New feedback tool launched to identify and improve teacher wellbeing
Developed by leading education specialists and psychologists, the feedback tool is specifically tailored to help senior leaders improve teacher wellbeing and retention In a drive to improve engagement and address teacher wellbeing, a new tool has been launched to provide continual feedback loops which can be used to identify the pressures school staff may be facing, develop tailored action plans and transform school culture and teachers’ working lives. Developed by the world’s largest community of teachers, Tes Global, in partnership with an educational psychologist and UK and international schools, Staff Pulse gives school leaders the ability to gather anonymous, real-time data and insights from staff across 21 different categories, including workload, support, communication and enjoyment. According to the Health and Safety Executive, teaching staff and education professionals report the highest rates of work-related stress, depression and anxiety in Britain. Subsequently, Ofsted has increased its emphasis on teacher wellbeing and its impact on the wellbeing of students in schools in its latest Inspection Framework. Supporting the Government’s strategy to address teacher recruitment and retention, Staff Pulse has been specifically designed to deliver a positive work environment and ensure staff are happy in their school and career. Using the feedback and insights, senior leaders can better understand the evolving views of their staff, identify key pressure points and continually refine responsive action plans tailored to their needs. The different categories which can be tailored for staff, identify key drivers of satisfaction and allow for a granular response to building and measure the impact of an action plans and measuring the impact of the plans. This regular feedback empowers school leaders to build an inclusive and transparent culture that attracts, engages and retains the best staff, without adding to their workloads. Carla Bennett, Headteacher of Sherford Vale School in Plymouth has been using Staff Pulse over the last few months. She said: “I send the pulse to my staff every Wednesday. I read the results as part of SLT and note down any action points. We set up an action plan for ‘communication’ which was rated the least effective and gave staff chance to comment upon improvements. As a result, staff feel like they are listened to and have a say and we are actioning or providing reasons why some of their suggestions are not possible. As a result, this has increased staff morale and the pulse rating for the school has increased. Staff and leaders like using the pulse and have recommended it to another MAT who are in the process of setting it up.” This new tool also supports teachers by providing a way to share honest feedback about how they feel without fear of judgement or repercussions, and senior leaders can gather and analyse insights to track success and improve areas for development. Responses and scores can also be compared to the national average, giving senior leaders their own benchmarks as well as a guide to how other schools are performing. Caroline Wright, Director General of BESA said: “Teacher wellbeing is something that should concern us all. If teachers are anxious or stressed, this effects their ability to prepare, which severely hinders children’s education. Schools need to be supported to monitor how their teachers feel and take action quickly, in order to maintain a confident positive staffroom.” Tes Global Product Director, Funmi Alassan, involved with Staff Pulse since its inception, said: “We developed Staff Pulse after listening to schools across the world. Senior Leadership Teams at schools want to know what their staff are thinking and how they are feeling so they can provide the right level of support and promote their wellbeing. Staff Pulse provides schools with regular robust anonymous feedback that can translate directly into action plans. It’s a key part of Tes’s mission to support teachers to have time to do what they do best – teach.” www.tes.com/for-schools/empower/staff-pulse
Is your school play equipment a climate change winner?
Hardly a day goes by nowadays without the issue of climate change being mentioned on the news, backed up by disturbing scenes of the first obvious manifestations of global warming and its devastating effects upon the planet. Raging bush fires in Australia and severe flooding in Indonesia are but just two recent examples. International high profile personalities and groups such as Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion are giving this important topic the airtime and publicity it so rightly deserves. And that is why we at the Hideout House Company have developed a range of recycled plastic play equipment for school playgrounds rather than using the traditional rounded timbers. We have this whole big issue of plastic pollution which is wreaking all kinds of havoc on the environment adversely affecting wildlife, wildlife habitat and us, humans. David Attenborough has told us all about it in his television programmes and even school children from around the world recently went on strike for a day to drive the message home. There is already an excellent international programme within the educational community called Eco Schools which encourages environmental awareness and teaches children to adopt skills and practices to drive through change. Recycling forms a major part of this initiative. And that is why we are now using recycled plastic for our play equipment. Rather than polluting our planet, plastic bottles and cartons can now be 100% recycled and made into recycled plastic which is a low maintenance and environmentally friendly alternative to timber. Rubbish can therefore be transformed into a useful, high quality playground product rather than having to chop down trees to provide the timber alternative. But there is more. As well as its extremely eco-friendly credentials, there are also lots of other benefits to be gained from recycled plastic play equipment: • It will never rot or degrade as it can easily tolerate damp conditions • It will never splinter or have cracks and shakes • It is extremely low maintenance • It is hard wearing and exceptionally durable lasting five times longer than timber and does not degrade with age • It is UV, graffiti, algae and insect resistant There is a secondary benefit too in that children can actually learn about the recycling process from just using this type of play equipment by understanding and appreciating its provenance. See the video on the benefits of recycled plastic school play equipment below. Some very good reasons therefore to make playground products out of recycled plastic and by doing so, this demonstrates a good environmental practice within your school and could even go towards your school’s Eco School accreditation. The range has now been extended out to include not just trim trails but planters, benches, sandboxes, water play tables, play boats and mud kitchens. The Hideout House Company also offers other unique products to schools which promote and encourage environmental awareness – these include special eco classrooms which feature renewable energy systems such as dynamo bikes which the children have to pedal to create energy/electricity and solar panels with mini wind turbines. By Simon Fearnehough, MD of the Hideout House Company Ltd See QA Education’s climate change blog here.
