North Yorkshire County Council Rolls Out Wrapmaster
North Yorkshire County Council has partnered with Cofresco Foodservice, rolling out the award-winning Wrapmaster across its 25 secondary schools and 298 primary schools. Wrapmaster is the catering professional’s dispensing system for cling film, foil and baking parchment. With 42,000 meals served daily, the affiliation is part of the council’s strict policies on hygiene and food safety, as well as its ongoing commitment to pupil welfare and allergies. Joanne Simpson, Area Manager, North Yorkshire County Council said: “Food Safety is a top priority and we were keen to source new products that will help us to maintain the high standards we have in our kitchens, ensure we provide the very best levels of food safety and meet the needs of individual pupils. We recognise that some more traditional packaging options can deteriorate over time, which can lead to the possibility of cross-contamination happening and this is simply not an option for us. “ Built with health and safety in mind, Wrapmaster has a concealed blade for safe, speedy cutting and is robust and shatter resistant. Recommended by food safety practitioners, it’s also easy to wipe clean during service, and can be easily disinfected in a commercial dishwasher to minimise cross-contamination, as well as help keep kitchens hygienic. Joanne continues: “Wrapmaster provides a solution to minimising the risk of cross-contamination and helps us to ensure that we are always able to work in an environment that meets the needs of pupils and their welfare. The catering team are delighted with the new system; the dispensers are easy to use, keep clean and can be put in the dishwasher – we have rolled them out in just two months across all of our schools and the feedback is very positive.” Following LACA 2018 every school in North Yorkshire now has one in its kitchen With the catering teams using the Wrapmaster 4500 to dispense 45cm cling film and foil and the small but mighty Wrapmaster 3000 for baking parchment. Speaking about the partnership, Adrian Brown, Managing Director, Cofresco Foodservice says: “Food safety and hygiene is critical in any kitchen, but perhaps never more important than when pupil welfare is concerned. With 42,000 meals served every day, North Yorkshire County Council provide a phenomenal service across the county and we’re proud to support their dedicated team in maintaining these high food safety standards”. Wrapmaster is part of Cofresco Foodservice, a division of Melitta UK Ltd. The award-winning range includes the Wrapmaster 3000, Wrapmaster 4500, the Wrapmaster Duo which dispenses two types of material, or can be used for large volume users of one material and the Wrapmaster Compact. For more information call 01952 678800 or visit www.wrapmaster.global
The role of building consultancy in securing Condition Improvement Funding
Allan Hunt is director of education at AHR Building Consultancy, and an expert on the Condition Improvement Funding (CIF) bidding process. Here, he advises on making a successful bid… MATs, both large and small, are acutely aware of the pressing issue of school condition and the shortage of funds to deal with this. For lone Academies and smaller MATs, CIF funding remains fiercely competitive, so that for anything other than the most urgent work (and even then) it is hardly a guaranteed solution. As for larger MATs, formula funding can seem like a drop in the ocean. Yet a new pot of money is unlikely to appear on the horizon – so how to make less go further? It may sound self-evident but the single most important thing that an Academy or small chain can do for the future of their school buildings – and to achieve efficiency savings – is to ensure a full knowledge of all their current condition, and likely deterioration over the near future. This is best achieved through a good-quality, thorough condition survey and development plan, which form far and away the most effective basis for strategic long-term planning. After all, you cannot make coherent plans by working with patchy information, and for smaller MATs and single Academies, who are unlikely to have a dedicated Estates Manager, this can be even more important. This is not just good practice for the sake of it – although this is certainly the approach recommended by Government in this year’s guidance document Good Estate Management for Schools. The benefits of long-term planning are manifold. For one, not considering the whole picture can create duplication. As a hypothetical example, imagine, say, refurbishing the interior of a school block one year, only to find shortly afterwards that the roof begins to leak, destroying the entire scheme. You have wasted both money and effort. Repeated interventions, necessitated by tackling problems as they come up rather than planning in advance, is not only disruptive of school life but cost inefficient, since bulking like works together can garner savings from contractors. Detailed knowledge of the condition of your campus also stands you in good stead if disaster does strike, since waiting for urgent issues to arise creates added pressure. For example while CIF exists for critical problems (and by and large the more urgent the problem the more likely a bid is going to succeed), a bid put together too hastily can nonetheless scupper your chances. So whilst unexpected issues can arise, the more you know about the condition of your buildings, the better prepared