Hertfordshire School Programme Asks “Healthy Only Please!”
Registered Health Coach, Joanna Shurety from Shurety Coaching is collaborating with the team at ELSA to help bolster their “Healthy Only Please!†campaign and share her expertise on how to live a healthier lifestyle. Created to teach secondary school aged children how to understand, embrace and implement a healthy lifestyle, the Healthy Only Please! campaign covers everything from mental and physical health and the positive effect it can have. The campaign feeds into the government’s ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ initiative and helps schools to add a wellbeing aspect to the curriculum without needing to pull staff away from their timetable and specialist subject. Speaking of her role at ELSA, Joanna said; “Working with secondary school aged children has been so rewarding as you can see how much fun they’re having. Our sessions are often very interactive and you can see their confidence build as they engage with the content and each other. Students explore what it is to view food in a healthy way and understand what food does for them, in a positive and supportive environment. Sharing the message about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to this age group has been a completely new experience for me, but one that I wouldn’t change for the world. There are so many conflicting opinions when it comes to nutrition and so much information out there that can be really overwhelming, so it’s no surprise that parents can struggle with what to teach their children. By working with schools we can help take that burden away from the parents and empower the children to make better choices,†added Joanna. The Healthy Only Please! campaign focusses on all areas of self including: Mental health Physical health Social care Choice Self-esteem Self-expression Self-care The key message is to focus on the things that be can be added into your life to make it better. It’s about making informed decisions and moving towards a more balanced way of living. The Healthy Only Please! campaign launched in January at Marriotts school in Stevenage, Hertfordshire and was a roaring success. Here’s what the Assistant Head Teacher had to say: “Jane and her team from ELSA delivered a ‘Healthy Only Please!’ day to 240 year 7 students, focusing on the 5 Ways to Wellbeing: Connecting, Being Active, Taking Notice, Keep Learning and Giving. This was delivered through a serious of workshops that involved the students in a number of different activities, including a work out with trainers from Nuffield Health, a Health Coach explaining healthy relationships with food and an activity requiring students to consider their current attitude and relationship with their phone, social media, television and gaming. The students thoroughly enjoyed the day, and were fully engaged throughout. The messages in this programme are an integral part of any school curriculum and helps us keep a focus on mental health and well-being, which is very important to us. We thank all of those involved for delivering such a thought-provoking, informative but also fun day for our young people.†The campaign is currently being rolled out across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire and will soon launch in Essex and East London too. To find out more about the campaign and how it can be introduced into your school please visit www.elsa.education.
Open University partners with online learning provider SEEK Group in £50m deal
A £50million deal thought to be the largest ever private-sector EdTech investment in Europe will see the Open University partner with international online learning provider SEEK Group. SEEK Group (ASX: SEK) will make the investment to become a joint, 50% owner of The Open University’s FutureLearn social learning platform, it was announced today. The Open University launched FutureLearn, which is based in London, in December 2012 with a dozen UK university partners to test opportunities offered by digital learning and massive open online courses (known as MOOCs). Rapid growth means that FutureLearn now has over nine million learners. The platform offers short online courses right through to postgraduate diplomas and certificates and fully online degrees, all designed around social learning. FutureLearn partners with over a quarter of the world’s top universities, as well as organisations such as Accenture, the British Council, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Raspberry Pi and Health Education England (NHS). Welcoming the announcement, The Open University’s Vice Chancellor Mary Kellett said: “Our new partnership is a fantastic opportunity to change more lives around the globe through flexible lifelong learning. The Open University is rightly known for pioneering new approaches to education and for our academic excellence. Today’s announcement shows this is as true today as when we started fifty years ago. It represents one of the most exciting educational prospects in modern times. “Our partnership with SEEK and the investment in FutureLearn will take our unique mission to make education open for all into new parts of the world. Education improves lives, communities and economies and is a truly global product, with no tariffs on ideas.