On Safer Internet Day, Julian Stanley, Teacher Support Network Chief Executive, said: “Through our free and confidential support services we have seen an increase in recent years in the number of teachers contacting us about their experiences of bullying by pupils, parents and other school staff via new technologies such as the internet and mobile phones.
“What was once a note passed among pupils in the classroom is now posted on the internet for all to see.
“Cyberbullying not only has a negative effect on the wellbeing of teachers but also seriously undermines their ability to deliver high quality education to their pupils.
The Conservatives pledged its latest education policy last month – vowing not to let teachers into the profession with degrees of less than a 2:2. Conservative leader David Cameron said the Tories would be “brazenly elitist” when it came to admissions to the profession, in a similar way to countries such as Finland and South Korea. While some have pointed out that less than four per cent of teachers currently working in the UK actually have a third class degree, The Times Educational Supplement claims that one in six maths and ICT teachers working today would fail to make it into the classroom under the reforms proposed by the Conservatives. With some subjects seriously undersubscribed, would Cameron’s policy actually make the situation in the UK worse. Or is it about time that standards were raised?
The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, saw the first school Energy Display Meter in action as part of a £12 million energy efficiency initiative to help schools and pupils to become more aware of energy use.
In a visit to Pimlico Academy in Westminster, London, the Secretary of State spoke to pupils and teachers about how the new technology, which gives real-time information about electricity use in their school, will help them to understand more about how simple changes in behaviour can make a big difference to the amount of energy consumed in their school.
Earlier this month HRH the Prince of Wales, President, Business in the Community (BITC) led a group of CEOs to see the benefits that partnerships between businesses and community organisations can bring to society.
The visit was to Surrey Square Junior School in Southwark, recently graded as ‘Outstanding’ in all areas, thanks to the work of Liz Robinson, (the youngest head teacher in the country at the time of her appointment), her staff, and the support of a range of local and national businesses. The school community faces a range of serious social and economic challenges, and has found that the involvement of businesses has raised aspirations and expectations. Volunteers read with the pupils each week, and Governors ensure that the strategic leadership of the organisation is at the highest level.
Microsoft survey demonstrates the importance of a connected approach to learning, with responsibilities of both teachers and parents as learning spreads beyond the classroom
The study explored the attitudes of parents of secondary school age children (11-18 year olds) across the UK and revealed that making IT in education a success is more than just about access to the right technology. In order for children to truly benefit, there must be parental understanding of PCs as a learning resource as well as effective parental engagement.
Kids Say Slow Down is the theme of Road Safety Week 2010 and you can take part and help stop the carnage of our children on roads.
Wherever you live around the globe, and whatever you do, you can campaign for slower speeds during RSW10, 22-28 November 2010 and it’s never too early to start planning! Just go to www.roadsafetyweek.org for ideas for you, whether you are a teacher, company, campaigner, or road safety professional.
“Alcohol misuse among young people is no laughing matter but using comedy is a creative way to get people thinking about it. Although not all young people drink, those that do drink are drinking more and more often, putting themselves at risk.
Teacher’s Got Talent is a new fundraising challenge from international development charity, VSO, working in partnership with education recruitment specialist, Randstad Education, the new name for Select Education. The challenge will raise vital funds for developing countries and provide schools with an exciting new way to teach the Global Citizenship curriculum and the chance to win resources and support.
VSO, which tackles global poverty by sending volunteers to share their professional expertise in some of the world's poorest communities, is using Teacher's Got Talent to show how skill sharing can be used as a way to help people lift themselves out of poverty.
Celebrity chef Prue Leith opened the new state-of-the-art culinary facilities at Doncaster College yesterday which will provide the latest in the national School FEAST training provision for the school food workforce.
The college is one of 29 specialist centres and partnerships comprising School FEAST (Food Skills and Excellence Training), the national training network. It became a regional training centre for the School FEAST network in November 2008 after a successful bid with partners, Doncaster School Meals Service and NHS Doncaster. As a result, a brand new state-of-the-art training facility has been built at the college.
Government plans to cap state contributions to teachers’ pensions have made retirement planning more important than ever before.
For the proposals announced in December in the pre-Budget report raise the prospect that the benefits former teachers receive from their pensions will be reduced in the longer term.
While the scale of the cut in employer contributions is yet to be announced, teachers’ pensions are thought the most likely to be the first in the public sector to be revalued.
Sir Bob Geldof, co-founder of Groupcall, addressed representatives from 150 Manchester based schools, exploring the issue of unauthorised absences on a nationwide scale.
At the event, which was hosted at Manchester City Football Club, Sir Bob Geldof delivered a speech on how a national problem, such as unauthorised absences, can be eased via parental engagement. The purpose of the event was to celebrate a partnership between Manchester City Council and Groupcall, a leading provider of parental communication products to the education sector, which will see all of MCC’s 167 schools provided with Groupcall’s parental communication system, Groupcall Messenger.