Exploring SEN funding in 2020
Seeing a child with special educational needs (SEN) blossom in school can be one of the most rewarding aspects of our jobs. But pupils with SEN require extra support for which tailored classes, specially trained teachers and adaptable classrooms all play a part. Needing these additional resources means you’ll likely rely on having access to enough SEN funding to help the pupil thrive in school. But, as inclusion and literary expert Jules Daulby highlights, this access isn’t always guaranteed. In partnership with Daulby, specialist lawyers Bolt Burdon Kemp have created a filterable table of some of the key facts and figures regarding the SEN landscape. Some of the insights they provide, which will help schools decide which direction to take their SEN provision in 2020, include: 1. The proportion of pupils with SEN rose for a third consecutive year in 2019 In 2019, pupils with SEN represented 14.9% of the overall student body compared to 14.6% in 2018 and 14.4% in 2017. It’s difficult to pinpoint the reason for this steady increase, says Daulby, pointing out that it could simply be that the system is getting better at identifying children with SEN. Daulby does note that “more boys tend to get SEN support than girls, as girls generally don’t have the behavioural issues associated with SEN. This often leads to their needs being missed, as their traits may not be as easily identified as with boys.” It’s likely, therefore, that there are hundreds more female pupils with SEN that have been missed by the system. 2. London now gets more SEN funding than any other region As you might expect, the capital city gets more high needs funding than any other region in England. But, while London gets £22.9 million more in high needs funding than the South East, the South East is home to the greatest number of SEN students. The South East is also home to more specialist schools dedicated to SEN students. This discrepancy might risk putting SEN students – and the schools that cater to them – on the back foot. “What’s more,” says Daulby, “the government needs to tackle the problem of the SEN notional budget that asks schools to contribute their own budget to cater to SEN pupils. It puts inclusive schools at a perverse disadvantage.” 3. Changes in the system may be leaving SEN pupils behind According to Daulby, “there are likely to be many children who used to be identified with SEN who aren’t now.” With changes to the system that has seen SEN identification go from a 5-stage risk classification to two stages, children who previously had SEN support may find themselves being left by the wayside. If children with special needs and disabilities don’t qualify as either needing SEN support or needing an Educational, Health and Care plan, they may be left without the backing they need to thrive. The need for additional SEN funding is a continuous – and ever-present – conversation that headteachers, deans and everyone in the school system concern themselves with on a regular basis. Keeping ourselves abreast of the trends – and shortcomings – in the way the government allocates that funding can help us plan better, allowing us to better cater for students who need it the most.
Astonishing March Of New School Insurance ‘Disrupter’
A school insurance ‘disruptor’ have secured an astonishing 3,400 % increase in market share in just 12 months. Only a year ago, they had 20 schools on their books but they now boast over 700 – and the numbers are rising weekly.
