers, universities and training providers confidence. It should go beyond low-level functional skills and include critical thinking about the opportunities and risks digital technology presents for the world. L

*The research focussed on schools in England only, where the computer science GCSE is taught; BCS said other UK nations took a range different approaches to teaching information technology.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Read BCS’ full submission to DfE’s Curriculum and Assessment review.

Is the UK ready to unlock the potential of education technology?

After the major technology showcase at Bett 2025, Peter Doyle, policy manager at the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) reflects on the UK’s current education technology landscape, and asks what we can learn from other countries

The world’s largest education technology trade show – The Bett Show – recently finished up for another year. Bett is a mega exhibition that in-fact takes place throughout the year all over the world. As soon as the show packs up in London, it moves over to Brazil and finally over to Malaysia.

The internationalism of the exhibition is testament to the shared challenges and opportunities presented to educators

across the world, and of course the export opportunities available to EdTech suppliers based here in the UK.

London is the largest of the three shows, attracting delegations from far and wide to come together to share best practice in the use and application of technology in education. Bett UK is a brilliant opportunity to learn more about how other countries have utilised technology in the classroom – a discussion

which is usually kicked off by the Secretary of State for Education, who this year (as previous) opened the show with the opening address.

When former Secretaries of State have attended the show, they can often be distracted by the shiniest products in the room, not those that are necessarily used by thousands of schools across the country today. However, it was pleasing to see that the current Secretary of State, Bridget Phillipson, focused on the practical changes that are needed in schools today.

Artificial intelligence

A key focus of government communications over the last few months has been on the game-changing benefits for the UK in taking advantage of emerging artificial intelligence technologies across government, and education has been no different. Phillipson pointed towards the ‘gamechanging’ potential to leverage technology in the classroom, citing research from the Education Endowment Foundation that effective usage of digital technology can accelerate learning by two to three months. Pointing to some of the work the government is doing to support schools, Phillipson highlighted a new buying service

It is crucial that the UK starts planning for the next major digital revolution now. Just as Estonia did following the fall of the Iron Curtain, technology should be embedded within a comprehensive, crossdepartmental strategy

for schools to support them in procuring the right technology. The service builds on the Government’s Digital and Technology Standards, enabling schools to input their current standards and compare them against the Government’s recommended requirements. Phillipson also cited the Department’s Connect the Classroom initiative, a worthy project aimed at improving wireless internet standards in schools. BESA has long highlighted the issue of inadequate on-premises networking, which has hindered schools from fully benefiting from national infrastructure upgrades like Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)technology.

Our annual EdTech survey indicates that internal networking in schools has improved since the scheme’s introduction, with the percentage of schools reporting ‘serious issues’ dropping from 25 per cent in 2022 to around 15 per cent in 2025. This demonstrates that well-targeted funding initiatives can deliver meaningful improvements.

Tackling the digital divide

Phillipson’s speech was framed around the urgent need to tackle the digital divide, a challenge that became starkly apparent during the pandemic. At the time, it was estimated that one in five children on free school meals were unable to access learning due to a lack of devices at home. Phillipson directly addressed this point during her speech, telling the audience that none of the benefits of emerging technologies could be realised, if it was not available to all teachers and pupils. Additional windfalls of support funds are required, though seem increasingly unlikely as the government faces an unfavourable economic outlook and higher, more expensive priorities for investment in the schools sector. Indeed, Phillipson’s announcement was E

F notable for its lack of any new policy or funding aimed at addressing issues with digital divide.

This is particularly concerning given that preliminary findings from BESA’s continuous research into the schools sector indicate that nearly all schools are looking to reduce investment in EdTech to zero for this financial year.

Creating future challenges

Short-termism on utilising the benefits of technology can create challenges for future planning. We saw this most recently as the pandemic brought to light the enormous disparity between schools in how developed their digital learning environments were. By comparison, Estonia, who are considered to be one of the most advanced countries in the world for how technology is utilised across all levels of government, ranking first in the EU’s Digital Economy and Society Ranking Index for the availability of digital public services.

In the context of the pandemic this meant that children already had access to devices provided for by their school, and 87 per cent of schools were already routinely using digital libraries and learning management systems, making the transition from inperson to remote learning seamless.

What sets Estonia apart from the UK is a complete twenty-year strategy towards technology, which covers not just education, but all aspects of government and society. The UK, whilst historically having implemented initiatives which were intended to support a specific aspect of the use of technology in schools, has fallen short of Estonia’s comprehensive strategy – incorporating national infrastructure programmes, continuous levels of capital investment, training the curriculum into a single vision transcending across multiple branches and layers of government.

The result is that whilst the central government takes a strong lead in giving the direction of a policy – the ubiquitousness of digital across government means that teachers and school leaders are empowered to experiment with their own solutions and therefore find it easier to develop bespoke digital learning environments which suit their own specific context.

This was highlighted as a key factor in Estonia’s comparatively strong performance during the pandemic. Andreas Schleicher, head of education and skills at the OECD, pointed this out in an interview with The

Guardian when discussing why Estonia had been more successful than the UK:

“The key difference is that teachers and school leaders in Estonia are used to working as designers of innovative learning environments, and have great flexibility on how to best configure the people, the spaces, the technology and times in their respective context.”

Estonia’s digital strategy is also a major component of the country’s growing economy, equipping pupils with digital skills needed to navigate the modern workplace. Estonia ranks third in the EU for digital skills, with 67 per cent of the country possessing basic digital

skills, whereas only 48 per cent of the UK workforce possess these. It also performs well on education’s international rankings of PISA in the measures of reading, science and maths –for which it sits at 5th, 4th and 8th respectively. Furthermore, Estonia is increasingly becoming a hotbed for EdTech startups. Leveraging its global reputation for a technology-first approach to schools, the government invests heavily in supporting local businesses export their products around the world. With a particular focus on this in the last five years, Estonia’s EdTech market has grown over 50 per cent.

For these reasons, it is crucial that the UK starts planning for the next major digital revolution now. Just as Estonia did following the fall of the Iron Curtain, technology should be embedded within a comprehensive, crossdepartmental strategy. This would create the necessary conditions for society to fully harness emerging technologies – both to enhance in-class learning, equip the future workforce with essential skills, and unlock the vast potential of the UK’s EdTech sector. M

A showcase of innovation at Bett 2025

This year’s Bett UK was abuzz with education technology providers from around the world, with over 600 exhibiting companies and over 400 expert speakers discussing the tech-trends and solutions for the sector

Taking place 22-24 January 2025, the 40th anniversary of Bett was hosted at ExCeL London, and drew in a huge crowd of over 35,000 teachers, students, and education professionals. Key themes of this year’s Bett included artificial intelligence, including its uses, challenges, and how education professionals could best harness it to their ability, while still leaving room for creative freedom and originality.

The challenges of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has received huge governmental and media attention as of late, and this year Bett UK took the time to delve into the need for education to ensure all children are given the space and resources to thrive – whether this be through a more flexible curriculum, specialist technologies, or different attitudes to education as a whole.

In collaboration with the British Assistive Technology Association, the brand-new SEND village reflected this shift towards accessibility in education, providing a space to showcase the most cutting-edge EdTech in the industry.

TableTalks ran throughout the event, offering peer-to-peer discussions for education professionals across a wide range of fields, such as generative AI, diversity, and preparing for the curriculum of tomorrow. With more than a thousand educators participating on over 135 roundtables, professionals from schools, governments, or universities were able to learn from other leaders and engage in friendly debate. Meanwhile, Tech User Labs allowed teachers to book slots in tech workshops to gain the skills needed to leverage these tools in the classroom.

