Schools offered free service to help manage Ofsted inspections and improve results
Schools across England are being offered a high-tech solution to prepare for Ofsted inspections and improve results free of charge. Bluewave Education is offering its award-winning Common Inspection Frame work module for free to schools, as leaders face increasing budgetary challenges in the coming year. Managing director of Bluewave Education, Keith Wright, said: “Accurate assessment of a schools strengths and areas for development is an essential requirement for school improvement and school inspection. “For more than a decade Bluewave Education has provided school leaders with the structure, guidance and mechanisms to enable rigorous self-evaluation and facilitate the school improvement process. “With schools facing another year of financial uncertainty, our contribution to the sector is to remove some of the cost burden and to help them move on from the use of outdated systems based around paper and basic Word documents. “Our experience is that where schools make this transition, they rarely go back.” Bluewave SWIFT was developed by a group of education leaders who wanted to find a practical, modern day solution to managing school improvement and dealing more effectively with the processes involved. SWIFT allows schools to: – Create a clear and structured whole school self-evaluation – Identify and put in place key school improvement priorities – with direct links to school improvement plans* – Automatically feed Ofsted SEF/Common Inspection Framework evidence into other reports e.g. Safeguarding, Behaviour, Pupil Premium, Governance* – Include any or all of your staff can contribute to whole-school self-evaluation – Create departmental SEF’s/Common Inspection Frameworks Ofsted facility for academy chains In addition to offering their SEF for free to all schools, Bluewave Education is also offering a facility for academy chains, federations and Multi-Academy Trusts, whereby a Common Inspection Framework can be distributed to their family of schools and the responses can be aggregated for analysis and reporting. Mr Wright said: “This supports so many positive approaches to school-led improvement and it leads to far greater awareness and collaboration around strategic planning. “The only cost is a one-off set up fee determined by the number of schools in the family. “Whether we like it or not, schools have to act more like businesses every day. We help schools to think like a school and where necessary, work like a business. “This is recognised in our BETT award for supporting institutional leadership and management but most importantly in the feedback we get from the schools we work with”. For more help in preparing for Ofsted, see bluewavemosaic.com
Mind Full or Mindful? Exam prep for kids, parents & teachers
In Hitchhiker’s Guide, we’re told that, as a child, Zaphod had been diagnosed with ‘ADHDDAAADHD (ntm) ABT’ which stood for ‘Always Dreaming His Dopey Days Away, Also Attention Deficit Hyperflactulance Disorder (not to mention) A Bit Thick’. The majority of children aren’t ‘thick’, but in the modern world, they’re incredibly distracted. As we enter the silly season, when kids get stressed about exams, teachers get stressed about kids not living up to expectations and parents getting stressed about trying not to nag too much about revision, it’s important to stay calm and positive. I’ve been studying the science of happiness for 11 years and here a few lessons, for all the family (and for teachers), to help us calm the hell down and sail through the silly season: Lesson #1: The 8:1 Ratio The modern take is that you should be helping your child nurture a growth mindset, that is, an attitude that equates success with hard work. Nagging, punishment and pointing out what’s wrong means kids will learn to stick to what they know to be safe which, over time, leads to a fixed mindset (example, ‘I’m rubbish at maths. I’ll never be able to learn it’). If you mix in a healthy dose of positive reinforcement you will be rewarded with discretionary effort. One of the most effective things a teacher, parent and/or grandparent can do is to use a positivity/negativity ratio of about 8:1. It may seem a lot and it can be difficult to get it right, but catch your child doing things well. Notice the little things and tell them. Oh, and mean it! Lesson #2: Celebrate better How we behave in a moment of triumph and joy makes a huge difference in either building or undermining relationships. Broadly speaking, parents need to be ‘active constructive’, that means celebrating success with genuine enthusiasm. I’m not suggesting an over the top punching of the air celebration for every smidgeon of good news, but a raising of your levels of enthusiasm means you won’t miss out on so many glorious relationship building opportunities. The ‘active constructive’ reaction is completely brilliant on all sorts of levels. The message is they’re proud and you’re proud. Your active constructive response means they know you’re proud. Best of all, you’ve engineered it so you know they know you’re proud. (Read it again, maybe a couple of times, until it sinks in!) The result is that everyone feels great and your child will want to repeat that behaviour. Lesson #3: Praise for effort rather than talent The advice from positive psychology is that if your child accomplishes something, don’t say, ‘Well done, you are such a little genius!’ But rather, ‘Awesome, you put the effort in and got the reward.’ Here’s a concrete example. If your daughter does well in a mock maths exam don’t high-five, ‘Holy cow, total genius girl. You were born to do algebra.’ You’d be better off saying, ‘Amazing result. That’s what practice and hard work gets ya!’ and ruffle her hair in a chummy fashion. Lesson #4: Never pay your children for exam results A very common parenting trap! It’s so tempting, but let’s examine the sub-text of your well-meaning ‘payment by results’ system. What you are effectively saying is, ‘I understand that studying is a horrible thing to do. And I appreciate that you will only do it for money,’ and bang goes their love of learning. You are teaching them (albeit innocently and subconsciously) that learning is a chore. You’d be better off suggesting that you’ll do a family day out as a reward for all their hard work. Lesson #5: ‘I wish you well’ Everyone gets a little stressed and it’s easy to snap. Have a go at the 5-3-2 technique. You must first consider five people that you’re grateful to have in your life. Then, for the first three minutes you meet them, meet them like a long lost friend and don’t judge anyone or try to improve them. And for the first two seconds when you see another person, send them a silent ‘I wish you well’. It’s rather beautiful way of applying mindfulness to relationships. Lesson #6: The 7-second hug This goes hand-in-hand with the above. I started delving into the research behind this and then thought, sod it, nobody cares what the stats say. Here’s the headline news – the average hug lasts just over 2 seconds. If you hang on for a full 7 seconds then oodles of nice warm chemicals flow around both bodies and the love is transferred. One word of advice, don’t count out loud while you’re doing the 7-second hug as it tends to spoil the effect. Lesson #7: Chatter away! If you visit proper academic papers and government reports, you’ll find that far too many families are hindering their children’s development. A study by Hart and Risley suggested that by age 4, children raised in poor families will have heard 32 million fewer words than children raised in professional families. To add to the woe, it’s not just quantity, it’s also the emotional tone. So please speak a lot and, where possible, couch your language in the 8:1 ratio of positive to negative. Say instead of ‘how was school?’ why not upgrade to ‘what was the highlight of your day?’ or ‘what was the funniest or most amazing thing you’ve done today?’ Say it like you mean it and, of course, properly listen to the answer. You will be rewarded with an increased likelihood of a positive conversation. Lesson #8: Celebrate strengths Parents have a lot to answer for. Too much love and encouragement gives children an inflated idea of what they can do. Witness the early rounds of the prime-time talent shows where the kid has been bigged up so much that they believe the parental hype. We, the viewer, reach for our ear plugs as the performer refuses to accept the truth of their wailing banshee voice. And yet too little love and encouragement means we’re crippled emotionally. You can have the best voice on the planet but no confidence to
UK teachers spend a whole day on marking each week
68% of teachers say they spend too much time marking and not enough teaching Teachers in the UK are spending the equivalent of a whole day every week on marking and reporting. In a new international study1, the UK ranks among the highest in terms of time teachers spend on admin, which could otherwise be used teaching in the classroom. The research, from Canvas, the Virtual Learning Environment for academic institutions and companies worldwide, reveals that one in six (17%) teachers in the UK are spending more than 11 hours a week on marking and assessments. This is significantly more than those in the US (9%) and Australia (7%) where the time spent on teaching is typically higher2. According to the Department of Education3, on average, UK teachers work 57.5 hours a week, but tasks such as lesson preparation, marking, supervising children and other administration result in just 19.3 hours being spent in the actual classroom. With marking and reporting taking up almost a fifth of their working week, teaching professionals say this impacts negatively on classroom time with students (68%). The situation has worsened in the last five years4, with a need for teachers to continually track the performance of their students (78%), further inspections from Ofsted (65%) and increased benchmarking (57%) in schools. And with schools days set to become longer following the Budget, this is likely to be further exacerbated. Technology, including Virtual Learning Environments, can help speed up marking and collating data for reporting – but currently under half of teachers (46%) use the tech in their school as many don’t know how to integrate it effectively. However, among those who do, two thirds (67%) report they find it easier to monitor and track students’ progress, easing their workload. Craig Ring, music teacher at Rooks Heath College said, “Since we started using a learning management platform in our school we’ve seen first hand the positive impact its had on both students and teachers. We have just been marking GCSE coursework and the amount of time it’s saving us is enormous. Plus, all of the feedback is in one place for a student and even throughout the Easter break we have had students updating their work within hours of receiving feedback. We’re also able to collate data at the click of a mouse, which massively reduces our workload. It’s a very useful tool.” Sam Blyth Samantha Blyth, director of schools at Canvas said, “There is no doubt that teachers in the UK do a fantastic job of multitasking; juggling marking, reporting and lesson planning, with face-to-face teaching in the classroom. But there is a growing perception that the sheer amount of admin is leaving them unable to do the job they love – to actually teach their students. “This is where technology can play a vital role – online marking and reporting not only helps teachers, but in turn frees up more time to spend with students. When used effectively, tech then stops getting in the way of teaching and starts to enable it, leading to more engaging lessons and better outcomes for both students and schools.”
