Now in its 31st year, industry experts, teachers and students alike will once again descend on Birmingham's NEC for the 2008 D+T with ICT Education Show this November.

Championing the government's £45bn ‘Building Schools for the Future' (BSF) agenda, Interbuild is hosting a live school at the 2008 show (Sunday 26th through to Thursday 30th October).

On Friday October 24th, get In the Pink and help raise money for Breast Cancer Care. Whether you‚re at work, home or school, get In the Pink spirit and help the 3000 people who will be told that they have breast cancer this October.

Working out menus that meet the Nutrient-based standards for school meals will produce results that are so unreliable that they are meaningless, according to Dr Verner Wheelock of food industry consultants Verner Wheelock Associates.  He has just released a detailed critique of the Nutritional Standards legislation which must be met by all primary schools in the UK from September 2008, and all secondary schools from 2009.

The Coventry Arms in Corfe Mullen is proud to support the local community by sourcing all its produce locally; however this support also extends to the helping hand they give to primary and secondary schools and colleges in the area.  From hog roasts at school fundraisers and assisting trainee chefs taking NVQ qualifications, the team at The Coventry Arms is committed to supporting young people.    The latest is Beckie Grove, a bright, year 10 student from Corfe Hills School who is learning some useful skills during her work experience placement.

England's education inspectorate has said that government tables of "top performing" schools are "meaningless".

Common spelling mistakes should be accepted into everyday use, not corrected, a lecturer has said.

Children who cannot afford or do not want to buy fashionable brands face mockery and bullying, says research from a teachers' union.

Lattitude Global Volunteering has been placing young volunteers on projects for over 35 years. Here are their top five tips for planning a gap year:

The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) has launched three new resources for teaching staff to support deaf children and young people in schools.

With budgets becoming tighter and a huge demand for mobile IT in schools, how do you decide between quality and price when it comes to laptop charging and security? With the launch of the UnoCart^TM, a cost-effective charging cabinet engineered by LapSafe® Products, your decision just got easier!

The one-stop online retailer for logoed school uniform has re-launched after a £500k investment of working capital in the business.

Schools and LEAs can now receive BREEAM Schools assessments as part of window installation programmes, thanks to public sector specialist WHS Halo System 10.

The second National Student Woodworking Competition has been launched with sponsor Fitchett & Woollacott hoping for even more schools and students to take part than did in 2007's inaugural event.   More than 300 pieces of woodwork were submitted last year by UK schools, creating a superb showcase for the design and technology skills of students of different ages. 

Education specialists Making Learning Work are launching a new campaign focusing on the legal pitfalls of failing to discharge the correct procedures in relation to health and safety awareness amongst secondary schools and local education authorities nationwide.

Entering is easy, go to www.ukschooltrips.co.uk and click on ‘Register free to win school trips' - they have strict privacy policies and do not share information. There is one winner every third month. Once you are registered you are also in all future draws.

According to the most recently available figures from BECTA for FE Colleges in England, the target of one internet-connected computer for every permanent member of teaching staff was achieved or bettered by only a little over half of the colleges. 

An innovative capital release scheme for universities and student accommodation now being offered by Siemens Building Technologies, Fire Safety, makes it possible to upgrade existing fire detection and protection installations to the latest standards without the need for capital expenditure. Indeed, in most cases, participants in the scheme will receive an immediate cash payout.

SportsArt Fitness is leading the way not only in eco-friendly manufacturing operations, but also with innovative ‘green' fitness product designs that work towards reducing the carbon footprint and the detrimental impact on the environment.

The impact of the Credit Crunch is being felt by an increasing number of people, but particularly hard-hit are education professionals as your salaries often fail to keep pace with the cost of living.

Polysafe Strata, a decorative safety flooring from commercial flooring specialist Polyflor, has been installed in a number of classrooms, laboratories and toilets at The North School, Ashford, Kent. The flooring is fitted in a new extension at the school, built by Verry Construction under a PFI contract.

The school year starts, your new intake arrive: fresh faces, wide eyes, stiff collars on new shirts (which they'll grow into).  Most have nicely polished shoes, but you can spot trouble ahead in the one testing just how easy it is to scuff them against the playground wall.  In the infants, there are tears as little ones realise they will have to forego the lovely, secure feeling that comes from having their mothers always in view. 