A digital revolution

Kicking off Bett UK 2025 was a keynote address by education secretary Bridget Phillipson MP, who outlined the government’s new plans for a digital revolution. She touched on the main themes of this year’s Bett – AI, diversity and inclusion, and innovation – and highlighted the positives of a changing digital landscape sweeping its way across the global education sector. She declared: “I take up this great new E

F technological era to modernise our education system, to back our teachers and to deliver for our children across the country.”

Breaking down barriers to opportunity, the education secretary further announced plans that all new teachers are to be trained on how to use assistive technology to support children with SEND. She explained: “Leaders have told us that the effective use of this type of technology can have a huge impact not just on academic results but on children’s confidence in the classroom team. It’s so important we get this right for children with SEND.”

Sir Stephen Fry and Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon then took to the Arena stage for their discussion, ‘The human approach to AI’. Dr Imafidon, a computer scientist and CEO of social enterprise Stemettes, and Sir Stephen examined the role of AI in the classroom, and, refreshingly, focussed not just on its potential dangers, but also the revolution AI could bring to the next generation of students and young professionals and the opportunities it could create. Dr Imafidon’s extensive knowledge across tech, coupled with Fry’s endless curiosity and pursuit of humanity, provided an engaging, enlightening discussion for teachers and educational entrepreneurs alike.

Addressing the teacher crisis, Charles Radman, global head of education at HP, outlined how technology has the capabilities to mitigate some of the problems causing educators from leaving their positions. Baron Ed Vaizey of Didcot, former minister of state for culture and the digital economy, moderated a panel on online safety and digital resilience in a devolved nation, exploring different devolved administration practices online to encourage digital resilience for students and teachers alike.

The day closed with the Design4SDGs finals, a competition where young people showcased their big thinking by providing solutions for the United Nations Sustainable Development Gaols (SDGs). The second year of the competition,

this year’s winners were: Old Hall Schools for SDG3, Denbigh High School for SDG4, Cheam Common Junior Academy for SDG5, Cheam Fields Primary Academy for SDG11, St Lawrence College (Junior School) for SDG12, and Cheam Common Junior Academy for SDG13.

Championing inclusion

A quick primary school singalong led by James Partridge kicked off the second day of Bett before Rose Luckin, professor at UCL and founder of Educate Ventures, took to the stage to advocate for a gentler approach to introducing AI into the classroom and how we might develop strategies to make its implementation meaningful and responsible. Later, Nicolas Hamilton, professional racing driver and author, gave an inspiring speech about his journey to racing fame with Cerebral Palsy, addressing the importance of championing diversity and inclusivity in schools to allow the space to realise their dreams.

In a similar vein, Freddie Whittaker, deputy editor at Schools Week, moderated an insightful panel on addressing the SEND crisis, with contributions from panellists: Simon Tanner, national director of SEND at E-ACT, Claire Howard, chief executive at Natspce, and Gary Aubin, director at SENDMattersUK. Together, these industry professionals discussed how experts, advocates, policymakers, and the public can come together to spark meaningful change within SEND prevision in schools, which desperately needs an overhaul.

An exciting, interactive assembly had students and teachers alike enthralled as Zoe and Rachael from Tech she Can and Minecraft Education’s Sara Cornish gave insight into the growing

gaming industry. The Global EdTech Startup Awards (GESAwards), the world’s largest EdTech competition, then hosted their finals on the Arena stage, with winners including solfeg. io for best EdTech solution, and Unlocked Labs winning the social impact award.

Technology and creativity

The third and final day of Bett started with an immersive talk by Punchdrunk Entertainment, where associate director Steve McCourt spoke about his work with immersive theatre and spoke about how Punchdrunk Entertainment are using digital methods and AI to their advantage through giving their students real-time interactions with characters and narrative.

A session hosted by National Youth Theatre’s James Northcode, Paul Roseby OBSE, and Roberta Zuric and supported by Microsoft showed how AI is being used in developing creativity within the performing arts, as well as a session on understanding the positives and negatives of screen time for young people.

Lord Jim Knight, a former government minister and MP, hosted a panel responding to the report by Cambridge University Press and Assessment on equity within the education system. Insights were offered by an excellent selection of experts: Alice Whitby, deputy principal and teacher development lead at Oasis Learning Academy, Jane Mann, managing director at Cambridge University Press and Assessment, and Nic Ponsford, founder and CEO of Global Equality Collective. Together they explored the ways in which access and opportunities could be maximised for disadvantage students in ways that allowed every child to succeed in education and beyond.

In the afternoon, the beloved writer and professor of children’s literature Michael Rosen took to the stage with acclaimed poet, rapper, and teacher Christian Foley to deliver a session aimed at educators of primary and secondary

Kicking off Bett UK 2025 was a keynote address by education secretary Bridget Phillipson, who outlined the government’s new plans for a digital revolution

students. The two writers showcased the benefits of poetry by using a student-led approach, interspersing speech with performance, and make the case for a new way to teach.

To close off a jam-packed three days, the twelve winners of Kids Judge Bett, created and organised by Katy Potts, computing and online safety lead at Islington council, in collaboration with British Education Suppliers Association (BESA), were announced. Now in its ninth year, Kids Judge Bett awards the best exhibitions, as selected by eagleeyed children. See the winners here. M

FURTHER INFORMATION

www.bettshow.com

Education Business Live

Education Business Live is a new event taking place on 19 March at London’s Evolution, designed to support the efficient running of education settings. The carefully curated conference and exhibition will bring together education professionals with a passion for effective school leadership, management, learning and teaching

Designed to support the efficient running of education settings, Education Business Live Conference & Exhibition on 19 March will bring together education professionals at London’s Evolution.

The one-day event will include an inspirational line-up of educationalists, central government policy-makers, session talks, Q&As and networking opportunities to explore practical solutions for managing and developing education in the UK, while leading solutions providers share best practice and new ideas to enhance the services your schools and academies require.

The conference programme

Rachel Younger, president of the NAHT union will be giving a welcome address at the start of the day. A number of separate conference streams will then follow, each taking on some of the main issues affecting school management, such as leadership, inspections, recruitment and retention, SEND, business management, sustainability, estates management and technology.

The Leadership session will explore the concept of effective school leadership and how it can be achieved. Speakers include Stephen Morales from the Institute of School Business Leaders (ISBL), Rob Lightfoot, CEO of the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE), and Hannah Stolton from Governors for Schools. These speakers will also take part in a Q&A panel discussion to discuss how using feedback can result in a better leader.

Ofsted inspections

This year will see changes in how Ofsted conducts its inspections, following its Big Listen consultation which was launched to address the impact that an inspection can have on mental health.

One of the most notable changes that resulted from the Big Listen was the removal of single headline judgements, which pave the way for the introduction of School Report Cards from September 2025. These aim to provide parents with a full and comprehensive assessment of how schools are performing and ensure that inspections are more effective in driving improvement. E

EVOLUTION

F These changes, as well as more practical tips for achieving a successful Ofsted outcome, will be covered in the second session of Education Business LIVE.

Amanda Jackson, lead senior inspector at Havering Education Services will start the session with an overview. Rob Carpenter, leadership consultant & trust leader of the Inspire Partnership, will then talk about a school’s improvement journey. He will be followed by Colin Diamond CBE, professor of educational leadership at the University of Birmingham, who will examine the new school score cards and what information they will capture.

Recruitment and retention

Labour’s manifesto promised to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers, with £450 million earmarked for the pledge. Recent analysis modelled how Labour could use the funding on a combination of pay rises and financial incentives to boost teacher supply.

Education Business Live will take on the theme of teacher recruitment, with sessions that will focus on the strategies to attract quality teachers to the profession and priorities for improving teacher retention.

Emma Hollis, CEO, National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT), will speak about the future of initial teacher training, as well as how to keep good teachers in the profession.

Funding temporary staff will be covered by John Wilson, category lead at the Crown Commercial Service, the UK’s biggest public procurement organisation and an executive agency of the Cabinet Office.