†The new partnership with SEEK will have contractual arrangements in place to protect the University’s academic independence, teaching methods and curriculum. The SEEK Group is a market leader in the creation and management of online education and employment businesses. SEEK are well-established across Australia, New Zealand, China, South East Asia, Brazil and Mexico. Commenting on the investment, SEEK Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Bassat said: “This investment follows the same logic applied to IDP and Online Education Services ‘OES’ in that we like to invest in disruptive business models that provide world class student education outcomes. “Technology is increasing the accessibility of quality education and can help millions of people up-skill and re-skill to adapt to rapidly changing labour markets. We see FutureLearn as a key enabler for education at scale. “FutureLearn’s reputation is strong and it has attracted leading education providers onto its platform. We are excited to come on as a partner with The Open University.†FutureLearn is involved in UK government-backed initiatives to address skills gaps including The Institute of Coding and the National Centre for Computing Education. It currently has six university partners offering full, online degrees on the platform, and has most recently launched Unlimited, a new business model allowing learners access to most courses for a one-off annual payment. Commenting on the investment FutureLearn CEO Simon Nelson said: “The Open University’s vision and investment, the hard work of our staff and support of our partners, has seen FutureLearn grow rapidly in the past six years. The investment announced today will enable us to unlock FutureLearn’s true potential and extend our global reach and impact. “This investment allows us to focus on developing more great courses and qualifications that both learners and employers will value. This includes building a portfolio of micro-credentials and broadening our range of flexible, fully online degrees and being able to enhance support for our growing number of international partners to empower them to build credible digital strategies, and in doing so, transform access to education.” FutureLearn has been advised by IBIS Capital, a specialist investment and corporate finance advisory group focused on the global media, education and health sectors, and Kemp Little, a leading technology-focused law firm. The Open University was advised by Farrer & Co, the London-based independent law firm. SEEK Group was advised by O’Melveny & Myers, an international law firm.
Grant of £30k to encourage more men into Early Years roles
The government has announced a £300,000 grant to encourage more men to take up careers in Early Years setting. The news was announced this week by Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi, who highlighted the fact that only 3% of EYFS staff in England are men. Mr Zahawi added: “Every child needs a role-model to guide them – whether that’s a parent, a close family member or friend, or someone at nursery or preschool that makes a difference in their life. The early years staff who support children in the first few years of their education equip them with important skills before they reach the classroom, getting them on track to succeed as they get older. “Just as parenting is a shared responsibility, so is kickstarting a child’s love of learning. I want more men to play a positive role in educating and caring for our next generation. That’s why we’re supporting the Fatherhood Institute to encourage men from all walks of life into early years careers, to give children the best start in life and be a part of this important and rewarding sector.†June O’Sullivan MBE, CEO of London Early Years Foundation, welcomed the news and the opportunity to address the stereotyping of teaching roles, saying: “Studies show that children see little difference between the care provided by male teachers and that provided by their female counterparts and therefore it’s critical that we widen the talent pool if we are to staff the Early Years sector with high-quality male nursery teachers and assistants. “Whilst the nature of modern work is changing, the perception that nursery teaching is not for men persists and the experiences of men in Early Years demonstrate how pervasive negative stereotypes remain. It’s imperative that we create a culture change and shift attitudes for the better and for the sake of our children.â€
Fewer than half of UK schools believe they are GDPR compliant
New research findings released today by RM Education and Trend Micro shows fewer than half of UK schools and colleges (48%) believe that they are fully GDPR compliant. Plus, there remains confusion over staff responsibility in terms of GDPR compliance. Last year 156 education professionals were surveyed about how practices and systems have changed since the arrival of GDPR in May 2018 and their ongoing concerns about the legislation. Key findings from the research include: ·Half of schools believe that they are in breach of the regulations – 52% of schools surveyed did not think they are GDPR compliant. In addition, 14% of schools still do not have a strategy in place to become GDPR compliant. ·Fines would have severe impact – Almost four-fifths of schools and colleges (79%) stated they would be significantly affected by any fine for not complying with GDPR. 65% said a data breach would significantly impact their reputation. ·Staff are considered the biggest risk – ‘Accidental loss by staff’ is considered the biggest data threat (75%) followed by cyber criminals (19%). Respondents were from schools and colleges across the UK and included IT Managers, Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and other school leaders. Just 48% of respondents stated that they believed their school/college to be fully GDPR compliant. In terms of reasons for lack of compliance 23% stated legacy systems as a challenge, 46% stated security