As you would expect of the oldest name in the storage sector Railex Systems offers  customers tangible evidence of their expertise at the modern, fully equipped London showroom located between Liverpool Street and Finsbury Square.

Muratec, the multifunction specialist company, has received Best Buy status for the MFX-2050 multifunctional in the August 2008 What To Buy For Business printer-copier MFP awards. What To Buy For Business is an extremely influential subscription only, monthly magazine published for over 20 years. It does not accept advertising so editorial opinions are acknowledged as completely impartial.

By using the scanning bureau service provided by Kendata Peripherals, the Department of Automatic Control & Systems Engineering at the University of Sheffield has been able to dramatically reduce the amount of time taken to mark the exam for one of its most heavily subscribed courses.

The 14-19 Agenda comes to schools this September. For some schools, it is simply a continuation of working practises already in place, for others it constitutes a completely new way of working. One thing is certain, if you are not already working this way, you soon will. The Government estimates 72% of secondary schools and 88% of colleges will offer Diplomas by September 2009.

At the start of another school year, Education Today looks back at 12 months of Government education initiatives

Over four years ago, the Building Schools for the Future program was revealed by the Government who announced a £45bn investment to rebuild or refurbish every secondary and half of all primary schools by 2020.

Foremans Relocatable Building Systems has completed construction of a new, purpose-designed nursery in County Durham. 

As part of the £5m re-development of St. Marylebone School for Girls in Central London, Junckers floating floors was the architect's choice for the new 400m2 multi-purpose Sports Hall and two connecting 100m2 Dance/Drama Studios.   

Responding to the need for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to better integrate ICT within initial teacher training courses, educational technology specialist, Promethean, has developed ‘Pass It On' - a holistic training programme designed to equip student teachers with the skills to use interactive technologies confidently and competently.

Since the launch of its new design tool to help architects and contractors work with off-site construction, award-winning school building specialist and Portakabin subsidiary, Yorkon, has received over 1,200 requests for the guide.

CP Electronics have installed controls at the new automotive and engineering centre at Highfields Automotive & Engineering Training Centre part of Castle College, Nottingham, to provide accurate and easy adjustment of light levels. This is vital for today's classrooms which have to cater for both traditional teaching and high tech presentations. Flexibility and ease of use are key benefits.

As school buildings begin to age roof failure can occur at any time, and often when it's least expected. This means that crucial roof repairs cannot always be scheduled into school shutdown periods, and may have to be conducted whilst there are pupils and teachers in the building below - but how do you ensure that any works carried out are safe and will not present a risk of fire?

From high quality single classroom solutions, all the way to fully designed and built school or campus projects, offsite construction company Terrapin can create modern effective environments for nurturing, learning and development. Whatever the educational need, Terrapin can deliver a total solution, including managing the whole project, from groundworks to fit-out and furnishing. The company can also provide a wide range of finance, leasing and buy back options to meet long or short term requirements.

Schools are increasingly becoming construction clients in the eye of the law

Direct funding to schools, through schemes such as Building Schools for the Future (BSF), means that governors and staff need to appoint designers and contractors to provide facilities which can be new buildings, extensions, refurbishments and ongoing maintenance.

Building Additions has just provided a bespoke solution for Writhlington School in Radstock, providing them with the flexible space they needed to accommodate their expanding student population.

Due to their high dirt and moisture absorbance and reduced maintenance, Gripfit's serviced matting systems produce 87% less carbon emissions, just 0.38 tonnes of CO2 per annum per mat, compared with 3.17 tonnes of CO2 per annum for conventional laundered mats.

Building designers and electrical contractors looking to bring a new dimension to their work can take inspiration from a project carried out on behalf of a specialist technology college in Cornwall.

Altro is bringing Bangor University's halls of residence bang up to date with the fitting of its ultra modern ContraX in the kitchen areas of its newest accommodation block.

Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the largest school buildings investment programme the Government has ever launched. Its ambitious aims include the rebuilding or refurbishing of almost every secondary school in England to support the Government's educational reform agenda.