To help schools stay up to date with the latest discussions in technology, the AI and EdTech theatre at Education Business Live will discuss how using technology and artificial intelligence in the classroom can enhance teaching and learning

Lynne Birch, hub lead, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Teaching School Hub will be presenting on teacher development, including how to deliver high-quality training and personalised support.

The panel discussion will debate the difference between induction and mentoring when it comes to teacher training.

SEND provision

It is widely acknowledged that the SEND system is not fit for purpose, which is affecting all areas of education, from teacher retention to increases in pupil absence.

Education Business Live will host a session dedicated to SEND provision, exploring the role of schools in SEND support, mainstream inclusion and leveraging collaboration.

Amanda Wright from the National Association for Special Educational Needs will discuss the role of schools in SEND support.

Alan Wood, director and co-founder at Evidence for Learning / theTeacherCloud, alongside Lando du Plooy, executive E

F headteacher of Dersingham and Calverton Primary Schools in Newham, will examine the journey to effective learning and progress for learners with SEND. This will include a real life case study of how two mainstream schools have transformed their SEND provision, as well as a discussion on how schools are meeting the challenge of adapting to support learners with SEND.

Business management

The Bursar and Business Management conference will explore topics such as resource management, professional development, and approaches to financial management.

Ben Hardy from the Department for Education’s Schools Commercial Team will talk through the commercial support available to schools, and Lana Stoyles, head of business transformation at Nexus Multi Academy Trust will share a fresh approach to financial management.

Peter Melville, chief operating officer at South West Essex Community Education Trust / Incensu will discuss what MATs should consider when it comes to financial strategies.

The panel discussion will see the speakers debate the role of business in education, with the addition of Panel Darren Lowe from Crescent Purchasing Consortium and John Wilson from Crown Commercial Service.

There will also be a dedicated procurement session, which will be delivered by Mark Pearson, learning & development lead at Crescent Procurement Consortium. He will cover the new Procurement Act and what schools need to know.

Sustainability

The DfE’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy requires schools to write

a climate action plan by September 2025, as well as select a sustainability lead.

Education Business Live will host a session that will examine how schools can create a sustainable school.

Alex Green, head of Let’s Go Zero – the national campaign for all schools to be zero carbon run by climate charity Ashen, will discuss embedding sustainability into a school’s ethos and practical ways for schools to meet their net zero targets. Let’s Go Zero can offer support by allocating schools with a Climate Action Advisor to provide guidance on creating and implementing a climate action plan.

Sam Dyer, headteacher, Thames Park Secondary School, and Ian Broyd, headteacher of Little Thurrock Primary School, will discuss the collaborative approach to sustainable schools, meanwhile Katherine Rose Orme, Procurement Manager at Crescent Purchasing Consortium and Dan Pardesi, chartered energy manager at Sustainable Energy First will explore how to best buy energy and efficiency goods and services for schools.

Dave Smith, director of procurement and Trust-wide projects at Osborne Cooperative Academy Trust, will host the panel discussion examining if the current net zero targets in schools are working.

Learning outside the classroom

Outdoor learning has a number of benefits for pupils, such as improving physical and mental health, as well as increasing focus and imagination for better academic performance. It also helps with social skills by having to cooperate and communicate with others.

Anne Hunt, CEO of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom will host this session which will give practical ways that schools can incorporate outdoor E

F learning into the school day, as well as talk through the numerous benefits that outdoor learning provision can offer schools.

Estates management

School estates management teams face a number of obstacles. With many schools still suffering from having RAAC present, and others that are in dire need of repair, there is a lot to keep facilities management professionals busy.

To help keep them informed on the latest topics in their profession, there will be a session on estates management led by the National Alliance of School Premises Management (NASPM). Stuart McGregor, director of operations will discuss legal compliance and safe systems of work. They will share actionable advice and best practices essential for creating a conducive learning environment.

Chris Coyle, operations manager at NASPM and headteacher Paul Jackson will debate this further during the panel discussion.

AI and Education Technology

Education Technology, or EdTech, is widely recognised to be a powerful tool to improve pupil performance, reduce teacher workload and save time on school management activities.

To help schools stay up to date with the latest discussions in technology, the AI and EdTech theatre at Education Business Live will discuss how using technology and artificial intelligence in the classroom can enhance teaching and learning.

Austin Earl from techUK will discuss why schools can’t ignore the strategic potential of AI.

Niel McLean OBE from BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, will host a session to discuss the importance of supporting the development of teachers’ digital skills.

Getech and Google will have a dedicated session examining artificial intelligence and its uses in the teaching profession. There will be a live demonstration of Gemini AI and Hayley Cullimore, head of SEND at Asset Education, will give a case study on how it has been used to support SEND in a mainstream primary school Trust.

Rachel Quick, CEO of The Wherry School, will discuss how they see Gemini AI being developed to support pupils with autism. Wrapping the session up will be a panel discussion chaired by Roger Slade of Getech/Google.

STEM provision will also be covered, including how to attract a more diverse student pool to study STEM-related subjects.

In this session, TV Presenter & Champion for Women & Girls in Engineering, Kate Bellingham and Hilary Leevers, CEO at Engineering UK will tackle the challenges and opportunities of implementing STEM.

Exhibition

Education Business Live will host an exhibition, showcasing the latest products and services for the education sector.

Delegates can browse solution providers in areas such as technology, finance, facilities management, security, health & safety, catering, SEND provision, and many more. There will be networking opportunities and live demonstrations so education professionals can get hands-on experience using the products that will assist them in their roles.

The Education Business Awards

This year, the Education Business Awards will take place at Evolution on 19 March to coincide with Education Business Live.

Supported by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the National Association for Special Educational Needs (nasen), the Awards have recognised achievements in thousands of state and independent schools since 2009.

The Awards will celebrate excellence in over twenty categories, including those for Outstanding Progress and Leadership, SEN Best Practice and Provision, ICT Innovation, Procurement, Security, Environmental Practice, Building, Catering and more. M

FURTHER INFORMATION

Register to attend Education Business Live for free here.

Introducing GuardPoint10: A next generation Access Control Platform

Sensor Access Technology’s GuardPoint10 hosts a wealth of features, letting you harness access, alarm and video all from one platform

Sensor Access Technology Ltd

Sensor Access are one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of integrated access control systems. They offer an extensive range of readers such as smart card, Bluetooth, ANPR, Biometric and UHF as well as a variety of controllers, integrations and software packages. Sensor Access was established in 1999 to meet the demands of Access Control Professionals and to meet the expectations of the most stringent of projects.

Sensor Access are globally minded and we provide value, performance and excellent customer service worldwide.

What is GuardPoint10?

GuardPoint10 is our next generation Access Control Platform, which seamlessly unites access, alarm and video into one platform. GuardPoint10 utilises state of the art technologies, giving a powerful and elegant operator friendly solution. GuardPoint10 is a complete redesign of our legacy software platform, GuardPointPro, focused on offering a new vibrant and engaging user experience. GuardPoint10 is a “lifetime” licence - no subscription needed or annual re-licensing. User-friendly graphical interface: Simple controls to facilitate a smooth and efficient user experience.

Highly scalable: System can seamlessly accommodate growth without compromising its efficiency or stability.

Fast and modern API: Ensures simple, scalable, flexible, and interoperable software integration.

Extensive reporting: Generate reports on cardholders’ movements and alarm events in your preferred structure and format. Customise your event viewer to display real-time reporting.

Graphical maps with active icons: Visualise your buildings, doors, alarm detectors, and cameras in real-time on an interactive graphical map tailored to your specific requirements and preferences.

Global reflex: Define automated operations, including conditions that trigger events. For instance, if a designated cardholder is granted access, then disarm the alarm zone.

Biometric integration: State of the art fingerprint and facial authentication.