UK schools battle it out in Viking Young Inventors’ Competition to win £5000 for their school.
Viking, the school and office supplies channel of Office Depot, a leading global provider of office products and services in the UK are inviting pupils from primary and secondary schools to get their creative juices flowing and take part in Viking’s Young Inventors’ competition. Children 16 and under will be competing with other pupils across the UK in the Young Inventors’ Competition. The competition will be judged in two categories – one for primary schools and one for secondary schools. Pupils can take part by designing an invention for their classroom which fits an eco-friendly, futuristic or fun theme and providing a short description of their invention. Primary and Secondary schools in the UK are invited to take part · Pupils are asked to design an invention for the classroom · The winning pupil will win £5000 for their school to spend with Viking · Closing date 22/07/2016 http://www.viking-direct.co.uk/a/bb/School-Shop/N=2%201325287/?tab=3#tabs The competition encourages pupils to utilise their imagination, and expand their vision of the potential advancements to their everyday stationery items in the classroom. The deadline for competition entries is Friday 22nd July 2016, an initial shortlist will be selected and the winner will then be chosen by a representative of Viking in September. The winning school will win £5000 to spend with Viking and the winning pupil will win a digital camera worth £346 (inc Vat). The two individual runners up (one from the Primary School category and one from the Secondary School category) will each receive a Samsung Galaxy Tablet worth £178 (Inc VAT) for themselves and a Swash, Classmaster and Show me bundle worth £250 (Ex Vat) for their school. Andrea Kenna, Director of merchandising at Office Depot and Viking said: “This competition is a great way to encourage children to think about existing products in their classroom and how they can innovate these or be inspired to design new inventions. With the classroom environment evolving so fast we are always looking out for the next new product on the market and what makes it different to what has already been invented. Viking understands the challenges schools face due to budget cuts and we feel it is a great shame that schools are losing out. We wanted to give something back which would help schools keep topped up with their everyday essentials and we’re sure that £5000 will definitely help! We look forward to seeing what inventions for the classroom pupils can create from their imaginations.”
Teacher absence tackled by new partnership between Schools Advisory Service and health app
The Schools Advisory Service (SAS), which provides teachers in the UK with absence insurance, has partnered with a Manchester-based healthcare company to provide members with GP appointments via smartphone. The SAS is working with Now Healthcare Group, utilising their Dr Now mobile app which connects users to a qualified doctor via Skype-style video chat. The partnership is set to begin on 1 April and will be available to the SAS’ 100,000 members nationwide. Dr Now is an ‘mHealth’ app which allows those who need to see a doctor the chance to book an appointment at the touch of a button and speak to one via video call on their Android or iOS smartphone. It can also deliver medicines straight to a patient’s home or office for ultimate convenience. The SAS previously relied upon a GP telephone service for when staff fell unwell, but this is to be Lee Dentith replaced with this new arrangement with Now Healthcare Group. Nearly 3 million teaching days are lost through sickness in schools in the UK every year, and the SAS is aiming to reduce this number by providing teachers with quick and easy healthcare – helping them avoid waiting times at the clinic and the hassle of taking time off to see a doctor. Director of Schools Advisory Service, Les Marshall, said: “Our new service from Now Healthcare Group will be an essential element of trying to prevent and reduce staff absences in schools. This service is just what teachers have been asking us to provide for years and to finally be able to provide a service of the highest quality from the market leader demonstrates why Schools Advisory Service is the UK’s largest supplier of staff absence insurance.” Founder & CEO of Now Healthcare Group, Lee Dentith, said: “Now Healthcare Group is thrilled to be working with Schools Advisory Service through this exclusive partnership. We’re looking to significantly reduce the number of sickness days lost by teachers and education workers by giving them access to a GP immediately through our mobile app platform, Dr Now / Now GP. Our partnership will benefit schools, teachers and children alike as we look to minimise disruption to pupils’ education across the country.” https://youtu.be/rHcdD0YKdbs Download the app from the App Store and Google Play.
