To celebrate Children’s Book Day on Friday April 2^nd, YUDU Media has announced the creation of a free digital edition library for children, parents and teachers.

The eLibrary, hosted at YUDU.com, will launch with three title categories:

Top Ten Children’s Classics (Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz etc)
Link: http://www.yudu.com/library/42939/Top-10-Children-s-Classics-s-Library

Top Ten Classic Books for Boys (Robinson Crusoe, Frankenstein, Oliver Twist etc)
Link: http://www.yudu.com/library/42921/Top-10-Classic-Books-for-Boys-s-Library

Top Ten Fairy Tales (Hansel & Grethel, Cinderella, Jack and the Bean Stalk etc)
Link:  http://www.yudu.com/library/42970/Top-10-Fairy-Tales-Library

Fellowes, the leading provider of workspace solutions, has introduced its latest innovation – the R-Kive® Premium box with Presto™ technology, the fastest assembly system in the world.

The R-Kive Premium Presto box is 16 times faster to assemble than a manual storage box, simply push the corners together and it is ready to use. This box can save up to 630 minutes a year if you have to assemble on average 10 boxes a day making it a perfect storage solution for all your administration and archiving needs.

Effective control of solar gain and glare is vital in order to give children a good physical and social environment.  Daybreak Nursery in Rickmansworth contracted  specialists Broadview, a leading manufacturer and supplier of awnings and blinds in the UK, to supply and install an external fabric awning to ensure children enjoy the outdoor space.

In order to provide sufficient shade for the nursery children for reading and activities, Broadview designed and installed one 5.5m by 4m folding arm Broadview 35 electric awning system and this has been positioned over a play area to create a long-term shading solution.

What are the main considerations I should look for in a storage solution?

As an educational establishment, there are three main criteria you should consider – durability, safety and functionality.  So firstly check it’s a robust design.  Galvanised steel construction, reinforced doors, the weight limit for shelves and drawers, as well as the length of warranty, are all good indications of a quality product.  Bevelled edges ensure smooth finishes for safety.  Some manufacturers offer a consultation and design service to help organisations get the optimum storage configuration for the available space. 

As more and more local authorities encourage schools to make cost savings by buying competitively, education supplier, The Consortium has responded with three, new, refreshed 2010 catalogues for primary, secondary and office, to provide busy schools with greater choice and access to competitively priced high quality education essentials and resources.  The new primary and secondary catalogues focus on key curriculum areas as well as having new dedicated sections for special needs and extended services, including breakfast and end of day clubs, as well as fundraising ideas.  There is also a new budget furniture range. 

Compact and functional, the Pacific 50 single bowl from Carron Phoenix is a nifty little sink for when space is at a premium but the practicality of a sink is called for. It’s ideal for a range of applications, from preparation and servery worksurfaces in cafes and bars, to dentists and doctors surgeries. It’s also perfect for the caravan market slotting neatly into a 500mm cabinet.

Duplo UK have announced a nationwide search for their largest Digital Duplicator user. Duplo are asking all Duprinter users to visit the Duplo UK website homepage where there is a link to a quick 60 second survey, with the user with the highest print volume on one single machine winning a case of champagne.

Florprotec V is the new solution to the old problem of how school floors can be temporarily protected from damage.  

This high performance and reusable floor covering is specifically designed to protect all types of floor.  A typical example is when a school sports hall is used for another purpose, such as for examinations or for school functions and performances.

Lighting at the new facilities within Cambridge Regional College, Science Park Campus, is being controlled with the help of ceiling mounted PIR presence detectors and MWS3 microwave detectors from CP Electronics. As part of a strategy to reduce energy consumption, the detectors have been installed in corridors, toilets and foyers as well as providing daylight dimming options in classrooms.

Showerwall, the 100% waterproof wallpanelling range available from IDS, has been updated with 7 new laminate finishes for 2010, bringing the choice to a total of 24 designs. Responding to the continued market trend for stones and granites, the Showerwall range has been augmented with a raft of contemporary neutral tones which are extremely design versatile for domestic, contract, specification and social housing projects.

As part of the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) Jump Rope For Heart (JRFH) scheme teachers throughout the UK are being encouraged to attend a free workshop demonstrating practical and inspiring ways to introduce skipping into schools in an attempt to keep children heart healthy.

These two hour long workshops will be run by a skipping instructor and will show how teachers can easily incorporate skipping into their National Curriculum. The workshop comprise of a practical skipping skills session including single rope work, challenges and Double Dutch, and mini sessions on other BHF school projects including Ultimate Dodgeball and Artie’s Olympics.

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. 

Babington college IT department recently reviewed the time it takes to respond to IT issues from staff and students as the previous method of responding to calls was becoming inefficient and unreliable. Technicians had difficulty recording notes each time an issue had been fixed, so it was difficult to pick up a task that another technician had been working on. This made it a nightmare when staff went off sick.

Fellowes, the leading provider of workspace solutions, has announced the latest addition to its R-Kive® Premium range – the instant assembly storage box, featuring Presto™ construction. This truly innovative product is designed to infuse some magic into ordinary filing and storage tasks, no more complicated assembly instructions – simply push the corners together and the box is ready for use.

Fellowes entered the UK storage box market in 1972 and today has become the market leading brand with R-Kive® filing and storage products. 

Since the demise of e-learning credits, many seem to believe that there is no dedicated funding for ICT, yet the Harnessing Technology Grant is alive and well; and guaranteed until 2011. One difficulty with this grant is that it is capital funding and, when originally launched, was not immediately accompanied by comprehensive guidelines for its use. Many local authorities therefore had to provide schools with a quick assessment of likely usage guidelines, but which turned out to be an overly restrictive interpretation when the guidelines were published some months later.