Time and attendance: Hassle-free timesheet report generation in various formats for efficient workforce management.

Active directory: Full integration to make administration a single point data enrolment.

Multi-site: A system that operates across multiple locations, allowing users from different places to manage access and collaborate effectively with customised options tailored to each site’s needs.

Visitor management: Issue QR codes and Bluetooth credentials to mobile devices.

Mobile Muster app: Use an Android device to check cards, locate cardholders and Muster in the event of building evacuation. Reports can be sent and doors securely unlocked from this powerful and accessible app. M

classroom

It’s time to take control of Damp,

A damp & mould strategy will require SMART uniform knowledge and guidance

Cornerstone’s new Property Health app revolutionises damp and mould prevention by providing immediate access to knowledge to help mitigate damp and mould issues

Cornerstone Management Services Ltd, a company providing independent expert Property Health surveys is excited to advertise the launch of a new platform aimed at sharing knowledge for timely solutions for reported damp, condensation and mould in our schools and places of learning.

David Bly, managing director, adds: “By definition, a healthy building should be one that does not experience any defects that could contribute to its comfortable environment with elements installed to manage the internal atmosphere operation and be ‘adequate’ in its delivery.”

Bespoke approaches to problems

Having witnessed a significant number of associated problems for a host of clients, Cornerstone are of the opinion that a defined uniform framework is a key deliverable to uphold bespoke approaches to such reported problems. Why? Because we are still dealing with damp, condensation and mould in 2025. With an understandable drive for achieving net zero to improve our carbon footprint, if we sought to implement such recognised aspects in our buildings today, ahead of a defined understanding of the structure, the problems could significantly escalate, especially with atmospheric management and high occupancy levels . We strive to help everyone think differently about the health of the buildings they work, learn, and live in by providing guidance, recognisable improvements, and solutions for the long term. This will improve their time spent in such environments.

This is achieved instantly through sharing our extensive property health knowledge and experience with timely SMART guidance for longterm better decision making within a proactive uniform SMART guidance framework.

Property Health App

Our experience and technology has been embraced in a unique Property Health pp giving everyone immediate access to SMART uniform knowledge for causes of damp, condensation and mould alongside SMART recommendations for cleaning and reducing the likelihood for repeated issues. Whether it’s a classroom or a bedroom, the knowledge serves all room types and deals with the mould as a symptom with associated credible solutions to undertake.

With Cornerstone’s knowledge embedded in the process, the app delivers timely guidance for occupants, caretakers, and landlords with onboard recognisable SMART knowledge to deliver a greater understanding of structural and atmospheric contributory behaviour for all, alongside simple yet key undertakings to reduce the immediate potential.

The uniform process underpins confidence via a ‘did you know?’ approach.

Contact us now to learn more of this unique process and instigate your interest for a complimentary user period to learn of its functionality prior to any commitment. M

Why Choose The Minibus Centre?

The UK’s leading provider of high-quality, customised minibuses

Flexible funding options, including service, maintenance and safety checks, low deposits and affordable monthly payments

A wide range of minibuses are available from 9 - 17 seaters, wheelchair accessible, new and used

We use cutting-edge technology, superior craftsmanship and provide exceptional customer service

Garran Workspaces Enhances Manchester Metropolitan University’s Cutting-Edge Science and Engineering Building

Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has taken a bold step in enhancing student and staff experiences within its new state-of-theart Science and Engineering Building, with the installation of highquality locker solutions from Garran Workspaces.

As part of MMU’s ambitious investment in modern learning environments, the facility required a seamless storage solution that blended security, durability, and aesthetics. Garran Workspaces, a leader in bespoke storage solutions, was chosen to design, manufacture, and install premium lockers across various zones within the facility.

A Tailored Approach to Storage

Understanding the university’s need for robust, secure, and visually appealing lockers, Garran provided a fully customised solution. The lockers, crafted to complement the building’s contemporary interior, feature durable steel bodies with sleek laminate doors in a neutral colour palette, seamlessly integrating with the facility’s architectural vision.

Each locker was designed to provide maximum security and functionality, catering to the daily needs of students, faculty, and researchers. With integrated digital combination locks, the units offer flexible access solutions, ensuring convenience and enhanced security for users.

Delivering Excellence in Education Spaces

Garran Workspaces worked closely with MMU and the project’s contractors to ensure seamless delivery and installation. The team’s expertise in large-scale educational projects allowed for a smooth, efficient process that met the university’s strict deadlines and sustainability standards.

“We are proud to have been part of this pioneering project at MMU,” said a Garran Workspaces spokesperson. “Our commitment to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with the university’s vision for an advanced, future-ready learning space.”

Sustainability and Longevity

In line with MMU’s sustainability goals, the lockers were manufactured with environmentally responsible materials and coatings, ensuring longevity while reducing the environmental footprint. The durable construction guarantees years of reliable use, making them a valuable investment for the university.

Future-Ready Storage for a World-Class Facility

The completion of the locker installation marks another milestone in MMU’s mission to provide world-class educational facilities. With cuttingedge equipment, modern study spaces, and now, high-quality storage solutions, the Science and Engineering Building sets a new benchmark for academic excellence.

For more information on how Garran Workspaces can enhance educational spaces, visit www.garran-lockers.co.uk

Manchester Metropolitan University’s new Science and Engineering Building

Garran Workspaces enhance Manchester Metropolitan University’s cutting-edge Science and Engineering Building

Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has taken a bold step in enhancing student and staff experiences within its new state-of-theart Science and Engineering Building, with the installation of high-quality locker solutions from Garran Workspaces.

As part of MMU’s ambitious investment in modern learning environments, the facility required a seamless storage solution that blended security, durability, and aesthetics. Garran Workspaces, a leader in bespoke storage solutions, was chosen to design, manufacture, and install premium lockers across various zones within the facility.

A tailored approach to storage

Understanding the university’s need for robust, secure, and visually appealing lockers, Garran provided a fully customised solution. The lockers, crafted to complement the building’s contemporary interior, feature durable steel bodies with sleek laminate doors in a neutral colour palette, seamlessly integrating with the facility’s architectural vision.

Each locker was designed to provide maximum security and functionality, catering to the daily needs of students, faculty, and researchers. With integrated digital combination locks, the units offer flexible access solutions, ensuring convenience and enhanced security for users.

Delivering excellence in education spaces

Garran Workspaces worked closely with MMU and the project’s contractors to ensure seamless delivery and installation. The team’s expertise in large-scale educational projects allowed for a smooth, efficient process that met the university’s strict deadlines and sustainability standards.

Garran states, “We are proud to have been part of this pioneering project at MMU, our commitment to quality and innovation aligns perfectly with the university’s vision for an advanced, future-ready learning space.”

Sustainability and longevity

In line with MMU’s sustainability goals, the lockers were manufactured with environmentally responsible materials and coatings, ensuring longevity while reducing the environmental footprint. The durable construction guarantees years of reliable use, making them a valuable investment for the university.

Future-ready storage for a world-class facility

The completion of the locker installation marks another milestone in MMU’s mission to provide world-class educational facilities. With cutting-edge equipment, modern study spaces, and now, high-quality storage solutions, the Science and Engineering Building sets a new benchmark for academic excellence. M

FURTHER INFORMATION

For more information on how Garran Workspaces can enhance educational spaces, visit www.garran-lockers.co.uk

Rectifying RAAC: How’s it progressing?

In 2023, just before the start of the new school year, it was declared that all spaces with reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC) must be closed, following three separate roof collapses. Why then, 18 months later, has it been revealed that 90 per cent of schools with RAAC are yet to have it removed? Meghan Shaw explores the issue

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is a lightweight, porous concrete that was popular in construction from the 1950s until the mid-1990s, particularly in public sector buildings like schools, hospitals, and prisons. A cheaper alternative to standard concrete, it is also less durable and has a lifespan of around 30 years, because its ‘bubbly’ structure makes it more susceptible to moisture. It is predominantly found as precast panels in flat roofs, and occasionally in floors and walls.