The Formica Group is pleased to be exhibiting a selection of its most innovative products, for the school environment, at this year’s Building Schools Exhibition and Conference (BSEC), The Formica Group will showcase Formica® High Pressure Laminate, Formica® Compact Top, Formica® Chemtop2 TM and Formica® Bespoke on stand 902. Offering highly decorative, dependable, hygienic and low maintenance surfaces, the Formica® product range offers a wide variety of colours and designs to provide the right mix of materials for educational environments and to help create stimulating surroundings and encourage effective learning for students.
A revolutionary new multi-purpose book holder which helps people with a disability to read and write is already gaining widespread approval.
The Hold It, one of more than 150 new products featured in the latest catalogue from Nottingham Rehab Supplies, can also be used to support a laptop or act as a writing stand, and recently won a prestigious Innovation Award at the enABLE exhibition.
The ingenious three-in-one design makes it a valuable aid for those who otherwise may find it difficult to read and write, and The Hold It received excellent reviews when it was showcased at enABLE.
Bott, the leading manufacturer of industrial storage solutions, has unveiled bott verso – a new range of versatile storage equipment to provide schools, colleges and universities with high quality systems at a cost-competitive price.
The bott verso collection includes workbenches, cabinets and cupboards, to offer a comprehensive choice of storage systems that can be used in science laboratories and technology and design workshops as well as classrooms and offices. The products’ design gives the range a distinctive appearance, which will complement any learning environment.
A new website Autismlinks - www.autismlinks.co.uk has been launched to guide visitors through the maze of autism information. The site brings together some of the best resources on the internet on autism spectrum disorders.
The website, sponsored by The Hesley Group, has been set up for parents, carers and professionals of people on the autistic spectrum. It provides a signposting service for news, conference dates and website links to publications and educational journals. The website also includes a section where questions can be sent and answered by an expert.
Architects, specifiers, contractors and buildings/facilities managers should visit leading flooring and walling specialist Altro on stand 626 at this year’s BSEC exhibition. From corridors to classrooms, kitchens to sports halls, Altro has flooring or walling solutions that are safe, hygienic and attractive – and ideal for the education sector.
Aluminium glazing specialist, Technal, has launched a new rapid-build façade system for low rise building applications such as schools and colleges, both new build and refurbishment projects.
MODAL is designed to provide robust, stylish and high performance glazing. It has an innovative modular design, developed to reduce work on site and provide the widest choice of configuration options currently available for façades up to two storeys.
A Nottingham-based education specialist has secured a major contract with one of Australia’s largest IT distributors to supply its innovative laptop storage and charging system to schools across the country.
Monarch Education’s agreement comes just weeks after the firm struck a deal with global computer giant Dell to have LapCabby included as part of the company’s Connected Classroom initiative in China.
The annual Building Schools Exhibition & Conference (BSEC) takes place this month in London’s ExCel exhibition centre from the 24 to 25 February. The show will again play host to visitors ranging from architects, teachers, educational managers, builders, ICT specialists, Local Authority heads and sub-contractors.
BSEC has become the largest event for those involved in education construction and design, since its inception four years ago. Last year, the show and conference attracted more than 5,000 visitors, and it seems likely that many more will attend this year. The combination of the recession and the General Election this year, means that now, more than ever, those involved in education construction and design have questions about the future of school building projects going forward.
At BSEC Stand 854 of Hall S14, it is easy to see why Junckers is Europe’s leading producer of 100% solid, pre-finished hardwood floors and the market leader in the sports flooring sector. Ideal for stage or dance practice areas as well as assembly, dining and multi-use halls, corridors and receptions, Junckers floors and sub-floor systems offer proven safety, guaranteed performance along with impressive life cycle costings. The product of high-level research and development, Junckers floors are made from fully sustainable hardwood, meet all required standards and offer a 25 year installation, product and maintenance warranty.
Cavendish School in Hemel Hempstead, a specialist sports school, had a new purpose built sports hall constructed during their summer break with Gerflor’s Taraflex Sport M Plus flooring their preferred option. It provides users with a safe, technically advanced sports floor, including an optimum Grip/Slide compromise, a friction burn-free surface and a consistent high performance, shock absorbing floor that complies with the new BSEN14904 sports floor standard.
Schools need to provide a good learning environment so unwanted noise or chilly classrooms must be avoided. Secondary glazing can offer a simple and effective solution which is particularly appropriate for traditional or listed buildings with preserved facades.
Secondary glazing provides an additional purpose designed window on the room side of the existing window. The frames incorporate high performance seals to limit the discomfort of draughts and the extra pane of glass traps an insulating layer to hold in the warmth and reduce fuel costs. Use of modern thermally efficient glass in secondary glazing can match the performance of new windows and so help the building meet much more demanding energy performance standards.