Six steps to keeping classroom technology safe
Having technology in the classroom can help enhance student engagement with what’s being taught. Today, many schools have iPads, iPods or other tech devices, and measures should be put in place to keep these expensive products safe from being lost or stolen. Here are six safety steps to consider when keeping technology safe in the classroom, provided by gadget and mobile accessory brand Griffin Technology. 1. It’s important to take necessary precautions against theft in the classroom. Devices such as videocameras, iPads, and laptops should be put away in locked and secured places when not in use. 2. Always establish and enforce classroom procedures for student use of technology. Create a register to check-out and check-in equipment, so it’s always accounted for. 3. If you’re using an iOS device such as iPad or iPod, install the Find My iPhone app on these devices. If these gadgets are ever lost or stolen, the app can easily remotely track it, lock it or even erase data. 4. Invest in proper protection. This will ensure all expensive products are protected with a suitable case to defend against accidental drops. Cases that shield devices against drops and knocks should be purchased, and will add another layer of safety should a mishap occur. 5. Label each device that is used in the classroom. This way, there can be no confusion as to who owns the device. Sometimes, school equipment can be mixed up with pupils’ own devices, therefore it’s good to clearly identify school property. 6. For more expensive equipment and those devices used outside of the classroom, create a process by which supervision of its use must be carried out. This is good practice to roll out for new purchases with a high value, so that a responsible watch is taken over the device and it isn’t lost. For gadget protection and accessories, Griffin Technology provides a range of cases to suit tablets, smartphone and more. For iPads used in the classroom, the Survivor All-Terrain is recommended, as it has been tested to meet military standards making it super tough. When charging multiple devices, the MultDock2 Charging Station 10 and 30Bay provides the perfect security when hosting a number of iPads, tablets and smartphones all at once.
Performance related pay: make it fair and transparent
Recent research released by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) revealed that one in 12 teachers have been denied a salary increase since performance-related pay (PRP) was introduced in 2014. With the power and responsibility of PRP being given to schools, Damien Roberts, business development director at Schoolip by Derventio, looks at how teaching staff can gather the right information throughout the performance cycle, ensuring that the process is fair and transparent. Before its introduction in 2014, there was a lot of speculation amongst teachers around the PRP process and how it would work, so these statistics come as no surprise to me. It’s important for schools to examine this reaction and ensure staff understand exactly what needs to be done in order to achieve their objectives for pay progression. Damien Roberts Performance management in schools is traditionally initiated at the beginning of the academic year, but beyond the odd email or discussion in passing, the process often gets lost amongst the preoccupations of teaching, lesson planning and exam preparation. Schools should consider a system that combines the whole process in a central online system which can track progress, store evidence and maintain a constant dialogue between the staff member and their line manager. This will allow staff to highlight achievements or flag issues as and when they arise, as well as altering objectives at any point if needs be. Having an online blog to talk to one another ascertains a very transparent way of ensuring that everything is recorded, and can be used to reinforce outcomes from face-to-face meetings. While the ATL research found that over half of teachers believed that PRP increased their workload, this shouldn’t be the case if a school has an effective and efficient process in place. Removing the need for paper-based evidence and portfolios, and offering technology such as smartphone apps will help to put the power back into teachers’ hands and reduce the overall burden, allowing them to focus on the main priority: teaching their students. Making the process as accessible as possible for staff is also important. Nowadays, most people own a smartphone, and the ability to record evidence digitally using mobiles and upload it directly to an online system can help to reduce laborious paper administration. This way, nothing gets lost throughout the year and can easily be retrieved when staff need to demonstrate how they have met their objectives. Evidence can come in the form of photographs of students work or wall displays; after all, it’s important for OFSTED to walk into a classroom and see that the walls are teaching the students before the lesson has even begun. Evidence can even be shared through video, especially for lessons which may be harder to articulate and visualise on paper, for example, recording students doing coaching exercises during a PE lesson. Not only can this be used as evidence, but also shared as best practice with other teachers. To make PRP as fair as possible for staff, schools