RAAC looks like concrete but can be identified by appearing as panels or planks, rather than individual concrete blocks, and these panels have a distinct chamfer along their edge. They are incredibly soft and chip away under the pressure of something as small as a screwdriver or a nail, and can bow or deflect easily under pressure. Common manufacturers of RAAC panels are Siporex, Durox, Celcon, Hebel and Ytong.

Should you suspect RAAC to be present in an education building, assistance should be

sought from an appropriately qualified building surveyor or structural engineer with experience of RAAC, and, should it be confirmed, a school must then inform the DfE via the DfE Capital Portal. Prior to further investigation, schools will need to gather and supply relevant information about their buildings and list all spaces where additional measures will be required to enable the surveyors to see the surfaces clearly.

Why has RAAC only recently become an issue?

The risks of using RAAC in place of traditional concrete structures have been known since 1961, with concerns first raised in 1996 by the Building Research Establishment, which had discovered “cracking” and “corrosion” in RAAC roofing panels, yet denied RAAC posed a safety hazard to the public. The report did not lead to any legislation or reform to remove RAAC from buildings or to move children out from under them.

The problem with RAAC in schools coincided with falling government expenditure within E

F the education sector, further exacerbating the issue. Spending on education infrastructure reached its peak in 2010, and Gordon Brown’s government ran an ambitious Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, which aimed to rebuild or renovate every secondary school in England, but was axed in 2010 by the coalition government. Capital spending for education fell from around £10 billion in 200911 down to about £4.3 billion in 2013-14.

RAAC seems to reflect a wider problem with capital underfunding in the education sector, with a Guardian investigation in 2019 revealing that one in six schools in England required urgent repairs. In 2023, research by the BBC revealed that seventeen of the schools on the list of schools affected with RAAC were due to be reconstructed over two decades earlier, yet were cancelled following the Conservative scrapping of the Labour BSF scheme.

The call to action

Concerns about RAAC in school buildings arose in 2017, when the Standing Committee on Structural Safety was asked to investigate RAAC after a school roof collapsed. A year later, part of the roof above the staff room at Singlewell Primary School in Kent collapsed without warning, which was also linked to RAAC. Kent Council subsequently wrote to other local authorities warning them to check for RAAC in their schools. There seemed little urgency to define the situation as critical, with the COVID-19 pandemic also likely hampering progress. In February 2021, the DfE published a guide on how to identify, assess, and manage RAAC in

The Liberal Democrats have revealed that RAAC still remains in 90 per cent of schools, with the government admitting that it may take up to five years to mitigate

educational buildings, and the following year asked academy trusts and councils to complete a questionnaire about RAAC in their schools. In September 2022, the DfE sent professional surveyors to visit schools to assess the presence of RAAC, and then later mentioned there was “a risk of collapse of one or more blocks in some schools” in their annual report.

In 2023, following pressure from unions and a three failed RAAC structures, one of which being a school, the government finally announced that buildings containing RAAC should be vacated just several days before schools were set to reopen for the new term.

It was announced that there were 156 educational settings in England containing RAAC, with the list updated to 237 schools and colleges in October 2024.

In August 2023, more than 100 school buildings across England were ordered to be closed while safety arrangements were made, with some pupils learning remotely, some relocated to other schools, and others forced to learn in temporary huts.

In April 2024, the DfE published extensive guidance for responsible bodies and educational institutions that had RAAC confirmed in their buildings, clarifying that the DfE will provide funding for necessary mitigation networks, as well as how best to support students who have had their learning interrupted by RAAC in school buildings. A new School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) was announced in 2020, and each school with RAAC was assigned a caseworker.

Where are we now with RAAC?

Progress, overall, has been slow, with little direction and concrete roadmaps. Although the Department for Health and Social Care earmarked £685 million investment for mitigating RAAC in hospitals until the end of 2025 in a wider move to erase RAAC from the entire NHS estate by 2035, the DfE is yet to have set out any distinct targets apart from identifying RAAC, moving children out from under it, and then eradicating it. E

Albert Cole Consultants

RAAC is potentially a very serious problem in schools, colleges and other types of buildings. But it is a myth to say that it must always be replaced at great cost.

Albert Cole Consultants take a proactive approach to determining the presence of RAAC, and are able to offer a full service from inspection, to Structural Engineering input to advise on the next steps should it be discovered, including loading calculations and advice on whether it needs full removal or can simply be left in place with additional supporting measures.

F In 2020, the government launched its School Rebuilding Programme (SRP), which is the only central government initiative to rebuild schools. The DfE, in the 2020 Spending Review asked for £7 billion in capital funding to build 200 schools a year, though the Treasury agreed to fund a 10-year project to rebuild 50 schools per year, at an average cost of £1.3 billion each year. By March 2023, SRP had awarded 24 projects, which was well below its forecast of 83, with only one project completed compared with its forecast of four. By 2024, all places on the programme were taken, with the final 100 spaces going to schools with identified RAAC.

In June 2023, the National Audit Office (NAO) reported that the DfE had calculated it needed about £5.3 billion each year from 2021-2025 to ensure school buildings were properly maintained, following a survey on the condition of school buildings. Instead, the DfE requested £4 billion and received £3.1 billion each year from the Treasury. This meant that actual funding allocations from the government have been more than 40 per cent below government-assessed levels of need.

The Liberal Democrats have recently revealed that RAAC still remains in 90 per cent of schools, with the government admitting that it may take up to five years to mitigate the issue. Only 30 schools out of the total 237 with confirmed RAAC have had it removed, meaning 207 schools still contain this dangerous material. 18 months since the forced closure of RAAC spaces, this is far from progress.

Munira Wilson MP, the Liberal Democrats education spokesperson, explained: “Thousands of children are studying in dangerous schools or inadequate temporary buildings, with the timeline for repair stretching on for years. This generation of young people saw unprecedented disruption to their education under COVID, so that 90 per cent of schools are yet to see action to remove RAAC is deeply concerning.”

The future of mitigating RAAC:

Recent developments, such as the start of a new government and its Autumn Budget, give hope that a clearer, target-based solution against RAAC in the education sector will be put in place, backed with adequate funding to meet these goals.

Chancellor Rachel Reeve’s Autumn Budget announced that the DfE settlement would increase by £11.2 billion from 2023-24 levels by 2025-26, a real terms increase of 3.5 per cent. £6.7 billion of this will be for

capital spending, which is set to increase by 19 per cent from the previous year.

Of this capital budget, £1.4 billion is set to boost the SRP, an uplift of £550 million, with the Chancellor also confirming plans for 100 SRP projects to start delivery across England next year, meaning that vital work to remove RAAC from school buildings will finally start to pick up speed. This gives much-needed reaffirmation that the government is still committed to rebuilding 518 schools through the programme, and is committed to ensuring no child is unsafe while in a school building. A further £2.1 billion will also go towards improving school maintenance next year, up by £300 million, which should keep existing school estates in much better condition, picking up any issues early on rather than waiting until they are urgent problems.

For clearer direction and RAACspecific funding or targets, we will likely need to wait until the government’s Spending Review this coming spring.

The secretary of state for education, Bridget Phillipson, has said that she “will never accept that a child should learn in a crumbling classroom,” so there is good faith that progress to eradicate RAAC from the school estate will start to pick up. L

The Goupil G4 is ideally suited to improve access into low emission zones, cities and town centres. With 11 different body configurations there is a Goupil to suit a number of applications.