With almost 50 years of experience in the education sector, Rockfon has established itself as one of the leading manufacturers of acoustic ceiling solutions and has now launched three new acoustic solutions to enhance its offering. These are Rockfon Contour baffles, Rockfon Eclipse ceiling islands and the impact resistant Rockfon Boxer ceiling system.
Rockfon Contour is an economic baffle offering new opportunities for correcting acoustics in areas where frequent and unhindered access to service installations is required. It is also ideal for acoustic correction in premises using thermal mass, by enabling the air to flow freely around the room.
At the 2010 Building Schools Exhibition and Conference (BSEC), Dulux Trade will be inviting delegates to experience its ‘Transforming Schools’ campaign first hand, with a stand that demonstrates how transforming a school’s interior can change students’ attitudes to learning and, subsequently, their academic performance.
The Dulux Trade stand, 650, will re-create a working classroom environment. Divided into two areas, one side of the classroom will be smart, modern and stimulating, providing an instant visual comparison to its uninspiring counterpart, thereby reinforcing how cost effective changes, such as the colourful re-painting of a room, can improve a school and the learning experience for both teachers and pupils.
When I was at school, the Internet was a magical thing. Tucked away in another room and hooked up to a single machine, using it was a privilege and those that did had to be quick, because it wasn’t cheap either. Integrating it into learning was in its infancy and most of us were blissfully unaware that another world lay beyond that door, with only the more tech savvy ever venturing in to find out. It seems almost archaic now and yet I’m not even that old! Becci Knowles reports on the use of technology in education from BETT 2010...
St Aidan’s Church of England Academy in Darlington, the fastest changing school to academy in the UK, has partnered with Ramesys and Kodit to implement full on-site ICT services to support its recent move to a new £16.4 million building.
Alan Dick, assistant principal said: “In accordance with the school’s transition to become an academy and its relocation to the new site, cutting-edge ICT solutions were imperative. To support us we appointed Kodit and Ramesys which both boast a positive and strong presence in the education sector.”
Harnessing the benefits of technology delivers a significant competitive advantage not only to your students but also to the educational establishment as a whole. Balancing the benefits of technology against costs both to your budget and the environment is not always an easy task. Consideration of the Total Cost of Ownership is high on the agenda in the education sector. Comparing only the product cost is now less important than consideration of the overall cost taking into account lamp life and lamp costs, for example. Operating costs – defined in terms of power consumption – also play an important role. This development is being reinforced by tougher legislation, such as the new EuP directive, which imposes limits on standby power consumption.
DRS has been AQA’s technology partner since 2003, when, after a successful pilot, the awarding body appointed it to improve marking standards through electronic marking. With access to electronic marking technologies, including imaging techniques, AQA examiners and markers can mark scripts efficiently and effectively without the logistical problems faced with paper script marking. Over nine million scripts are marked using e Marker® with 20,000 home based and centre markers submitting marks over the DRS e-Marker® infrastructure.
Epping Forest College has completed a major technical upgrade allowing the college to offer innovative Arts and Media facilities that will keep present and future students up to date with the latest equipment, skills and practices.
Clarity in Sound, Light and Vision Limited, specialists in sound, lighting and audio visual installations for education, has completed the development of the technical infrastructure required for the College’s Arts and Media department - including its television studio, dance and drama studio and the main college theatre.
Take a seat and imagine yourself being taught your favourite lesson as a child. If you think about it, you can probably imagine the voice of your teacher without too much difficulty.
Next, imagine a power cut kills the lights: shut your eyes (if they weren’t closed already) and try again, so that you cannot see your teacher. Writing on the board goes unnoticed. Arm-waving and gesticulations for emphasis also pass you by. Demonstrations for emphasis or entertainment are now pretty irrelevant.
Now, by way of comparison, consider the same scene, but this time you can see your teacher but you have a bad cold and your blocked ears mean you cannot hear well.
Designers of a new extension to Banbury School in Oxfordshire have used two monocast drainage systems from water management specialist, ACO Technologies, to create an external environment that is in harmony with the building’s ecological ambitions. The systems, ACO KerbDrain and ACO ParkDrain, which are both manufactured from Vienite™ - a breakthrough recycled material, form a drainage network that quickly removes surface water from new areas of hardstanding to a series of soakaways that recharge local groundwater and reduce flood risk by ensuring there is no additional load on the existing main sewers.
Tough, durable yet highly cost competitive, Supacord has always been the perfect choice for schools, colleges and universities. However, now architects are recognising the design opportunities of this versatile carpet and the ability to cost effectively create the ‘wow’ factor in schools and colleges. Available in 40 colours, including bright reds, blues, and greens, Supacord has taken a leap from functional carpet to designer feature. Supacord also has an environmental rating that is unsurpassed, with an A+ BRE Global rating and thermal properties that effectively conserve heat.