St Augustine’s CofE Primary School in Kilburn, Westminster, has installed a brand new training kitchen for pupils using Lincat’s market leading Silverlink 600 range of prime cooking equipment.

The kitchen has been fitted with six workstations at differing heights (720mm and 850mm) to accommodate the age range of the children, to enable them to cook safely. Each workstation incorporates an HT3 two-plate boiling top and a V6/FD fan-assisted glass door oven.  Preparation tables, sinks and wash hand basins at corresponding heights complete the new kitchen layout.

OrgPlus® from HumanConcepts has been chosen by St Helens College, Greater Merseyside, to provide a unified view of their workforce. OrgPlus has enabled HR staff at St Helen’s College to automatically create accurate visual representations of the college’s workforce structure.  OrgPlus reads HR data directly from the college’s HR management system, NorthgateArinso ResourceLink, allowing the college to monitor establishment control. Any grading or salary discrepancies across departments throughout the college are now clearly highlighted.

Leading cable management manufacturer Marshall-Tufflex has re-affirmed its commitment to driving forward the development of environmentally friendly and renewable building technologies through its support of the newly opened Energy Centre in West Sussex.

The centre, part of Sussex Coast College Hastings, provides training and qualifications in the theoretical and practical application of solar and wind energy, plus biomass, water re-use, energy efficiency and recycling. It is open to all trades, including electricians, and will also run courses on the 17^th Edition, PAT testing and trade licence renewal.

Leading Educational Visualiser manufacturer AVerMedia has welcomed the recent publication of the Futuresource report focused on the UK Visualiser market. AVerMedia Marketing Manager Nigel Roberts comments ‘It’s great to see that the popularity of Visualisers is on the increase and the findings support our own phenomenal sales growth. The report makes it clear that Visualisers are becoming the ‘must-have’ tool in the classroom’

The new Little Venice Sports Centre in Crompton Street, London appears to grow out of the surrounding park. The building achieves high levels of sustainability, most notably through bio-diversity, energy efficiency and eco-friendly materials such as its sedum roof, which is also a focus for two other important energy-saving technologies – Monodraught Windcatchers and Sunpipes.

Designed by LCE Architects for Westminster City Council, the 2,720 square metre sports centre services local schools and provides a modern amenity in the local area, offering flexible activity spaces and a dedicated adult learning hub. The entire project incorporates a range of sustainable features such as the roof-mounted Sunpipes and Windcatchers, which provide natural lighting, ventilation and cooling and contribute to the creation of a very low energy building.

SchoolToilets.co.uk is a website designed to help users select the most suitable products for their school washroom environment.

Developed by Cubicle Centre in response to the government¹s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project, and the Standard Sizes, Layouts and Dimensions (SSLD) for Toilets in Schools guide this informative NEW website covers all the key areas such as preventing vandalism, increasing privacy and product safety and durability.

Highlighting how it is helping schools, colleges and universities to deliver more learning value from their ICT budgets , LG Electronics (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in electronics, will be showcasing many of its ground-breaking solutions for education at BETT 2010 (13-16 January 2010, Olympia, London, Stand U128). 

An LSC funded programme has generated a successful new wave of Programme Led Apprenticeships (PLAs) in the Thames Valley.

The programme aims to enrol 250 students onto PLAs, a flexible alternative to traditional apprenticeships, particularly for those unable to find employment in the current economy.

Participating colleges have included Abingdon and Witney College, Bracknell and Wokingham College, East Berkshire College, Henley College, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College and Thames Valley University.

New research into dyslexia has shown that it need no longer be as debilitating for pupils as has been the case in the past.

A program that pupils and students use to draw mind maps on computers allows them to express themselves without becoming worried about their dyslexia.  Using colour, symbols, keywords, icons and images, iMindMap allows dyslexics to restructure knowledge and ideas in their own way, and dramatically speeds up their learning.   

On Thursday 22nd October 09, Scottish Investment Operations (SIO) won the Innovation in Education and Skills award that was held at the Scottish Financial Enterprise Innovators' awards for its work on developing the first Diploma in Investment Accounting.

The diploma will be delivered by two partners - the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland - and will offer for the first time a recognised and transferrable qualification in investment accounting. Prior to the creation of the specialist qualification, there was no industry-wide standard qualification for accountants working in investments or fund management.

Pupils at Alma Primary School in Enfield are putting to good use their new school Play Garden which includes an impressive Climbing Structure and water play equipment.

The huge climbing frame challenges the students to get from top to bottom, side to side; in and out….the list is only limited by your imagination. The cargo netting tests the children’s balance and coordination skills to the max.

Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS), the UK’s leading independent laboratory supplier, has recently launched Select Education, a new division offering online services aimed at making the lives of science teachers in secondary education much easier.

The Select Education website brings together all the relevant information and literature needed to perform an experiment in the classroom, including details of the products required, worksheets, curriculum guides and much more. This unique, one-stop resource has full e-commerce capabilities, and allows customers to search for products, topics and even individual experiments, offering exceptional choice and service to teachers.

There’s a hygiene revolution in progress and it originates from the All Saints Primary School led by its progressive Head Teacher Mary Willatt.  The result is that pupils who were already extremely happy are now healthier too.

At break apples are distributed and milk is provided for years 1 and 2; the lunches are healthy with local fruit and vegetables and there is a very active health policy operating which covers everything from head lice to loo paper.