The Friary School in Lichfield have again chosen Relcross to supply the washroom products for refurbishing the students' toilets. They embarked on a project to re-furbish their washrooms three years ago.

The use of ICT to support all subject areas within schools is now seen as common practice but although purchases of such equipment is becoming a more regular task it is still entered into with much trepidation. Visiting such shows as BETT can send shivers down the spine of any decision maker-experienced or not, with over 700 stands to explore it is easy to miss or overlook essential devices which could really enhance the academic and pastoral excellence of a school. Becta published key points in April 2008 which have gone a long way to keep decision makers on a success purchasing path.

It's a simple question - and one that doesn't have an immediate answer. If a teenager simply doesn't want to do the homework and has no worry about the sanctions that schools are allowed to give, what can be done?

Kendata Peripherals has introduced a new version of its SEMS software utility to work in conjunction with its recently launched ScanAnPro forms processing package.

Schools are currently facing the prospect of a substantial escalation in their energy bills. As IT facilities represent a substantial proportion of this cost, it is no surprise that energy efficient "green" computers are being looked at seriously.  It is into this new energy conscious environment that an energy efficient, high performance computer called LoCO2PC has been launched by Akhter.

LapSafe® Products are a trusted brand within the education sector and a name synonymous with technology and quality.  As the original innovator of storage and recharging cabinets LapSafe® provide managed solutions for mobile ICT in the classroom that have been designed to suit the needs of the modern school.

How do you engage pupils of the Internet age? It can be challenging enough in the classroom but what about sharing information on a wider level within school?

Absolute Software has announced the availability of geolocation tracking for Computrace. The solution complements Absolute's IP tracking capabilities by allowing IT asset managers to track GPS-enabled laptops in the field to within 10 meters (33 feet) and view reports on their location using Google(tm) Maps technology.

Stockport College is set to become the UK's first 21st Century ‘College of the Future' with Carillion IT Services commencing work on an innovative £1.4 million contract with the college.

Providing timely and useful information to parents about their children's school experience can help to improve learner achievement. Research has consistently shown that children achieve more highly when their parents talk to them about their school work and their wider experience of learning. Technology can inform and enrich this engagement by enabling parents to access information about their children's attainment and progress, attendance, behaviour and special needs when and where they want.

From primary level education the emphasis on incorporating ICT into each lesson is huge. Both at home and in the classroom children are immersed in technology whether it is in the form of a voting system for group activities, to present projects or simply to produce the majority of written work, there is no escaping this powerful educational resource.

Epson has launched the new AcuLaser C9200N Series, a range of high speed full colour A3 printers that combine quality, versatility and value. Providing superb quality prints at high speeds across a range of media, these printers appeal to schools, colleges and universities, who are looking for affordable high performance printing.

As one of the world's leading producers of blacklead and coloured pencils, STAEDTLER has always been at the forefront of technical innovation in the manufacturing of quality writing and drawing instruments.

Leading stationery provider, BIC®, has a strong reputation for providing schools with innovative, reliable and safe products at affordable prices.

Market leader Gopak is setting new standards for lightweight furniture this summer with an extensive range of high quality stackable benches that are ready to go in to action as soon as you are.

When it comes to whiteboard markers, reliability and high performance are two things that all teachers want.

For ten years Danwood has been an accredited supplier on the OGCbuying.solutions framework agreement for MFP Managed Print solutions to the UK public sector.  Danwood has campaigned to reduce the cost of print/copy/fax/scan output to all public sector organisations, which already include HM Treasury, Councils, NHS Trusts, Universities and more. 

You might tell your children "presentation, presentation, presentation" but when it comes to cutting up letters to parents and worksheets, why do you always end up with sloppy edges and rough cuts? If choosing the right trimmer or guillotine has always been a puzzle, office guru's Avery can help you find the perfect product that will make your presentation look perfect - and that classroom display board a breeze!

The first form automation solution that captures and processes hand written data elwyn Electronics announces the launch of Arioform, the form automation solution that simply collects and digitally processes hand written data.