Time to review your recycling and waste management processes

There are new recycling regulations coming into force in 2025 which will affect schools. As well as reviewing their recycling processes to ensure compliance, schools should also assess their waste management overall to see where efficiencies and cost savings can be made

The government has established new regulations to make recycling simpler and more standardised. This means the same set of materials will be collected everywhere in England – whether at home, work or school.

The changes were established to try and simplify the “muddled and confusing patchwork of approaches to bin collections” and also to reduce and standardise the amount of bins that are needed.

The changes come into effect on 31 March 2025. Schools will need to separate food and general waste from dry recyclable items, if they do not do so already.

Dry recycling materials include glass, metal, plastic, paper, and cardboard.

Food waste that is separated will need to be put in a specific food waste container.

According to the DfE’s Buying for Schools blog, schools can use the same bin for dry mixed recycling of glass, metal, plastic, paper and cardboard. This means that schools will need a minimum of three waste containers (bins, boxes or bags); one for general waste, one for food waste, and one for mixed dry recycling items listed above.

At the moment, the regulations do not include recycling garden waste and plastic film. E

F Getting ready for the deadline

Schools should ensure they have the appropriate bins and enough of them before the deadline. They could be colour coded and labelled so that everyone can easily identify which bin is for what waste stream.

Staff and pupils should be told about the new regulations, and why it is important to recycle properly. Signage, posters and guidelines on what needs to be recycled and in what bin is also recommended.

If a school is already separating and recycling food waste, they should still assess their current practices to ensure they comply with the new recycling regulations. Schools should also check their commercial waste collection services and licensed waste carriers adhere to the new regulations. These changes should help schools with their sustainability targets by increasing recycling rates and reducing the amount of waste it sends to landfill.

Why landfill is bad

We know that landfill is bad, but why? Landfill is a piece of land that is used to dump waste, but that waste will essentially stay there forever. It’s unsustainable as we can’t keep filling it up.

Not only does landfill produce foul smells, the decomposing of waste can also produce

Schools should ensure they have the appropriate bins and enough of them before the recycling changes come into force

highly flammable gases, such as methane, which creates a dangerous situation.

Landfill is also a large producer of greenhouse gases and therefore, a large contributor to global warming and the climate crisis.

Lots of materials that are disposed of in landfill take a very long time to decompose. However, food waste that gets caught up in landfill also takes longer to decompose, because it does not have access to enough oxygen due to the other materials in with it.

Waste in landfill also produces leachate, a liquid that runs through waste. This leachate ends up in the environment, gets into water supplies and threatens the local environment.

Recycling of electrical goods

Electrical equipment, like old computers, laptops, printers and servers, should never be sent to landfill. Not only is this bad for the environment, it also posts a security risk if data hasn’t been wiped properly. All education E

F establishments must comply with the WEEE directive, and ensure they recycle their electrical equipment in a compliant manner. Schools should also consider whether they can donate or sell old electrical equipment.

Conduct a waste management audit

To improve waste management processes, schools should conduct a waste audit to help identify what waste is produced and in what quantities. It should include an assessment of

the amount of bins in the school premises and whether they are in the right locations. Although messy, an examination of what’s in the bins will help a school understand the waste it produces.

Schools should examine their current waste collection arrangements, making a note of the frequency and whether or not the bins are too full – or not full enough – each time.

The monthly cost of waste disposal should be identified, including examining where there are large quantities of waste and high costs.

Crucially, schools should look to minimise the waste they produce. Paper could be reduced by printing less and increasing digital interactions.

Banning single-use plastics, such as plastic bags, straws, bottles and food packaging, is an effective way of drastically reducing plastic waste.

Food waste is a major problem in schools, accounting for around 55,408 tonnes of food annually. To reduce this, schools should examine if they are serving portions that are too big, or if there are particular items on the menu that are not enjoyed. Schools could implement a pre-selection system where parents pick meals in advance so catering teams can prepare the right amounts. Schools can also set up food sharing programmes, if they have a surplus.

The new recycling regulations coming into force on 31 March 2025 provide a good opportunity for schools to review both their waste management and recycling processes, to ensure compliance as well as efficiency. M

The Schools & Academies Show 2025: Mapping the future of your school

#SAASHOW, known as the Schools & Academies Show, returns to London in May!

As the education sector gears up to embrace new challenges in 2025, the Schools & Academies Show is set to make its highly anticipated return to Excel London on the 15th May, presenting not just one, but three colocated events.

Introducing EdTech Innovate, The School Estates Summit, and The SEND Conference. Each co-located event opens doors to fresh opportunities, enabling visitors to connect and collaborate in a larger exhibition space with leading education suppliers. These suppliers empower school leaders to enhance school performance and elevate outcomes for all pupils.

The #SAAShow team 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.

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.

With a keen focus on the evolving educational landscape, staff recruitment and retention, budget balancing, stakeholder engagement, and more, we’ve diligently worked to ensure our show covers the most pressing issues currently facing schools and MATs.

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

Don’t miss out on the chance to join us for what promises to be our most impactful show yet.

Register

today

Register for FREE* today to join thousands of schools and MAT leaders looking to learn and find the best solutions to better their teaching and learning outcomes. Be part of this transformative experience shaping the future of education!

Your free ticket will give you access to 40+ hours of CPD accredited content, spanning across our 13 themed theatres. Visitors will also have 8 hours of peer-to-peer networking and access to meet with over 200 leading education suppliers showcasing revolutionary products and services for the sector. M

*Please note: registration is FREE for schools, MATs, academies, colleges, universities, charities, not-for-profits, local and central government and the wider public sector.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Register to attend here

Visit our website below for more information: www.schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk

A holistic approach to ensuring fire safety

Fire engineering experts Ashish Kirori and Tabea Uhr outline the challenges associated with fires in various building types, including educational, and examines the essential role of a fire engineer in developing effective fire strategies understanding of the project, relevant regulations, and potential fire risks.

Fire engineers are pivotal in designing and implementing effective fire strategies for all types of buildings. Effective engineering bridges the gap between regulatory requirements and practical, site-specific solutions. Fire engineers have key responsibilities, which begin by assessing the building’s concept design to identify potential sources of ignition, combustible materials, and overall vulnerabilities. This evaluation helps prioritise areas needing attention. They then analyse travel distances and recommended detection and alarm systems. ‘Travel distance’ refers to the maximum distance occupants must travel to reach a safe exit. Shorter travel distances, particularly critical for younger children, are essential for a swift evacuation. Fire engineers calculate these distances in line with regulatory guidelines, ensuring that evacuation routes are both effective and safe. Fire engineers also recommend the building’s detection and alarm systems, integrating both manual call points and automatic detectors, comply with standards like BS 5839-1.

Fire engineers will then evaluate compartmentation. Effective compartmentation divides a building into fire-resistant sections to contain fire and smoke within, providing crucial extra minutes for evacuation and also benefits business continuity. Fire engineers review existing compartmentation and recommend improvements such as upgrading fire doors, adding fire-resistant walls, etc. The final measure is to coordinate with approving authorities; collaborating with building control and local fire services is essential. Fire engineers develop and present their strategies for the building site to demonstrate a thorough

Schools

Fire safety in schools is a top priority for educators, parents, and regulators. Schools pose unique risks due to vulnerable occupants (school children) and complex layouts that

hinder evacuation. Despite the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, fires persist due to outdated fire safety systems, insufficient alarms, and poor escape routes – often caused by weak enforcement, non-compliance, or financial constraints on safety upgrades.

Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) provides tailored fire safety design principles for new school buildings, extensions, and refurbishments. Unlike standard regulations, it addresses the specific needs of educational environments.

Key fire safety challenges in schools include occupant vulnerability, as young children need structured evacuation plans and supervision during an evacuation.

Schools often have complex layouts, which feature multiple floors, specialised rooms and atria, requiring detailed evacuation analysis.