Babington college IT department recently reviewed the time it takes to respond to IT issues from staff and students as the previous method of responding to calls was becoming inefficient and unreliable. Technicians had difficulty recording notes each time an issue had been fixed, so it was difficult to pick up a task that another technician had been working on. This made it a nightmare when staff went off sick.

Roman Way First School in the West Midlands has won a national competition, launched by gate manufacturer Cannock Gates, to win a state-of-the-art school entrance worth £2,000, fighting off competition from ten other schools across the UK, securing 74,014 votes to win the prize.

This month, pupils and teachers at Roman Way First School were joined by the Mayor of Redditch and gate manufacturer Cannock Gates to unveil the new entrance.

Schools looking to upgrade to the latest cutting-edge equipment in the New Year can also contribute to a great cause.  As part of its continued support for the charity Jeans for Genes, Avery Office Products will donate £5 for every Trimmer or Guillotine sold until the 31st March 2010 in a bid to raise £40,000.

Available in sizes from A4 to A0, Avery Trimmers and Guillotines are a great addition to the staff room giving peace of mind through every cut, with full TÜV certification for quality and safety, fully enclosed blades and extended guarantees of up to five years. 

Views from the balcony: ways of teaching Romeo and Juliet is an exciting new resource for secondary teachers from the National Strategies based around rehearsal video footage from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) 2008 production.

The online footage explores how the director, Neil Bartlett, helps actors develop their characterisation of the star-crossed lovers in Act 2 Scene 2 of the play. The result is a vibrant, engaging and fascinating insight into how a director and actors work together to evolve a performance.

WorkPoint have announced the launch of AirBench FN, a new addition to their leading range of downdraught dust and fume extraction benches.

AirBench FN is a heavy duty downdraught workstation, designed with educational and industrial applications in mind. The new model has all the benefits of the existing AirBench FP range, but with the addition of fast front access to all filters. Filters can be quickly cleaned or replaced without accessing the surface of the bench, ideal for schools where maintenance time can be limited.

Students at the Diamanthorst British School of the Netherlands are getting in the Christmas spirit with the Ultralight Staging system. Thanks to the cannily designed equipment, their pantos and carol services will benefit from a stage with professional good looks.

Supplied and designed by Gopak, market leaders in school furniture, Ultralight Staging is great for Diamanthorst for not only its looks but also its versatility. Partnered to three different schools spread across two locations, it was essential that the staging could be easily moved - thanks to it being super lightweight - but also erected by staff and students without hassle.

Creating exciting craft based lesson plans that will grip pupils' attention, but won't blow the school's budget, is a major headache and challenge for most teachers. With this in mind, the latest catalogue from Baker Ross with over 2,500 affordable ideas will be a welcome resource.

With activities to suit most age groups and abilities, Baker Ross has many ideas to challenge the most creative children while staying within National Curriculum guidelines.

A leader in vinyl safety flooring, Gerflor offers solutions for a diversity of sectors including education, sport and industry. The company's Tarasafe range comprises eight products, which provide the highest levels of underfoot slip resistance, hygiene, performance and aesthetics, while its Taradouche shower system is a complete and safe solution for the shower room.

Tarasafe's dense construction and deep inlay of carborundum particles provides permanent slip resistance, making it HSE compliant and ensuring a group T (K5) wear rating with suitability for heavy traffic commercial use. Sanosol® anti-bacterial and fungicidal treatment is incorporated in all products and some have the added benefit of SparClean® surface treatment for extreme resistance to soiling and staining.

The Audit Commission believes that schools can save £400 million a year by being more efficient.

One company has responded by developing a low-tech student-centred approach which is delivering remarkable results.

An example of this is a biology lesson which focuses on the body's internal organs. Traditional schools have a skeleton at the front of the class for students to come out and place organs in what they think is the correct place.

When Hampshire Museum Service needed a better way of cutting sheet materials, Sagetech Industries' Koolkut KK12 rose to the challenge.

The Museum Service restores artefacts and builds display and interactive installations for sites across the county. Materials include MDF, plywood and acrylics, until recently cut on a table saw or with a circular saw on a workbench.

What could be easier than cleaning a school or college? At the end of the day everyone goes home and the cleaners can get on with their job. Wrong!

When there are students/pupils in a building there is a mess and anyone living with children, especially teenagers will confirm this. You can never get a building spotless during term time but with good time management and work scheduling you can achieve a high standard most of the time. We clean a many schools and colleges, state and independent, for all age groups. No two are the same but all have one common problem - pupils.

The new CRATUS range of education trolleys from Cube Products & Services Ltd enhances its Trolley-Selector portfolio. The CRATUS range is specifically designed for preparation and staff only areas, maintenance facilities and equipment storage areas. Consisting of Apparatus Trolleys, Table Trolleys, Mat Trolleys and Caretaker Trucks, the core range of trolleys has been designed specifically to meet the current rigorous demands required. Trolleys are available in a range of sizes and capacities designed to meet each individual's requirement.

Riegens Lighting has launched a simple to use online service to assist organisations calculate potential savings on their energy bills through upgrading their lighting. The system which is focussed towards the end user, is simple to use and provides quick and easy calculations on the savings that can be achieved. Riegens is also offering advice on how to take advantage of government (Carbon Trust) loans and incentives. The Carbon Trust will be lending up to £100m towards funding of such projects over the next two years, and the loans will be structured to enable projects to proceed with no capital outlay by the borrower.

The second wave of the swine flu outbreak is underway, with the biggest increase among school children. The Chief Medical Officer stated that washing hands, or using antibacterial hand gels, is the best way of preventing the spread.