One in ten children leave primary school unable to brush their teeth
Surprising numbers of children in the UK are leaving primary school without basic life skills such as being able to brush their own teeth, dress themselves without assistance and tell the time. According to a new study, one in ten (10%) children are leaving primary school unable to brush their own teeth, dress themselves or tell the time. The research by watch and sunglasses specialist, Tic Watches, also revealed that almost one in six (16%) primary school leavers are unable to swim, despite the national curriculum stating that all children should be able to swim 25 metres by this time, and 13% are unable to ride a bike. The most common basic skills that UK children leave primary school without are: Swimming (16%) Knowing their times tables (13%) Riding a bike (13%) Reading full sentences (10%) Brushing their own teeth (10%) Whilst previous studies have suggested that girls outperform their male peers on all levels, the new research suggests that boys are more advanced when it comes to more practical life skills*. A concerning one in seven (15%) girls leave primary school unable to brush their teeth without assistance, compared to just 4% of boys. Equally worrying, 10% of girls of the same age are unable to dress themselves, compared to 8% of boys. The research also showed one in ten boys left primary school unable to ride a bike (10%), compared to one in six girls (16%). Meanwhile, one in ten girls are unable to tell the time using a watch (10%), in comparison to 8% of boys at this age. Mya Medina, Chief Education Adviser at online tutoring service, Tutor House, commented: “The stereotype is that girls are better at language and verbal communication, including reading, while boys are better at technical subjects like science and maths. Equally, it’s been said that girls take better care of themselves and behave more maturely, thus taking on tasks, such as dressing themselves and brushing their teeth, with greater success. “This research should be seen as proving the importance of nurture over nature in developing skills. While few scientists would try to claim that male and female brains are identical, it is increasingly being proven that the difference is so minor that you would not see a difference in their skills. Increasingly, science is showing that nurture has a far greater effect on a child’s skills, knowledge and ability than we had acknowledged. She concluded: “Perhaps parents are becoming more aware of the stereotypes and are investing more time in teaching sons to dress themselves and brush their teeth. Alternatively, this could be a symptom of a crisis of confidence in young girls and an ongoing issue where girls can be overlooked or take a back seat in early-stage schooling, thus receiving less support.” Danny Richmond, Managing Director of Tic Watches, said: “It’s concerning to see just how many children are leaving primary school without basic life skills, in particular swimming, a skill which is taught as part of the curriculum. “This research shows how important it is that kids are given the opportunities to thrive both at home and at school, to ensure that they are fully prepared when they move on to high school.” For more of this research, including more information on the basic life skills, please visit https://www.ticwatches.co.uk/blog/2020/01/%ef%bb%bfa-study-into-basic-life-skills-in-primary-school-leavers/
Transform floors, walls and lives – Rhino UK Talk Inclusive Play
Sensory Activities are becoming a hot trend, and we couldn’t be more excited that people are coming around to an inclusive style of play. Why? Well, because Sensory Activities are brilliant at engaging children’s minds, muscles and social sides, opening them up to new experiences; all whilst aiding their emotional, mental and physical development. You’ll find an abundance of listicles online providing fun filled sensory activity inspiration that you could try for yourself. Although, are they fun for everybody? Sandpits can be a bit messy. You might not have a nice garden or large playground for children to run around and explore. And finding space for a sensory room might sound like an impossible quest. Sensory activities should be both practical and inclusive, so that every child can properly explore their senses. This is something that we champion at Rhino UK, and it’s why we’re proud suppliers of Om Interactive technology, who are pioneers of inclusive play. The extraordinary OmiVista system turns any wall or floor into a fully interactive sensory playground. The sophisticated projector technology decorates the intended surface in dazzling HD colour, as dull floors transform into oceans filled with fish, giant sandpits, or even galaxies scatted with stars. Every projected surface is fully interactive, allowing users to discover for themselves the new worlds at their feet. Whilst each unit comes with 300 preloaded games that are specifically designed to engage your mind and senses, providing a fun space for learning. Installing this device is easy, as the whole process is completed by Rhino UK’s friendly team. Once installed the system is simply activated by the click of a button, so there are no set up times getting in the way of play! If you’d prefer a more flexible type of play, the OmiVista Mobii allows you to cart around your sensory playground, as its adjustable height settings allow you to project onto tables and desks. Offering children the chance to explore their senses in a safe and familiar environment. These devices are suitable for all sorts of educational settings; schools, pre-schools, nurseries and day care. Ensuring its inclusive use for children’s educational development. The team at Rhino UK would be happy to talk you through our Omi collection, and can answer any questions that you may have – so be sure to get in touch with us on 01270 766660. www.rhinouk.com
BETT Awards victory for Texthelp!