Another challenge is the high occupancy of schools. With hundreds of students and staff, efficient evacuation procedures are essential. BB100 advocates for sprinkler systems in new schools, with exemptions requiring justification. It also offers risk assessment and cost-benefit tools to support fire safety planning. Beyond structural measures, regular fire drills, and staff training, frequent strategy updates are crucial. However, budget limitations require cost-effective solutions. In response, emerging smart technologies, such as fire modelling software and sensor networks, are enhancing school fire safety. Comprehensive fire safety strategies, innovative engineering, and continuous improvement are essential to protecting school occupants and ensuring a safe learning environment for future generations.

Residential

Since the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, fire safety regulations and design recommendations for residential buildings in the UK have changed significantly. These changes aim to make homes safer and prevent similar disasters, but clients and designers might find themselves facing complicated and everchanging laws, guidance and recommendations. E

F The key fire safety challenges include stricter regulations on building materials. Combustible materials are now banned from the building envelop and the use of flammable materials are limited. Façade remediations are required by law and the insurance industry. Another challenge is new work processes and submission at planning. Buildings must pass “gateways” at different stages of planning, construction and use. For projects in London, additional restrictions apply.

Sprinkler systems are now recommended in buildings over 11 m. Other active systems (such as fire detection and alarm systems, smoke control systems, etc.) should also be provided.

Another challenge is compartmentation. Each flat is designed to contain fire (compartmentation), through providing fire resistant walls, floors and doors. Compartmentation, and the provision of multiple means of escape (stairs and evacuation lifts), form the foundation of a safe home. Therefore, for both new and existing residential buildings, care should be given

to understand the legal requirements for each building. Staying up-to-date with the continuing changes in legislation (e.g., Building Safety Act 2022) and design guidance is and will remain essential.

Other building types

Other building types, such as custodial premises, have other challenges and requirements. Following the Grenfell Tower fire, custodial premises in England were found to contain high fire risks, prompting life safety improvement works across different sites. These works typically include a compartmentation review, which is essential for supporting evacuation while keeping offenders secured within the building. This involves assessing the quality of the existing fabric and performing retrospective fire stopping works. Work includes smoke control systems. Installation in main circulation routes to maintain tenable conditions during evacuation. Most existing sites lack these systems and are required to be retrofitted at significant cost.

Key fire safety challenges in

schools include occupant vulnerability, as young children need structured evacuation plans and supervision during an evacuation

It also includes water mist suppression. Current protocol allows for cell misting before the evacuation from a cell. While most sites have mobile units, modern recommendations are for fixed systems, with nozzles in each cell.

These refurbishment works present common challenges across custodial premises nationwide. However, each site requires careful design to balance fire safety with security needs. New buildings on custodial premises are typically limited to temporary cells to support the refurbishment works.

Another building type that includes site specific fire safety measures are warehouses.

Warehouses play a vital role in the UK supply chain but present significant fire safety challenges due to their large open spaces, high storage densities, and mixed-use layouts. Ensuring fire safety is crucial for protecting both assets and lives. Fire engineers assess floor plans, storage materials, and operational risks to design effective fire strategies.

The key fire safety challenges include travel distances and evacuation. Large warehouses require well-planned escape routes that comply with UK regulations. Clearly marked exits, fire doors, and emergency lighting are essential for safe evacuation.

Challenges also include compartmentation. Fire-resistant barriers help contain fire outbreaks, preventing rapid spread and giving occupants more time to evacuate and also aid in business continuity. This is critical for warehouses storing hazardous or combustible materials.

High-racked storage and fire spread is another challenge. Tall racking systems can obstruct sprinklers, while flammable packaging materials increase fire load and ignition risks. Fire suppression systems must be carefully designed to address these challenges. Limited fire hydrant access is another possible challenge. Warehouses in remote areas may have restricted access to hydrants, requiring alternative suppression methods like on-site water storage or foam-based systems.

The final challenge includes operational hazards, as forklifts, electrical equipment, and battery charging stations pose ignition risks. Fire zoning and strict safety protocols help mitigate these dangers.

A well-planned fire strategy addressing evacuation, compartmentation, and fire suppression is key to safeguarding warehouses and their occupants. In addition, regular maintenance, safety drills, and system testing are essential for long-term fire protection.

How can SOCOTEC Help?

SOCOTEC is committed to providing comprehensive support throughout the planning, design and construction process.

To discuss your needs with one of its experts, E mail firesafety@socotec.co.uk or visit www.socotec.co.uk . Alternatively view the brochure Fire Engineering Services Brochure 2025 . M

FURTHER INFORMATION

www.socotec.co.uk

Introducing Mini Maths from Action Mats

The principles of basic mathematics are rooted in numbers, patterns and sequences

Mini Maths

Mini Maths is an exciting opportunity for Early Years children to further develop basic mathematical concepts within a physical environment. Building on any learning done in the classroom, Mini Maths harnesses the power of active learning while developing pupils’ understanding of maths within a new and engaging environment.

Written by early years practitioners, activity plans have been specifically developed to be delivered in either a classroom or in a larger space such as a hall or gymnasium.

Each lesson contains two activities and explores single digit numbers and values. All plans follow a similar format with groups of up to eight pupils, and a minimum of one adult, to lead the lessons.

Each lesson follows a theme that sees pupils complete repetitions of actions and find corresponding numerals and values. This format allows for simplicity of setting up and delivering lessons, as well as repetition for students, which is the bedrock of early years learning.

Development of mathematical language

Mini Maths also allows for the development of mathematical language and vocabulary, imperative for further learning and development.

Lessons focus on communication, collaborative learning and problem solving, vital for being able to apply mathematical understanding in future learning.

Mini Maths is designed to be a supplementary set to use with our Mini Mats set designed specifically for early years. The activities featured in Mini Mats are designed to encourage the development of movement skills, balance and coordination, fine and gross motor skills and proprioception in foundation stage children. Exploring their capabilities in a fun and safe way, is a great way to challenge and encourage development. Group activities focus on cooperation and peer support to enhance social skills.

All Action Mats resources endeavour to encourage children to cooperate and communicate, to support and encourage each other, as we feel life skills need to be enhanced at every opportunity.

Active learning is proven to open up parts of cognitive receptibility in young children and Mini Maths is the perfect way to embed learning, movement and high engagement to enrich pupils’ development. M

FURTHER INFORMATION

actionmats.co.uk | sales@actionmats.co.uk 01462 816 907

Enhance inclusivity with the nasen Quality Framework

nasen are committed to advocating for inclusivity and accessibility across the education sector. The nasen Quality Framework offers a comprehensive review service to ensure products and resources meet the diverse needs of all users and align with best practice

What is the nasen Quality Framework?

The nasen Quality Framework is an enhanced consultancy service where our specialist team evaluates your product or resource against evidence-informed criteria. These criteria assess inclusivity, ensuring your offering is fit for purpose and beneficial to a wide audience. After the review, you receive a detailed report and verbal feedback highlighting strengths and providing actionable recommendations.

The review process examines your product or resource across key areas: Product/resource brief: Is there a clear rationale supported by evidence? Has input been sought from users, specialists, and other stakeholders?

Content: Does the content suit the intended audience? Is messaging positive, and are spelling, grammar, and pedagogy sound?

Format and design: Is the product intuitive and accessible? Are visual and auditory supports provided? Is it adaptable, with cognitive load managed?

Language: Is the language inclusive, clear, and person-centred?

Representation: Does the product reflect diverse groups of society?

User guidance: Are instructions clear, concise, and considerate of workload and cognitive load?

Our findings are presented in a report with recommendations categorised as ‘priority’ (for nasen Assured status) or additional suggestions to enhance inclusivity.

What is nasen Assured?