Many gels contain alcohol, therefore not suitable for schools.  Luckily, there's a solution.  NO-GERMS^TM is the UK's leading alcohol free hand sanitiser, and is clinically proven to be effective against swine flu, MRSA, E-coli and other flu viruses. It kills 99.9% of all germs, is non-toxic, starts to work in less than 15 seconds, and remains effective for 2-4 hours.

As the nights draw in and the festive season approaches, why not look to trusted supplier The Consortium to help plan your school's activities around different special days and festivals.

This winter, The Consortium has a new Festive Ideas brochure for schools providing a one-stop shop for all the essentials to help teachers celebrate festivals like Christmas, Hanukkah and Chinese New Year. As the UK's largest independent supplier of education resources, The Consortium offers well-sourced and reasonably priced products that are reliably and securely delivered free of charge the next working day.

Today's desks are not only our workstations, they are often our lunch tables, our footrests, our storage spaces and more. Active hygiene helps keep your desk and office cleaner and healthier. Unclean surfaces in the office can harbour unhealthy bacteria. For example, were you aware of the following facts?

• The average keyboard contains 60 x more bacteria than the office toilet seat*
• In the average office there are 10 million bacteria on the area of the desk where you rest your hand**
• Cold and flu viruses can remain active on a surface for up to 72 hours***

Clear and easy to follow signage is vital in any building but particularly in schools and colleges where there are numerous hazards in every area. The staff and pupils must be aware of any potential dangers as well as their nearest emergency exit. Health and safety signs in all areas must also be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act to include Braille and tactile signs or even talking signage.

Established 20 years ago, Signs Express is the leading signs and graphics manufacturer and supplier with over 80 centres across the UK and Ireland and are innovators in using the latest products to hit the market. Signs Express can provide signage solutions from the smallest label through to complex outdoor building signage or attractive interior displays.

KI is the largest educational furniture manufacturer in the world. With over 60 years experience, KI understand the distinct and evolving needs of the educational environment. They design furniture that facilitates learning and interaction between students and staff.

Playgarden Design and Resources Ltd recently launched its new website www.playgardens.co.uk offering schools, nurseries and pre-schools immediate access to its full product range. The website has been designed to be the company's online product brochure with easy access and interactive product pages. It gives the customer everything they need to know about Playgarden, its products, its services and the ordering process - all at the touch of a button.

Performance, durability and ease of use are crucial considerations when specifying cleaning equipment for educational establishments. With the SEBO DART UHS polisher, the need for wet mopping hard floors is substantially reduced while vacuuming and polishing are combined without the need to seal areas off to students during cleaning.

EcoTherm's newly launched polyisocyanurate (PIR) Underfloor Heating Board has won a place at a new primary school being built on the Bognor Regis Community College campus in West Sussex by main contractor Willmott Dixon. Over 1,000m2 of 40mm EcoTherm UFH Board is providing energy-saving insulation as part of a Warmafloor Tacker underfloor heating system specified for the project. The new 640 pupil primary school is part of a multi-million pound regeneration scheme to modernise educational facilities on the campus with funding from the Government's Building Schools for the Future and Every Child Matters programmes.

New findings show that the Chateau du Molay in Normandy is actively encouraging school children to use outdoor activities including: a professional grade football/rugby pitch, a multi-purpose sports court and an outdoor heated swimming pool!

School groups are also having to endure a healthy 3-course menu in the on-site restaurant, fresh air in the 38 acres of private parkland and playing games outside long into the warm summer evenings!

Junckers specialist sports floors have been specified for no less than seven schools and learning centres for the Knowsley BSF programme. Laid by Junckers Approved Contractor Courtcraft Ltd, the project includes several sports halls, fitness studios and activity studios. Junckers' SylvaSport Premium was chosen from a range of competitive bids. Popular because it is considered ‘builder-friendly' and economical, the floor appeals to specifiers and main contractors alike and has been widely used in BSF projects. It complies with the latest European performance standard (Area Elastic floor type A4 of BS EN 14904:2006) and is suitable over under floor heating.

Thousands more schools can now participate in the potentially life changing adventure that is FILMCLUB. This inspiring after-school club which provides FREE access to thousands of classic and popular films as well as to film industry events, news and talent is running a series of 29 free inductions and training events at venues across the UK throughout October and November.

The inductions are an excellent opportunity for teachers to get involved in an easy to run scheme that costs nothing and can hugely benefit their students. Recent research shows that among other benefits, FILMCLUB improves literacy, increases confidence and - crucially - integrates isolated or disengaged children.

The University of Bedfordshire was established in August 2006 by order of the Privy Council and comprises five campuses, three within Luton, one at Bedford and one based in Aylesbury. There are 20,000 staff and students from over 100 different countries at the University creating a very diverse environment. With planned developments valued at over £134m spread over the next few years the University is an exciting and vibrant place to be now and in the future.

Bunzl Lockhart Catering Equipment returned to Wembley this week to hold their second Product Innovation Day of the year. The decision to hold a second day follows on from the success of the first held in April, which saw the event generate a substantial amount of new business.

London, 9 September 2009 - NEC Display Solutions is adding the NP3250 series to its range of projectors. The NP1250, NP2250, NP3250 and NP3250W permanent installation modules fit seamlessly into Windows networks thanks to their extensive network functions. The stacking function allows up to four devices to be combined to form a very high bright projection unit. NEC supplies six optional lenses for the projectors so they can be flexibly adapted to various installation situations, resulting in a huge range of applications in digital signage, conferences and exhibitions.