should consider software which is able to inform staff and their line managers when they might be missing specific evidence for objectives. This means ahead of the end-of-year review, the teacher knows whether or not they’ve hit their target, so it won’t come as a surprise if they haven’t quite met pay progression. With efficient and simple ways of incorporating all areas of performance management, schools can be completely transparent with staff, enabling them to understand exactly what needs to be accomplished throughout the year. With digital capabilities in place, rather than staff feeling the burden of having to provide paper-based evidence, they can provide as much as they want, confident in the knowledge that they’re meeting both theirs and the schools overall objectives. SchooliP by Derventio brings together the three main elements of school improvement including: performance management, improvement planning and self-evaluation. It helps to improve the standard of teaching and learning within schools by providing the tools to support teachers with organising their evidence for appraisal and pay progression. For more information, visit: www.schoolip.co.uk
RANDSTAD STUDENT SUPPORT PUTS SHROPSHIRE STUDENTS IN POLE POSITION
Randstad Student Support, a leading provider of learning support staff, has taken a group of 15 budding Formula 1 racing engineers to the Williams Martini Racing F1 Factory for a day of innovation, excitement and engineering insight. The lucky group from North Shropshire College included 14 students who fought off tough competition to win the trip, managing to take home the trophy in a competition hosted by Randstad Student Support at the Association of Colleges conference held in November. Randstad Student Support worked with 65 further education colleges and 93 universities around the UK last year, providing vital support for 28,000 students, helping them to achieve their potential. All the students on the tour are currently studying either engineering or mechanics at the college and were given a glimpse into the inner working of the Williams garages. Also attending from Randstad was Victoria Short, Managing Director, Sadie Besley, Operations Director and Karen Guthrie, Further Education Development Manager. Students visited the advanced engineering section of the factory, learning how engineers at Williams use their high-tech, scientific knowledge to solve everyday problems. For example, students discovered that Williams’ pioneering work in cooling down race car engines had been transferred to reducing energy bills in the frozen aisles of supermarkets – creating vast energy savings. This revealed the wide range of professional options available to the students and the versatility of engineering as a career choice. With 431 engineering jobs currently available on Randstad’s website there’s high hopes the visit will have inspired a new generation of expertise.[1] Students also got the chance to prove their racing credentials and try to beat the best of F1 drivers on a BATAK reaction machine. Unfortunately the chequered flag was out of reach – with most posting scores half those of professional drivers. And the final pit stop was to the Williams museum, to check out the trophy collection and see F1 mementos up close. Sadie Besley, Operations Director, Randstad Student Support comments: “This competition was all about inspiring innovation in students – and giving them a glimpse into a potential career in engineering. F1 is the pinnacle of professional racing – and we want North Shropshire students to be at the top of their game. It was fantastic to see the students engage with the experience and fully embrace all the elements that create a successful F1 team. A practical and hands-on opportunity can give students the motivation to further their careers and something to aim for in the future. The skills picked up on the tour are highly applicable and will act as a real motivator for these budding engineers.” A real highlight of the trip was a chance to speak to Williams engineers and learn more about their career paths. Students had the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about future career prospects on offer at Williams. There are a wide variety of ways for students to improve their skills, with many apprenticeships on offer throughout the industry. Sadie Besley, Operations Director, Randstad Student Support concludes: “The best way to get ahead and give yourself the best career opportunities in the engineering sector is to get some hands-on experience. It doesn’t have to be paid work, any time that can be spent learning on the job, gaining practical skills and boosting your experience can give you a great advantage as a candidate. It’s hard to find the right person for the right job and experience and enthusiasm are key for outpacing other applicants. “For further education colleges looking to encourage students to pursue their interests in engineering and technology, the best way is to provide opportunities to see engineers in action. This doesn’t have to be a grand trip to a F1 Factory, it can simply be arranging for engineers to visit and speak to students. Practical advice is particularly important. And nothing is as inspiring as seeing a true professional in action.” https://www.randstad.co.uk/employers/areas-of-expertise/student-support/
Avoiding the tech trap