Products meeting high standards of inclusivity may achieve nasen Assured status. Benefits include: a nasen Assured logo, valid for two years; exposure on the nasen website and in Connect magazine; a 20 per cent discount on advertising; and recognition in event brochures for nasen LIVE and Awards.

nasen Assured status is not guaranteed and is offered free to those meeting the highest standards of inclusivity. Our team provide guidance to support your journey toward achieving this recognition.

Why choose the nasen Quality Framework?

By partnering with nasen, you gain access to specialists dedicated to advancing inclusivity. We identify areas for improvement while celebrating your product’s strengths. With supportive guidance, you can refine your product or resource to meet diverse needs and foster accessibility. M

FURTHER INFORMATION

Find out more: https://bit.ly/4g39N2t

Thames Barrier The View

Thames Barrier The View Conference Centre

The Thames Barrier

Thames Barrier The View

The Thames Barrier

Conference Centre

The Thames Barrier

Conference Centre

Unique meetingroomswith views of the River andspaciousand o er variousroom layout

Unique meetingroomswith views of the River andspaciousand o er variousroom layout

On the River Thames, view one of London's iconic structures from our grounds. Visit our Information Centre, where you can learn how the Thames Barrier was designed , built and works.

On the River Thames, view one of London's iconic structures from our grounds. Visit our Information Centre, where you can learn how the Thames Barrier was designed , built and works.

Unique meetingroomswith views of the River andspaciousand o er variousroom layouts Meeting, eventhire for upto

On the River Thames, view one London's iconic structures from grounds. Visit our Information Centre, where you can learn how the Thames Barrier was designed , built and works.

Meeting, eventhire for upto

Meeting, eventhire for upto

Our packages and prices are available on our website

Our packages and prices are available on our website

Please tel ephone 0208 305 41 61 or emailusat

Meeting, event hire for up to

Our packages and prices are available on our website

Please tel ephone 0208 305 41 61 or emailusat

Please tephone 0208 305 4188 or emailus a Thamesbarriertheview@environment-agency gov.uk

Thamesbarriertheview @environment-agency.gov.uk

Thamesbarriertheview @environment-agency.gov.uk

Please tephone 0208 305 4188 or emailus a Thamesbarriertheview@environment-agency. gov.uk

Please tephone 0208 305 4188 or emailus at Thamesbarriertheview@environment-agency. gov.uk

Please note there is no access on theThamesBarrierStructure.

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Thamesbarriertheview@environment-agency. gov.uk for more details.

Please tel ephone 0208 305 41 61 or emailusat Thamesbarriertheview @environment-agency.gov.uk

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Thamesbarriertheview @environment-agency.gov.uk for more details.

Thamesbarriertheview@environment-agency. gov.uk for more details.

Please tephone 0208 305 4188 or email us at Thamesbarriertheview@environment-agency. gov.uk

Please note there is no access on the Thames Barrier Structure. Please or email us at Thamesbarriertheview @environment-agency.gov.uk

Please note there is no access on theThamesBarrierStructure.

Please note there is no access on the Thames Barrier Structure.

Thamesbarriertheview@environment-agency. gov.uk for more details.

Please note there is no access onto theThamesBarrierStructure.

Please note there is no access on the Thames Barrier Structure.

Thamesbarriertheview @environment-agency.gov.uk for more details.

Please note there is no access onto the Thames Barrier Structure.

Please note there is no access onto the Thames Barrier Structure.

Please note there is no access onto the Thames Barrier Structure.

Please note there is no access on the Thames Barrier Structure.

Please note there is no access onto the Thames Barrier Structure.

Education Business LIVE is a carefully designed conference and exhibition bringing together education people with a passion for the promotion and development of effective school leadership, management, learning and teaching. Educationalists Government Policy-makers Session Talks Networking

Attendance is free of charge to

Ultra-processed food: is it too late to change?

Ultra-processed foods make up a worrying portion of childrens’ diets. Education Business explores the issue and what is being done about it

Making sure children have a healthy diet is one of the key priorities for both parents and educators across the country.

Worryingly, a study found that toddlers in the UK obtain almost half of their calories from ultra-processed foods (UPF), rising to 59 per cent by the age of seven.

Ultra-processed foods include many additives and ingredients that are not typically used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colours and flavours.

Examples include mass-produced bread, biscuits, carbonated drinks, and instant soups.

Even some breakfast cereals and fruit-flavoured yogurts that are often branded as the ‘healthy’ option for children’s meals are ultra-processed.

These foods are often cheap, easy to access and addictive.

The British Nutrition Foundation said that if children don’t get all the nutrients they need from their diet, then this could affect their development. For example, children need enough calcium for strong bones and enough vitamin A to support a healthy immunity. Children with unhealthy diets can also have an increased risk of some diseases in later life (for example, type 2 diabetes and heart disease).

It can also increase the risk of being overweight or obese.

Schools play a major part in shaping the diets of young people. But are they too reliant on ultra-processed foods for school meals?

We take a look at what the government and other organisations are doing to make E

F sure ultra processed foods do not become a core part of a students’ diet.

House of Lords review

In October last year, the House of Lords published its review of UPF.

The Committee took evidence from a diverse group of voices and laid out a set of recommendations, as well as exploring how to promote healthy diets in schools.

They highlighted that “too many schools are failing to offer food of an acceptable standard for children and young people.”

In response, they stated that the “monitoring of compliance with improved school food standards and support for schools to procure healthier food must be brought in.”

In addition to reviewing Free School Meal policy, the Committee recommended that the government should “ take forward reforms to the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services to ensure that schools as well as other public sector organisations must procure healthier food.”

The Committee also recognised that unhealthy eating behaviours are established at an early age. They said the government

Even some breakfast cereals and fruit-flavoured yogurts that are often branded as the ‘healthy’ option for children’s meals are ultra-processed

should “set goals for improving maternal and infant nutrition to prevent childhood obesity, [and] develop a comprehensive and integrated strategy by the end of 2025.”

They also commented that the government should “legislate by the end of 2025 to set strong mandatory compositional and marketing standards for commercial infant foods” and “immediately review food standards for early years settings, making them mandatory, supporting early years settings to meet them and establishing a performance framework.”

This review was largely commended by educators and nutrition experts. Executive director of The Food Foundation, Anna Taylor, called it a “brilliant report”, and said “everything else dwarfs into insignificance when you look at the evidence.”

She continued: “Their three big areas for action start with a systematic regulatory crackdown on businesses which continue to relentlessly push low nutrient foods which are loaded with calories; second a raft of measures which government can introduce to support children to get the good nutrition they need to grow; and third the steps needed to ensure that good policies can be developed into the future, and progress can be monitored – including a new law which sets out our expectations of the food system to protect the nation’s health.”

People pushing for change

It is not just the government that has felt the need to push for young people to have access to healthy food and heavily cut down on UPFs.

One new school-based programme in the works is aiming to incorporate nutrition into the education system: Real Food Rebellion

It is currently at pre-pilot stage and will be running a nationwide pilot programme in the summer term of 2025.

The first to complete the pre-pilot was Dunesville Primary School in Doncaster, part of the Brighter Futures Learning Partnership Trust, which is a creative partner in the project.

It features educational modules, developed by teachers and health professionals, to explain why real food is best and how to make healthier choices.

As well as this upcoming programme, the Felix Project is another group hoping to make a change to children’s ultra-processed diets.

They provide a host of different services for schools across London. The charity collects food from places such as farms and supermarkets, which is then turned into nutritious meals by a team of volunteers. This food is delivered to local schools to help feed children, families and individuals in need.

For their Holiday Programme, the charity partnered with the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to deliver 10 million meals over the next year to combat hunger and help young people have healthy meals during the school holiday breaks.

The food comes in a variety of formats from traditional food parcels, to prepared meals and even recipe boxes to encourage families to cook together at home.

While the current state of children’s ultra-processed diet can seem grim, organisations such as these are trying to make real change. L

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