London, 8 September 2009 - With its P-Series of monitors NEC Display Solutions is proud to present its new flagship models for the public displays sector. The NEC MultiSync^® P401 and P461 displays are capable of reproducing content in Full HD quality with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 on commercial grade panels. Equipped with an ambient light sensor, the displays of the P-Series ensure optimised brightness and minimal power consumption. For the user, this means reduced energy consumption, as well as excellent reproduction quality for all digital signage applications.

Pritt, the UK's number one glue stick brand, has unveiled a limited edition glue stick pack, to celebrate its 40th birthday, which also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing.

The standard Pritt 20g glue stick comes with a free tube of Moon Dust Glitter, all presented in stunning space-themed packaging. There are even instructions on the back of the pack detailing how to make a rocket, and how to upload it to www.pritt4schools.co.uk to join the gallery of other rockets made.

A passion and enthusiasm for good design and resources in children's play has resulted in the launch of Playgarden Design and Resources Ltd. Playgarden will be an online service - www.playgardens.co.uk offering outdoor play solutions.

Commenting upon the need for Playgarden, Paul Collings, MP is emphatic; "After conducting our own research we realised that there was a fantastic opportunity to offer play resources as well as play equipment to the nursery and primary school market. Playgarden will offer play solutions specifically to this market addressing their particular needs and adding substantial play value.

Leading stationery manufacturer, BIC, is set to build on last year's record Back to School success, with its fantastic product range for 2009.

BIC's must-have recommendations for the new school term include the Cristal® family, BIC® Kids range, Tipp-Ex®, mechanical pencils, highlighters and permanent markers.

Government educational policy is increasingly recognising the importance of children and young people developing core life skills (e.g. achieving economical wellbeing, staying safe) as well as learning traditional subjects. With this in mind, in 2007, Nationwide Building Society created Nationwide Education, an engaging interactive website linked to the UK national curricula.

Saville Audio Visual has helped Thames Valley University to create a totally interactive learning environment.

The Learning Innovation Room is equipped with a total of five SMART Boards, each running SMART Notebook software, plus five LCD data projectors around the edges of the room. Students work in small groups, each allocated to a laptop and SMART Board combination. A matrix switcher allows lecturers to select which image is displayed on which board.

The Childcare Act 2006, states that local authorities are required to provide information to parents and carers about childcare and other related subjects and, in response to this Kiosks4business has launched Parent Information Point (PIP) for schools. PIP is a kiosk-based information system to make family information and services easily available to parents and carers. It offers a touch screen ‘virtual receptionist' helping parents to answer simple enquiries unaided and allowing team members to focus on more complex problems.

ONELAN are delighted to announce the release of the new Century NTB500-P & NTB500-S. The key features are:

• Small form factor: 223 x 178 x 26mm
• Low power consumption: using less than 12W, this is a Green solution.
• Capable of landscape or portrait multi-zone multi-media playout
• Suitable for playout of Flash and PowerPoint content; a wide range of video formats is also supported, making this a versatile solution
• Available in two versions:
       - NTB500P Publisher/Standalone
       - NTB500S Subscriber player

A range of cookies and muffins have been launched to keep sweet treats on the menu in schools, following successful trials in Fife, Scotland.

Changes in government legislation has meant that chocolate based products have been removed in schools.

With the new geography GCSE syllabus, starting September 2009, to include the use of GPS devices, education technology provider DRS is planning to offer its own GPS device to the education market. Designed as probably the world's simplest GPS device, this unique device was originally intended for census population registration projects around the world, for use in field data collection activities, but is well placed to be used in the new curriculum due to its simplicity and robustness.

The Consortium, has taken one of the UK's most used paper items - the school exercise book - and indentified a sustainable tree-free alternative made entirely of sugar cane waste. For every kilo of traditional paper produced, 98 kilos of other resources is needed, let alone the 786 million trees needed to keep the world in paper for a year, or the forest ecosystems that are destroyed.

Melanie Teal, Chief Executive of The Consortium says: "Sugarcane re-grows from the roots, so the plant lasts for many cycles. It's a really sustainable solution".

As swine flu continues to be of concern around the UK, most of us are keen to find ways of preventing the spread of infection. Recent tests carried out on HiBi antiseptic products show, when used to clean hands, they are effective against the virus.

A study carried out on behalf of Mölnlycke Health Care, the company behind the HiBi range showed that HiBi Gel Hand Rub+ kills the Swine Flu virus after 15 seconds, while HiBiSCRUB is effective after 30 seconds.

North West based Matrix Media Systems has launched the iPOSS (Imaging Point of Sale System) - a slim profile multi screen digital signage and display system, ideal for the educational sector. 12 LCD TFT screens measuring 381mm are housed within one thin bezel unit (overall dimensions 1173mm x 1258mm) - a unique proposition for the mainstream market; previously only bespoke systems would be able to offer this configuration.

A child's education is a fundamental part of how they grow and develop. Children need the opportunity during their education to test their physical ability, imagination and sense of adventure.

Play Direct.com are the latest concept in outdoor play!

School has just got a lot more colourful for students in Pudsey, Leeds, as its interiors have been given a high impact new look with super-sized graphic wall coverings. These full colour wall murals have been created by large format printers Digital Plus Ltd.

The Leeds-based firm gave 300 square meters of wall the bespoke treatment, using cleverly adapted artwork to create maximum impact. The resultant inspirational images give a wow factor throughout the school, stimulating thought and discussion, and very positive feedback from students and teachers.