Currently, there is a global movement in education to become smarter. Businesses have been competing to be more digitally intelligent and energy efficient for some time and schools are becoming no different. This shouldn’t mean a tablet computer for every pupil. Instead it means using existing data in new ways: intelligent ways. Here Carl Plant, CEO of digital technology expert bITjAM gives best practice advice for schools looking to become digital leaders. In a study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in September 2015, doubts were raised as to the benefit of increased technology in schools. The report stated that students who used computers frequently in school were attaining poorer results than those who used computers infrequently – once or twice a week. The reality is schools can become better at using digital tools even without a considerable investment in new machines or advanced technologies. Instead, the shift requires looking at current issues and implementing simple digital solutions. Using tech in schools should do three things: solve problems (not create them), engage pupils and aid communication. So what current problems do schools face? Save paper, go digital A couple of years ago it was recorded that the average school consumed the equivalent of 74 trees worth of paper a year. When you combine this knowledge with the latest government statistics that state there are just under 25,000 schools in the UK, that’s a considerable effect on the environment and an unnecessary expenditure. Students are largely required to work on paper and will be for the foreseeable future. However, ways to minimise carbon consumption and become more efficient can be sought elsewhere. In secondary schools and colleges, for example, timetables are invaluable to pupils and yet faculties hand them out on pieces of paper – destined to be lost, binned or succumb to wear. By using existing databases in a more intelligent way and tapping into the rising number of tablets and smart phones, schools and colleges can cut down on carbon consumption by taking advantage of technology. bITjAM recently worked with Stoke-on-Trent College to create a timetable app students could access on their smart phones. The app, called Logga, is a smart approach to the traditional problems schools face with paper timetables. Logga allows schools to minimise the amount of paper used, while also engaging students. The app also negates any excuses of pupils claiming to have lost their timetable. In addition, Logga opens up another means of communication between teachers and pupils. Task management features allow notes to be made regarding attendance and achievements, providing pupils, teachers and parents with historical information at the touch of a button. The great news is this app doesn’t require radical technical changes to a school’s IT infrastructure. All the information is currently available, it’s just a matter of using it in a more intelligent way. It sounds obvious, but technology in schools needs to have a practical use and make logical sense. There’s no use kitting out the IT lab with expensive iMacs simply because a budget exists. Track work experience When talking to schools and colleges we’ve come across another common problem to which we’ve created a digital solution. Although no longer compulsory, students are often encouraged to take part in work experience. Unfortunately, few schools have a reliable tracking system for work experience, and even fewer actually give students the tools to put together a relevant and clear CV even before they leave school. With competition for university places and jobs as high as it’s ever been, it’s become just as important to record out of school activities as it is curricular ones. Again, what schools need is a smarter framework in place to keep track of students’ extra-curricular activities, like work experience, Duke of Edinburgh, volunteering and other skills development. bITjAM was recently involved in an EU-funded project conducting research into the core skills gap. What became brutally obvious during this research is that students and businesses alike don’t seem to know what they want when it comes to work experience. To help, we’re developing an app on which students can record all their extracurricular activity. They can then use their digital CV towards employment or UCAS as an accurate portrayal of skills and experience. Businesses can look at this record and make informed decisions when taking on young people for work experience and apprenticeships. This way, technology can open up another means of communication, this time between businesses and potential employees. Using technology in an educational environment doesn’t have to be more of a distraction than a benefit, so long as there are clearly defined goals. By simply looking at existing data in a smarter way, schools and colleges can make a conscious effort to reduce their effect on the environment, minimise costs and increase engagement. Uncoincidentally, these are the same goals driving hospitals, factories, shops and a number of other businesses to become smarter too. It’s really not a matter of whether you take the steps, but when. bITjAM would like to invite schools and colleges to get in touch with their challenges and see how the company can help to implement digital solutions. To get in touch, go to www.bitjam.org.uk.