The binding of printed of documents in schools is an everyday occurrence. For pupils applying the finishing touches to assignments, projects and course notes, teachers collating reference documents for students and the departments in charge of marketing a school and producing prospectuses, presentation, practicality and of course costs are key. Total Print Finishing Services (Total PFS) has a range of binding and stapling products with which schools can give their internally produced documents a professional finish. By investing in a binding system schools can avoid the expense of using a copy shop or local printer, but remain confident that their printed documents are making the desired impression.

With the purchasing of more high tech desirable technology within schools, comes the problem of an increased security risk. The number of thefts from schools has risen steeply since the launch of such products as Whiteboards, short throw projectors and media suites. It was estimated by one borough council in 2007, that over £200,000 worth of equipment was lost due to thefts from school which is damaging enough but when you also take into consideration lost teaching and learning time, the disruption of repairs and insulation and also rising insurance costs, the scale of damage is immeasurable.

Mitsubishi Electric's Visual Information Systems division, a world leader in the design and manufacture of high quality, presentation and display products, has introduced the new XD500-ST, an XGA resolution (1024 x 768 pixels), short throw projector for the education sector. 

St. Tiernach's Primary School in Clones, Co. Monaghan, Ireland, has installed all-in-one digital projection systems from 3M, the diversified technology company, in its nine classrooms, including the computer room. 3M's systems integrator and reseller in Ireland, Total Office Solutions North East, recommended the Digital Media System (DMS) 810 as the most convenient, safe, high performing and competitively priced digital projection solution.

Saville Audio Visual is offering a new ‘all-in-one-box' digital signage package for only £995 ex vat.

The new EB-1700 range of portable projectors from Epson offers features to enhance efficiency, usability and connectivity, so teachers and lecturers only need to focus on the presentation, rather than the projector.

InFocus Corporation (NASDAQ:INFS) has unveiled its IN1100 series, a mobile projector family designed for team presentation environments as well as for business travellers.  Small enough to hold in your hand, the IN1100 series is both easy to set up and to share among team members and meeting rooms.

It seems that almost daily reports are published annotating more concerning statistics surrounding child and teen obesity. It is estimated that currently in the UK that 25% of boys and 33% of girls are considered clinically obese and with little sign of this figure slowing, many scientists predict that we will soon see parents outliving their children - a frightening thought!

Disperator food waste disposers, available exclusively from Meiko UK, are designed for the immediate and hygienic removal of food waste from kitchen and food preparation areas.

Advanced Hygienic Cladding has recently been selected to install their hygienic PVC, maintenance-free wall cladding system in the new kitchen of the Model Church in Wales Primary School, Carmarthen.

Following extensive customer research, Kruger Tissue is expanding its Da Vinci range of washroom products to meet precise user needs in the education sector.

Efficially opened by HRH the Princess Royal, the Forestry Commission's newly-built environmental classrooms in Staffordshire are using rainwater recycling equipment from Hydro International for toilet flushing to save on mains water usage.

Megaman is one of the world's largest manufacturers of energy saving light bulbs, and is one of Europe's top selling brands. We make them in just about every shape and size you can imagine, from small 2 Watt nightlights up to big 320 Watt lamp clusters for industrial use. If you use ordinary light bulbs, there will be a Megaman equivalent which will save energy, and save you money on your electricity bill.

Over 100 delegates from the school meals sector took time out from their demanding schedules to take part in the Premier Foods Education Team's recent ‘Commitment to School Meals' national events, which offered an opportunity to participate in a day of information sharing and learning.

Victor Manufacturing, announce the largest, most comprehensive range of hot and chilled, holding and moving cabinets available today.  Suitable for all catering applications, no matter what the size, this robust, high quality range - Banquetline - holds hot food and/or chilled food in optimum condition until ready for service.

3G Food Service & Seafood Solutions, the specialist distributor of chilled and frozen foods to the food service sector, has recently added two new main courses to its Kids range. The new meals, Kids Macaroni Cheese and Kids Lasagne, are specially created dishes designed to meet nutritional guidelines and provide caterers with an appealing main course dish for their children's menu.

A comprehensive introduction to analysing quantitative linguistic data for students and postgraduate research projects.

What Makes A Good School? was a highly regarded book by Tim Brighouse published in 1991. This book is the follow-up bringing the thinking right up to date.