NQT Manager is a new, simple way for local authorities to manage their NQTs' induction. It is a secure, online solution that conforms to the latest standards of the TDA and GTC. It was originally developed for two of the country's largest LAs, Kent and Hertfordshire County Council. The system has many time-saving features, including automatic chasing for late assessments, automatically generated GTC exports, and easily searchable historic data. Schools input all of the information online - registration of NQTs, completing assessments and adding of tutors, saving the LA hours of time. NQT Manager is a secure system. Data is protected and backed up regularly and a rolling 10 day backup is kept. The system includes comprehensive support from our experienced team, who've been dealing with schools and NQTs for over seven years. There is no annual contract and pricing starts at just £200 per month.

Proud of their latest accolade, Gopak has recently achieved certification to ISO 14001:2004 the standard for Environmental Management. This has been achieved through the company's dedication to eco-friendly manufacture and distribution of its market leading lightweight furniture.

The company's was first assessed in February 2009 by the national standards body BSI, and was recognised as meeting the requirements of the standard by May 2009. In the first six months it has reduced waste previously destined for landfill by five tonnes through a meticulous recycling strategy.

TOSHIBA TEC has partnered with MH Systems and HPort to provide a solution that will give a complete analysis of nutritional data for each pupil based on their daily purchases in the school restaurant. The integrated catering system will initially be installed in 44 secondary schools in Essex, allowing the schools to manage menu planning in-line with Government nutritional standards which will be introduced in September 2009.

By having products that increase child-centred activity in a lesson, learning becomes faster and more in-depth.

In a lesson revolving around the body's internal organs, it is possible to have a skeleton at the front of the class and for a child to come out and place an organ where he/she thinks is the correct place. The same can be done via an interactive whiteboard. But consider an alternative in which each group of four children is given a skeleton. They are then invited to work together putting the organs in the right place.

Schools and nursery schools should ensure children and staff cannot be scalded by hot water by fitting fail-safe thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs) on hot water outlets, says Honeywell, the leading manufacturer of water valves and heating controls.

A new school in Plymouth is using "free" renewable energy for all its heating needs, making it one of the greenest schools in the UK.  Brook Green Centre for Learning employs ground source heat pumps and solar panels for all space heating and hot water, while an advanced passive ventilation system cools the building in summer and ensures low CO2 levels throughout the year.

Playgarden Design and Resources Ltd has recently launched its new website www.playgardens.co.uk offering schools, nurseries and pre-schools immediate access to its full product range. The website has been designed to be the company's online product brochure with easy access and interactive product pages. It gives the customer everything they need to know about Playgarden, its products, its services and the ordering process - all at the touch of a button.

As one of the UK's leading provider of Lifting Platforms, Level Access Lifts offer an unparalleled choice of high quality Public access equipment.

NQT Manager is a new, simple way for local authorities to manage their NQTs' induction.  It is a secure, online solution that conforms to the latest standards of the TDA and GTC.  It was originally developed for two of the country's largest LAs, Kent and Hertfordshire County Council. 

Award-winning Barry Island School, one of the highest achieving schools in the Vale of Glamorgan LEA, has become the UK's first school to implement a state-of-the-art networked ICT solution that provides all children with their own monitor, mouse and keyboard at their desks. The former ICT suite has now been turned into a new classroom for 30 additional pupils.

Aluminium Rainwater specialists Alumasc have supplied a high performance rainwater system to the award-winning £7.3m Windygoul Primary School in Tranent, near Edinburgh.

The school, which was built to stringent ‘green' requirements and boasts environmental features such as integrated photovoltaic glazing, solar hot water heating and a sedum roof, has earned East Lothian Council a Carbon Trust Award for Low Carbon Building.

North West based Matrix Media Systems has launched the iPOSS (Imaging Point of Sale System) - a slim profile multi screen digital signage and display system.

12 LCD TFT screens measuring 381mm are housed within one thin bezel unit (overall dimensions 1173mm x 1258mm) - a unique proposition for the mainstream market; previously only bespoke systems would be able to offer this configuration.

Moulton College has an unrivalled reputation for excellence in training for the land based industries. The need arose for a pet shop and florist on campus, to be used as a teaching aid and provide horticultural and animal welfare students with first-hand retail experience.

Innovative design, speed of construction on site and a competitive price were the key factors in Andoversford School's decision to specify a Pinelog building to house its new community playgroup.

The new LG Network Monitor is a virtual computing solution for schools that reduces costs, maintenance and energy consumption by allowing multiple users to share a single host PC.  The host computer acts as a server, with up to eleven users independently running the software application of their choice via LG desktop monitors.

Cistermiser's AV Range is a specialist vandal resistant range of touch activated washroom controls for use in high risk or demanding public environments such as prisons, secure hospitals, schools, sports facilities, etc.

Microwave detectors from CP Electronics have been used to control the lighting in the refurbishment of one of the campus buildings at Exeter University. The project involved the use of CP's MWS1 and MWS3 microwave detectors to provide dimming, daylight dimming, energy savings, absence and presence detection in open plan offices, corridors and cellular offices to improve energy efficiency. The building that has undergone the refurbishment is a nine storey structure and the top three floors have been completely refurbished whilst minor works have been carried out on levels two, five and six.

Foremans Relocatable Building Systems is looking to expand its stocks of pre-owned modular buildings to meet the demand for its services, and will buy, remove and recycle quality single or multi-storey modular accommodation that is surplus to requirements.