awareness and 31% stated lack of financial investment. However, the research suggests that schools and colleges are taking GDPR seriously and significant steps have been taken to work towards trying to ensure compliance. Of those surveyed 97% of schools and colleges had updated their policies, 89% had increased staff training, 85% hired a DPO and 83% carried out a data audit (including third-party systems). Furthermore, 38% of those surveyed had increased their IT spend as part of becoming GDPR compliant. When surveyed about the possibility of a data breach 77% of respondents stated they were confident that their school/college was as secure as it could be against a data breach. However, just over two third of schools (71%) surveyed had a formal data breach response plan in place. In terms of what respondents considered to be the biggest threats to their data 19% stated cyber criminals and 75% said accidental loss by staff. Steve Forbes, Principal Product Manager at RM Education comments: “From our work with thousands of schools across the UK we know that untangling the intricacies of GDPR has been a great concern for education providers. One surprising finding is that 91% of schools and colleges surveyed stated that they knew where all their data resides. Schools and colleges process large quantities of data on their pupils, staff and suppliers, and it’s likely that data is in more places than perhaps thought. We will continue to support schools to help them identify these data sources and implement the right cyber defences to protect data both inside and beyond the school’s gates.†Forbes continues, “The survey has uncovered some interesting findings, and highlights the challenges that schools are facing today. There is some confusion in terms of roles and responsibilities in schools when it comes to GDPR. 60% of those surveyed said final responsibility for GDPR sits with the Principal/ Head Teacher, 42% said the responsibility also sits with the DPO and 31% said responsibility also lies with the head of IT. GDPR compliance does not sit with one role alone; and the responsibility for compliance is shared. A DPO is tasked with monitoring GDPR compliance and other data protection laws and policies, awareness-raising, training, and audits. However, as in all other organisations, responsibility for compliance within a school must be a shared responsibility and this relies on a whole school approachâ€. Download the full report at rm.com/GDPR-in-schools
National Training Provider partners with Collaborative Vocational Learning Hub
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BMI Icopal hot melt provides great result for sports area
BMI provides great result for sports area, pupils at a South East London school can now enjoy sport at height thanks to the timely completion of a rooftop ‘ multi-use games and sports area ’ or MUGA. Flat roof specialist Byford Roofing tackled the job knowing that the installation was complex and demanding but also that the schedule was tight. Byford chose BMI Icopal’s Parabit Holt Melt Duo that it applied to the concrete deck of the roof. Over that went a layer of inverted insulation and paving slabs ready to receive the MUGA pitch finish. “I chose Parabit because it’s a system we know well, we’re comfortable laying it and therefore it gave us confidence in achieving the target programme completion date. Not only is it suitable for a zero falls roof, it is also very robust,†explained Andrew Byford, Director at Byford Roofing. He added: “Because of the limited storage space on site, we needed to get the hot melt laid as fast as we could so that we could use the roof area for storage of the other roofing materials. That meant it also had to be tough enough to cope with movement of people and materials around it.†From an installation perspective, the most challenging aspect for Byford Roofing was ensuring that it provided a totally flat surface for the application of the sports surfacing. This meant accuracy in installing the insulation layer and the paving slab ballast. “It had to be completely level to ensure the MUGA could be laid to the correct tolerances,†said Byford. To ensure the contractor met that requirement, Byford chose a paving support system that offered minimal build up with the most support. “After that it was all about making precise cuts, taking time to get it right and achieve that level finish,†he continued. “We increased our labour on site to include the highest skilled operatives to make sure we did that.†Most of the 800m2 roof area was applied in an initial period of two-to-three weeks. Beyond that, Byford made return visits to site to work with the sequencing of other works by the main contractor. One of the later tasks was waterproofing with BMI Icopal Elastoflex around the fence posts that had been installed into the waterproofed parapet wall around the roof’s perimeter. Given the demanding nature of the contract, Byford was pleased with the result. “I was happy with the spec we put forward,†he said. “It has worked well and it enabled us to complete the project on time and within budget. Working with materials that we trust such as BMI Icopal Parabit Hot Melt Duo, helped us achieve a really satisfying outcome.†For more stories like the rooftop sports area click here
Surprising benefits of outdoor adventure for children