Texthelp – the global technology company helping learners of all ages to improve their reading, writing and maths skills – has won best ‘International Digital Education Resource’ in the UK’s BETT Awards 2020 for its flagship Read&Write product. Read&Write is a software toolbar with literacy support features designed to help teachers deliver inclusive, personalised learning experiences to all students – and assist every member of the class in meeting their full potential. For educators, it is a time-saver, making curriculum materials accessible to suit every student’s personal learning style. It also helps teachers ‘Reach Every Learner’, providing tailored multi-lingual support for high achievers right through to students with specific literacy challenges. In an independent, year-long study of children in their first year of secondary school, conducted during the 2017/18 academic year, 66% of Read&Write users improved their reading age and confidence levels over the course of the year, compared with 27% of non Read&Write users. In addition, whilst significant pressures of the first year of secondary school can push students’ reading and writing into decline, the study found the measurable quality of writing improved by 3.5% amongst Read&Write users. Commenting on the award win, Texthelp CEO, Mark McCusker said: “For one of our leading products, Read&Write, to have won best International Digital Education Resource is an important milestone for Texthelp. This is an accolade that we have been working towards for several years, and it is really exciting to receive the recognition for the impact Read&Write has on learning outcomes. The anecdotal feedback received from users, and the findings from an independent study into the efficacy of the products, shows Read&Write has a significant impact on learning outcomes. “It is our mission is to help unlock everyone’s full ability and realise their potential through this innovative technology, which they can continue to use throughout their working life. This recent win is, in part, an acknowledgement of the progress we have made towards this goal over the past 20 years. As one of the most established technology companies in this sector, Texthelp is also uniquely positioned to extract hugely valuable insights from our global data sets. This enables us to identify the key challenges in education today and create software that can help/support educators in solving them.” Read&Write makes files, documents and the web more accessible on a wide range of devices and platforms, including Windows, Mac, Google Chrome, iPad and Android. The intuitive toolbar sits on top of applications like Microsoft Word and Google Docs to help students whenever needed with a wide range of literacy tasks – from reading and understanding classroom materials to coursework and independent study. Translation support is available in almost 100 languages and growing, whilst Read&Write’s toolbar interface is accessible in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Dutch and Portuguese. The company’s WriQ product was also shortlisted for best ‘Classroom Aids For Learning Teaching and Assessment’ for WriQ – a Chrome extension for Google Docs that automatically marks papers digitally. www.texthelp.com/en-gb/
How coloured radiator covers can be used in autism education environments
Colour psychology studies how hues can impact the human behaviour. This is vital in an autism specialist unit or school. This is due to senses normally being heightened and behaviours closely monitored by onlooking staff. As well as supplying low surface temperature radiators, Contour also supply anti-ligature radiator covers which have numerous additional safety benefits. This can make an excellent choice for an autism unit. Overloaded sensors Both children and adults who have autism experience heightened senses. These include sight, sound, touch, smell, sunlight and even colour has been found to create a variety of effects on people with autism. An example of this would be that smells are much stronger, sounds are louder, lights are more glaring and colours seem more colourful. This demonstrates how radiator covers can contribute to a surrounding environment as when focusing on interior design, walls are normally the priority. However to meet regulations and lower risks, radiators need to be protected. Radiator covers can be a part of the interior design, for example if you have a colourful wall, you could have colourful radiator covers to match. As opposed to standard white radiator covers which would take away the impact of the coloured wall and loose the continuous flow. Which colours are best for autistic children? Although children with autism can tolerate varying levels of colour, sound and patterns, no two children are the same. The level of their autism will also vary over a broad spectrum. However, there are some colours that have been found to better suit children with autism, for example toned down colours as opposed to bright, garish colours. Bright colours and autism is a very well researched topic. Studies show that colours show a lot more vibrant to children with autism. This is because the components of the eye vary due to chemical imbalances or neural deficiencies. The National Autistic Society suggest avoiding bright colours or busy patterns. This is due to them increasing anxiety or even cause people to become fixated. Past projects have seen the use of a pale green used in a children’s hospital ward. Child psychologist, Lynne Harrison, suggests that soft green is one of the best colours to use in environments of autistic children. To conclude Low-surface temperature and anti-ligature radiator guards are predominantly installed to provide physical protection. However as mental health awareness continues to grow, colour should be considered in more public and educational environments. Contour are experienced in supporting specifiers with their projects, including SEN schools, nurseries, children wards and more. To find out more about colour psychology, view Contour’s guide.
Sunshade Services Fixed Canopy Structures
Sunshade Services have recently completed the installation of numerous fixed canopy structures allowing the free access of children in & out of the adjacent classroom buildings in any weather. The main advantage of fixed canopies is their sturdiness & resilience to all inclement weather conditions whilst the opal coloured roof panels offer considerable shade cover in very sunny conditions. Our steel powder coated structures are available in almost any colour & can be complimented or matched to our wide colour range of safety pads. Each structure is individually designed using the latest CAD software to suit any building profile to ensure that your own personal needs are met. All our fixed canopies are fitted with guttering systems which discharge rainwater to ground level. No shape or size of building is an issue as we survey all sites to find the best all-round solution & ensure that all existing drains & underground services are located to minimise any disruption to the client. No canopy is too big or too small. All installations are taken care of by our own employees to ensure total control from start to completion. Contact us now to find out more…. T: 01782 398848 M: 07807 063734 / 07415 462406 E: info@sunshadeservices.co.uk W: www.sunshadeservices.co.uk