A London primary school extension was given the green light by including a Sarnafil SarnaVert living roof. Holy Trinity Church of England School's proposed extension to its Cadogan Gardens site was subject to stringent conservation area planning issues. Planners and local residents were keen to ensure the new nursery extension was sympathetic to its surroundings.

For Iver Village Junior School in Buckinghamshire, Gopak's unique Ultralight Staging System has provided the perfect flexible stage for their large annual show.

Dr. Oetker is growing its UK foodservice business with a range of bakery mixes that are the perfect healthier alternative for creating tasty menu choices, sure to tempt students back in to the school dinner queue.

Palintest Ltd. has launched its new website, making it easier than ever to access detailed information on its range of market-leading analysis technology. Localised versions for the UK, USA, China, Australia and Asia Pacific regions are now fully live and ready for visitors, with French, Spanish and German language sites online soon.

Pilton Community College is a specialist language school serving 1400 pupils in the North Devon town of Barnstaple. During a recent major refurbishment, the school had some very specific requirements for new flooring in the corridors, which included safety underfoot, attractive appearance, ease of maintenance and good lifecycle costs. Tarkett's Safetred Spectrum fulfilled all these key requirements making it the ideal solution, and around 1000m2 was subsequently installed.

BRE Global has published generic Green Guide ratings for vinyl floorcoverings (www.thegreenguide.org.uk).

Award-winning off-site specialist and Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, has launched a new web resource for architects and contractors to encourage greater design flexibility and architectural variety in modular construction.

During term time children are in school during the peak UV hours five days a week.  In order to protect children from the harmful effects of the sun, Northwood Preparatory School appointed Broadview, a leading manufacturer and supplier of awnings and blinds in the UK, to provide an environment that enables pupils and staff to stay safe in the sun.

Victor Manufacturing is promoting its Flexiline counters, part of the Jamaican range of foodservice units.

Julian's School in south-west London ran a ‘Healthy Week Programme' to focus on the emotional and physical health of it's children. The school, working in conjunction with Calm Revive (www.calm-revive.com), a leading professional wellbeing company, ran the programme in June 2009, providing 27 workshops for 240 children, 60 parents and carers and 30 teachers over the course of three days.

James Dentith, Grounds Manager and Head of the Commercial Horticulture Unit at Reaseheath College, has taken delivery of a package of grounds care equipment from Burrows (GM), Ransomes Jacobsen's local dealer for the region. Ransomes Jacobsen is a Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) company.

Today, Becta has launched a new Procurement Framework for educational ICT Consultancy Services which will provide the education sector with quick, easy and efficient access to high quality consultancy services from trusted suppliers.

Trust recommends that a dairy food is available daily on lunchtime menus and where possible, these should be lower fat varieties. As the dairy experts, Pritchitts has developed a range of nutritious flavoured milk drinks that appeal to children of all ages. 

The new Kiddiwash® portable hot water hand wash unit from TEAL provides an instant ablution solution for classroom situations. Available in insulated and mains operated models, it holds enough water for 10 thorough hand washes at the touch of a fingertip tap and features a unique Waste-Safe® which retains all dirty water for later disposal.

PlayMais knows that teachers enjoy receiving a helping hand, so the new PlayMais Projects Pack looks set to delight!

Ysgol Y Graig is a new build school on a green-field site in Llangefni on the Isle of Anglesey and is the first ‘green' school developed by the authority. The environmentally friendly design of Ysgol makes it important for the school to have a technology system that matches its environmentally friendly ethos.

Siemens Building Technologies has secured a £4 million contract to supply an innovative CLEO telecoms network to 48 schools across the north west of England. The new 40km dark fibre network will deliver high band width (100 megabytes) and meets the Government requirement to provide top quality private broadband networks in schools whilst keeping operating costs down.

The Kingdom of the Deep manages to combine a beautiful fantasy world of wicked witches, mermaids and spells with a great adventure for three brothers. The result is a truly engaging story that will encourage youn gchildren to read.

Stationery expert BIC has become an official partner of Memory 4 Teachers - a major new initiative within the education sector

On the back of the conclusions from major primary and secondary school curriculum reviews, this year's D+T with ICT Education Show 2009 will provide D&T and ICT teachers with the tools to respond to the new curriculum requirements prior to implementation in 2011.

Quadrant Security Group - a leading independent security integrator - is pleased to announce the completion of the first installation in the UK to feature Cisco Video Surveillance equipment: Loughborough University.

As the UK faces up to the harsh realities of the current recession, David Fairhurst, Senior Vice President, Chief People Officer, McDonald's, champions the value of lifelong learning in the workplace and explores the role employers can play in everyday young people's educational opportunities.

Burnett's are one of the UK's leading specialist insurance agents for IT & Laptops, arranging cover for thousands of customers including many schools & colleges.

Pritt, makers of the UK's most popular glue stick, has launched an exciting new golden coin style promotion for schools, to be found within the Pritt Stick class packs.

CST's Genesis communications system for schools provides the vital link between front office and staff. "It meets all our communications requirements," University College School, Hampstead.

Founded in 2000 as a three-way partnership between Portsmouth Football Club, the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Local Authority, the Pompey Study Centre is an exciting learning environment, the main aim of which is to use the power of football to motivate pupils.  Among the first centres of its type in the UK and seen as one of the best, it has provided a boost to local education provision in the Portsmouth area throughout its nine-year history.

In line with the current trend towards light and airy interior decor, Victor's popular general purpose Crown, Consort and Count ranges of hot cupboards are now available in sleek Stainless Steel and a Light Golden Oak or Beech wood effect plastic coated steel finish.