These days, it can be easy for children to get into the habit of staying indoors. Yes, there are many home comforts, computer games, watching TV and hot chocolates are always a good idea! But there are so many advantages to being outdoors, experiencing the wonders of nature. Outdoor adventure and education expert, Kingswood, shares the best benefits being outdoors can bring you and your children. Encourages team building There’s no I in team…or outdoors! Improve your child’s team building skills by getting them together with a group of friends to complete some fun tasks. They could do some orienteering, play sports or even build a fort using nature’s tools. Doing things as a team really creates a sense of community and improves friendships. It grows your imagination Imagine all the people, sharing all the world. Wise words! Getting out into the world can create a whole new one for yourself. Just think of all the amazing things your child could do and see if they put their imagination to the test. Improves your physical health The excitement of running around outdoors and taking part in outdoor adventure activities is a great way to exercise and what’s more, it won’t feel like a workout because everyone will be having too much fun! It increases productivity Being outside increases our energy levels. Theories show that by taking a break from being in front of a screen and going on a short walk, allows our eyes to have time for a rest and our mind have time to regroup. So when we come back to doing work, we feel more motivated to get it done. That homework won’t seem like such a big task after all! Sparks inspiration Humans have always been inspired by nature to create beautiful things. Some of the world’s greatest pieces of art and literature (here’s looking at you, Van Gogh) were influenced by the great outdoors. So if you’re in need of some motivation, whether that be at home or school, let wildlife take the wheel! It does your mental health wonders Tom Madders, campaigns director at Young Minds, the children and young people mental health charity and Kingswood charity partner, said: “Children and young people today can face a wide range of pressures, including stress about exams, worries about body image, and the pressures associated with around-the-clock social media. Spending time outdoors, learning new skills, being with friends, taking time out from your daily routine, and having space to talk about how you’re feeling can have real benefits for mental health.†For more information visit www.kingswood.co.uk or www.youngminds.org.uk
Why cybersecurity needs to be a priority for the education sector
Adrian Jones, CEO at Swivel Secure Education institutions need to make cybersecurity a priority. Despite the sector facing major challenges such as a lack of staffing and a lack of funding and resources, cyber attacks are no less frequent or less severe in education. In fact, they seem to be gaining ground in prevalence year-on-year as instances of breaches in schools and higher education are widely reported. In recent years we’ve seen news of ransom attacks causing financial damage – like that on the University of Calgary where the institution allegedly handed over $20k to cybercriminals, and malware attacks causing mass disruption – similar to the disruption which, apparently, caused the Minnesota School District to shut down for a day while IT professionals rebuilt the system. The more worrying breaches are where student safety is compromised. Educational institutions are entrusted to safeguard their students, many of whom are minors, but a weak cybersecurity infrastructure can put them at risk. This was made all too clear when the CCTV in several schools in Blackpool was allegedly breached, and the footage reportedly live-streamed on the internet. It’s an unfortunate fact that, while cybersecurity in education is necessary to protect against financial loss and prevent disruption, it’s also crucial to protect students from harm. Which is why the sector needs to do everything it can to ensure their applications and systems are protected, and work to overcome any challenges. In this article, we’ll look at the current state of cybersecurity in education. We’ll discuss the most common reasons for attack, the highest threats and the main challenges facing the sector to help you understand why cybersecurity needs to be a priority, and how you can make it a priority for your educational institute. Why education is a target for cybercrime There are four key reasons why Education is a target for cybercriminals. With Education venues varying in size, purpose, and stature, the motives for attack can vary too. For example, what might be a common threat for world-renowned Universities/Colleges might not be an issue for schools or school districts. So, institutions need to evaluate the risk and understand what data is vulnerable to unauthorised access. DDoS attacks – Distributed Denial of Service, or DDoS attacks are a common type of attack on all levels of Education venue. This is where the attacker’s motive is to cause widespread disruption to the institute’s network, having a negative effect on productivity. This can be a relatively easy attack for amateur cybercriminals to carry out, especially if the target network is poorly protected. There have been instances of students or teachers successfully carrying out a DDoS attack, with motives ranging from simply wanting a day off, to protesting the way a complaint was handled. Data theft – This is another attack affecting all levels of education because all institutions hold student and staff data, including sensitive details like names and addresses. This type of information can be valuable to cybercriminals for several reasons, whether they plan to sell the information to a third party or use it as a bargaining tool and extort money. The concerning aspect of this type of attack is that hackers can go unnoticed