Shocking statistics such as 178 teachers dying from mesotheliomain in the last 25 years – one of the most aggressive forms of cancer linked to asbestos exposure – puts asbestos testing and management at the top of most schools health and safety list.
Schools and colleges currently have a legal responsibility to manage the presence of undamaged asbestos, rather than risk damaging it by removal, and provide proof of regular inspection.
CP Electronics has supplied dimming controls and microwave sensors to Arthur Mellows Village College in Peterborough. The college has benefited from a £8.4 million grant to build new buildings and carry out extensive refurbishment. Vitesse Plus Marshalling Boxes from CP were chosen for the classrooms and refectory to operate in conjunction with Ridi Lighting’s stylish F-LINE low profile luminaires with T5 80W fluorescent lamps which provide a broad, even distribution. CP’s MWS3 and MWS1 microwave detectors have been installed in the corridors and toilets. Vitesse Plus marshalling boxes from CP offer, multi-channel switching for the control of up to three rooms, PIR and switch control, dimming options and daylight linking.
Foremans, recently completed a project for Slough Borough Council. Working over a weekend and to a tight programme to avoid disruption to the Town Hall offices, Foremans removed a 17-module Portakabin buildings from the site in the centre of Slough.
Commenting on the project, Jamila Ibrahim, Moves Co-ordinator at Slough Borough Council, said, “The introduction of new ways of working, has freed up space within the main Council office building, which meant this modular building became surplus to our requirements.”
Terrapin’s offsite building expertise has won top marks from a comprehensive school in Worcestershire. Terrapin’s Unitrex ‘flat pack’ building system has provided a speedy solution to an urgent need for additional learning space at Hagley Catholic High School. Using factory-fabricated Unitrex panelised units, quickly assembled on site, Terrapin was able to achieve rapid completion of a new 70m² single-storey classroom for the school’s IT department, taking just five weeks for on-site works.
SportsArt Fitness UK is no stranger to the educational sector and has many years experience in working closely with schools, colleges and universities to identifying and develop fitness opportunities. As part of an international fitness equipment manufacturing group, SportsArt has designed sporting facilities, supplying a range of cardio and strength training equipment that can be purchased, rented or utilised in the development of ‘dual-use’ commercially managed operations that are self financing.
Over the years, SportsArt has identified that many educational establishments under-use their sporting facilities that could be exploited further for the benefit of the school and local community. A ‘dual use’ operation generates an income for the school by allowing the sporting facilities to be used out of normal hours. There are many educational establishments that have already benefited by SportsArt qualified experience in planning and setting up of dual-use facilities.
The law, and education, is transforming to reflect the changes in the SEN landscape. Recent statistics indicate that as many as one in five children in the UK have a special educational need (SEN); a number that has increased steadily in the past four years.
This has resulted in a number of changes; for example, teachers undergoing Bachelor of Education Initial Teacher Training (BEd ITT) now undertake a module on special educational needs and existing SENCOs now have qualified teacher status. Newly appointed SENCOs now receive accredited training in order to further increase the quality of teaching for SEN pupils in mainstream education.
Victor Manufacturing has been manufacturing catering equipment including banqueting trolleys and hot cupboards, since the end of the second world war, and its robust, British-build products have been favourites with caterers ever since.
Peter Brewin, marketing manager at Victor says: “Two Victor Banquetline 100 heated cabinets were recently specified by Number One Great George Street in Westminster for transporting gastronorm containers of food from its refurbished central kitchen to no fewer than 19 function and banqueting rooms which cater for any number between six and 400. And, whilst combi ovens can do the initial cooking and then regenerate food for service, they aren’t mobile, which is where Banquetline comes into action.”
Milk Break is the first school compliant milkshake mix made with water rather than milk. Launched by Aimia Foods, Milk Break uses 100 per cent skimmed milk powder that is nutritionally equivalent to liquid milk and contains nothing artificial. Coming in the two most popular flavours of milkshake - strawberry and chocolate – it provides 62 per cent calcium and 48 per cent protein of the nutritional requirements of an average primary school lunch in just a 100ml serving.
SUSO, one of the best selling soft drinks in secondary schools nationwide, is launching a new Sparkling Apple flavour to kick-start the 2010 Spring Term.
The innovative Sparkling Apple variant is entirely focused on the wants and needs of teenagers and will build on the sales momentum of the existing SUSO range, driving market share growth during a key back-to-school period.
Made with fruit juice, carbonation, a touch of lemon and water to deliver an extra burst of hydration and refreshment, SUSO Sparkling Apple not only delivers one unit of your ‘five-a-day’ recommendation, but also meets all Government nutritional standards for drinks in schools.