Inspired by a rich variety of visual media, ranging from exotic fruit trees and reclaimed timber to modern architectural surfaces and engineered metals, the new Expona Design collection of luxury vinyl tiles from Polyflor is, says the company, a unique and unrivalled combination of exceptionally creative design and strong visual appeal.

The SelfCooking Center from Rational is ideal for catering in educational establishments as it is designed to save energy, cut running costs and have minimal impact on the environment. Its control mechanisms monitor and optimise the cooking process, using only as much power as is needed to cook the food, saving 60% of energy compared to traditional cooking equipment.

Office Depot, a leading provider of office products and services, exhibited its new school-specific product range at the Education Show, as well as hosting an environment and sustainability seminar titled ‘Ten Tips to Grow a Green School'.

As sports facilities across the UK are being upgraded as part of the government's BSF/PPP Scheme, Junckers have developed a specialist maintenance programme to work in conjunction with this initiative, called JunckerCare.

Sutton Coldfield and Matthew Boulton Colleges have appointed Carillion IT Services as their new IT managed service provider. The ICT outsourcing contract will see Carillion IT Services, which alongside Carillion plc is working to deliver educational transformation through the government's Building Schools for the Future programme, uniting both colleges' existing IT systems to create one new single IT infrastructure to support their 1600 staff and more than 22,000 students.

Délifrance UK Ltd is expanding its range of speciality breads to maximise the current growth of seeded and wholemeal bread sales which has seen a 6%uplift.

Knauf AMF Ceilings were specified extensively within the new campus building for Westminster Kingsway College.  For the library and main teaching areas, 5900m2 of AMF's Fine Stratos ceiling tiles were installed. These lightly textured, sanded tiles offer a clean, crisp appearance for a contemporary ceiling finish.

Heckmondwike FB has created a dedicated website www.carpetsforeducation.co.uk which provides advice on selecting the right carpet for an educational environment, plus information on installing the carpet, with ‘how to' guides and case studies of recent educational projects - in fact everything a local authority, school or college needs to choose the best carpet to suit their requirements.

There is a modern way to deliver UK university qualifications that will take up the shortfall in higher education places this September. Yet many careers advisors, FE students and parents still remain unaware such valuable alternatives to on-campus study exist.

Is it 13th time unlucky for brothers Julius, Alexander and Benjamin as the wicked witch Griselda sends them to ‘The Kingdom of the Deep' and follows after them to eat them for her lunch?

Saville Audio Visual is celebrating a strategic partnership with new neighbour - Manor CE School in York. With Saville sponsorship, the school has won prestigious status as a Specialist College of Performing Arts and moved into a new purpose-built site opposite the Saville head office.

Cannock Gates, the UK's largest gate manufacturer, has launched a nationwide schools competition to award one primary school with a new school entrance worth up to £2,000.

Eight new classrooms arrived out of the blue at Rochester Grammar School in Kent, after modular units from Integra Buildings clad in CEP's sky-blue Bauclad panels were constructed off-site and delivered fully finished, providing a fast  fix to the school's shortage of teaching space.

The new 'rinse water saving' option, originally developed last year by Winterhalter for its MTR series of rack warewashers, has now been extended to its MTF large-scale flight-type systems as well. The option offers cash-strapped education-sector caterers huge savings in water, energy and consumables. 

Leading French bread manufacturer, Délifrance UK Ltd, has developed its highly successful range of pre-filled, pre-grilled microwavable paninis as sales increase despite the credit ‘crunch'.

Wolseley's first education event at its Sustainable Building Center (SBC) in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire will run on 29th and 30th April, 10am - 4pm. The free event is aimed at those involved in the early design stages of new build and refurbishment school projects, including local authorities, contractors and head teachers.

The Dimension 3D Printing Group, a business unit of Stratasys, Inc., has launched its uPrint Personal 3D Printer, designed for desktop use. uPrint makes 3D printing immediate and convenient through every design iteration. It can be used to produce 3D models for teaching, visualisation, collaboration, and functional testing, directly in the classroom.

Gripfit has achieved a 100% reduction in litigation and compensation claims resulting from slips and trips for a major retail outlet, following the installation of its fixed aluminium frame matting system in entrance and high slip areas.

PRESTON College has appointed Robin Newton-Syms to the new role of Director of Corporate Strategy and Planning.

Gullivers is inviting teachers to see how visits to its theme park attractions can be integrated into the syllabus.

Clean Approach, the independent education sector distributor of medical, cleaning, hygiene and catering supplies has changed its name to Avica bringing together all facets of its business.

Mindjet, the software provider is using its collaboration platform, Mindjet Connect to bring together a group of world-renowned experts in teaching and childcare to help develop a new learning experience for UK school children.

"As part of the drive to increase parental engagement, the government expects all secondary schools to offer online reporting to parents by September 2010 and all primary schools by September 2012.

Saville Audio Visual is celebrating a new partnership with Werneth School in Stockport, recently confirmed as a Specialist College of Performing and Visual Arts.

New research shows over 84 percent of secondary school teachers across the UK strongly believe that First Aid should be taught in schools. However, a quarter of secondary schools in the UK are still not providing First Aid education. The British Red Cross now offers the easy-to-use Life. Live it. first aid education kit - including an interactive CD-ROM, ten flexible lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, video and audio clips. It also comes with an interactive quiz, which provides a fun way to help students learn the first aid basics.

Ideal Standard International has sponsored the recently renovated washroom block at Bower Park School.

Writing expert BIC is introducing two new pens to its iconic and highly successful BIC Cristal® range of products; essential for the stationery cupboard this year.