for long periods of time. As was the case at Berkeley, where at least 160,000 medical records were allegedly stolen from University computers over a number of months. Financial gain – Another motive for hackers carrying out an attack on an education institution is for financial gain. This might not be as high a risk for public schools, but with private institutions and Universities/Colleges handling a large number of student fees, they’re a prime target for cybercriminals. Today, it’s usual for students or parents to pay fees via an online portal, often transferring large sums of money to cover a whole term or year of tuition. Without proper protection or preparation on the part of education institutions, this presents a weak spot for cybercriminals to intercept. Espionage – The fourth reason why education is a target for cybercrime is espionage. In the case of higher education institutes like Universities/Colleges, they’re often centres for research and hold valuable intellectual property. Universities/Colleges need to be suitably protected, as it’s thought that scientific, engineering and medical research by UK Universities has been previously compromised by hackers, and with plenty of time and money to fund them professionals are often at the helm of these attacks. With these four motives in mind, the way in which hackers carry out an attack on Education networks can further help us understand how to protect them. How education is targeted JISC’s 2018 Cybersecurity Posture Survey questioned IT professionals within further and higher education. They were asked to name the top cyber threats facing their institutions, and the top three answers give us insight into the most common ways Education networks are breached. Phishing – Phishing scams often take the form of an email or instant message and are designed to trick the user into trusting the source in a fraudulent attempt to access their credentials – whether that’s sensitive student data or confidential research. This type of attack is highlighted as the top threat facing higher education venues, suggesting hackers regularly target the sector using the method. Ransomware/Malware – Also in the top three cyber threats highlighted by the report, ransomware and malware attacks prevent users from accessing the network or files and cause disruption. More advanced forms of this threat can see attackers hold files to ransom. Ransomware or malware typically infects devices using a trojan, a file or attachment disguised to look legitimate. However, some ransomware (like the WannaCry attack) have been shown to travel between devices without user interaction. Lack of awareness – The third threat listed by professionals in both further and higher education is a lack of awareness or accidents. This could be on the part of staff or students who aren’t sufficiently trained to practice good cyber hygiene or accidentally compromise the network. Despite taking on different appearances,
Initiative to tackle holiday hunger for disadvantaged children
A programme to help tackle holiday hunger, physical inactivity and social isolation for some of the disadvantaged children in Hertfordshire returned to the county for the Easter Holiday. The initiative which first ran in the summer of 2018 is a collaborative programme run by Herts Sports Partnership, HCL (Hertfordshire Catering Limited), Hertfordshire Fire Department and Hertfordshire Library Service. The Fit, Fed and Read programme for children aged 8 to 11, focuses on healthy eating, sport and physical activity, and improved literacy. Children who attend the programme are treated to a nourishing hot meal, prepared and freshly cooked by a team from HCL, who also provide education catering facilities to over 450 schools, academies and colleges around the county. HCL also initiated special learning sessions where the children were blind-folded and then given a piece of fruit or vegetable to guess what it is. They were also given the opportunity to make their own fresh smoothies by using pedal power on smoothie making bicycles. Angela Pearson, a Training and Development Supervisor at HCL said: “We encourage children to learn about the benefits of a balanced, healthy diet. A lot of the children have not tried or seen many of the food on display such as asparagus or artichokes, so it is nice teaching them about all the variety of foods on offer and encouraging them to taste different food.†HCL Chief Executive Ian Hamilton said: “We’re proud to support the Fit, Fed and Read programme. Holiday hunger is a huge issue around the nation, with more and more research showing some children do not get the same nutritious food during their holidays as they do at school. We hope this programme will help to work towards addressing these issues in Hertfordshire. We would also like to thank Onslow St Audrey’s, Barnwell Middle, Tudor Primary, Kingsway Junior and Andrews Lane Primary schools for allowing us to use their kitchens to cook for the children attending the programme.†Rory, a 9-year-old boy from Hertfordshire said: “Since coming to the sessions I have made some new friends and I have learnt about different types of food and their benefits. I liked the smoothie making pedal bike. It was fun filling the jug with all different fruits and then using the pedal to mix it into a delicious smoothie.†The Fit, Fed, Read programme will continue to run for the remainder of the Easter Holiday. The programme returns to Hertfordshire in the summer. Events are scheduled to take place across 10 fire stations in the county with the aim to tackle holiday hunger. For similar stories like holiday hunger click here