you will be to take appropriate action. Failing to plan, or to consider the bigger picture of how buildings interrelate, has longer-term consequences too. While change appears to be a constant in education, and it is difficult to anticipate shifting future needs, there are ways to head off problems. Isolated thinking creates isolated solutions, so you might, for example, set out to undertake a basic refurbishment of one school block (possibly with CIF funding for critical aspects) only to realise a few years later that curricular changes or new teaching methods make a wholesale rethink necessary. Instead, the expectation of change could have been ‘built-in’ at the same time by designing flexibly, to create a space that can be used in many different ways. Nurturing long-term relationships with consultants, rather than repeatedly drafting in new teams, can also help prevent disconnected decision-making. When under financial pressure (not to mention the time pressures so prevalent in school life), it is tempting to tackle problems as they arise, and forward-planning can feel like yet another burden. Yet this is almost inevitably a false economy. Not only is it the recommended approach, taking a step back and investing in proper planning will ultimately make life easier – and funds go further. See ahr.co.uk for more advice on securing Condition Improvement Funding for your school
Whizz Education – a pioneering education organisation
Whizz Education is a pioneering education organisation committed to improving learning outcomes. Its proprietary personalised virtual tutor, Maths-Whizz, is available in five languages – English, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Kiswahili – and has been adapted to multiple curricula. Educators are supported by Whizz Education teams in London, Seattle, Nairobi and Dubai as well as partners in Russia, Mexico, Thailand and New Zealand, enabling communities around the world to reach their full potential through personalised learning. The team were announced as winners of the ‘Collaboration with a School’ award at the Bett Awards 2019, beating nine other prestigious finalists in their category. This marked Whizz Education’s third BETT Award in recent years and came at a time of unprecedented interest in the organisation’s approach to delivering measurable learning gains. Richard Marett, CEO of Whizz Education, who collected the award alongside Svetlana Tarassova, the firm’s director of global strategic partnerships, said: “We are delighted to be recognised by the judging panel at BETT for the contribution Whizz Education and its international partners have made in working with schools to achieve transformational education impact in some of the most challenging learning environments around the world. Eddie Ralston, project manager international development, added: “Our work in Kenya, and specifically our partnership with Bahati Primary School, who were the focus of this award entry, is immensely rewarding for all involved. “The headteacher and ICT lead at Bahati are wholly supportive and the students should be deservedly proud of their progress in maths since using Maths-Whizz. Bahati is an exemplar case of how an engaged school, iterative program design, evidence and insight coupled with on the ground support can achieve optimum learning gains.” Since 2004, Whizz Education has been entrusted and supported by schools, ministries of education, commercial partners and donor organisations, such as the Department for International Development (DFID), to implement education impact projects worldwide. Whizz Education delivers measurable learning and teaching gains through personalised virtual tutoring, teacher-led digital resources, real-time learning analytics and teacher and government capacity building. For more information about Whizz Education, visit whizzeducation.com Photo: Bett
School business leader: ‘Schools must spend smart’
Hard-pressed teachers will be forced to take extra time off sick unless the Government injects more money into cash-strapped schools. The warning comes from a senior school business leader who says overworked teachers are suffering from mental health issues and are at breaking point. Mrs Tracey Gray, director of support at Walbottle Campus in Newcastle upon Tyne, said budgets had been slashed putting even more pressure on the wellbeing of staff: “As School Business Leaders we are tasked with ensuring that we can support Head Teachers in preparing and presenting a sustainable three-year budget,” she said. “Set against this challenge is the reduction in real terms of 8% of school funding despite the Department for Education saying there is more money than ever within education [naturally there are also more children]. “Each year it becomes a case of making choices around curriculum, class sizes, pastoral support, learning support and a range of other services we are asked to provide, particularly as the funding pot for social care is also under severe pressure. “This is resulting in additional pressure on our teachers – who are already at breaking point. “We already have statistics which show that mental health is a significant factor linked to staff absence and further real term reductions will only add to this.” Shock figures reveal a staggering 57% of teachers have considered leaving the education sector within the past two years because of health pressures. Mrs Gray added: “Our staff are a precious resource who need our support and care. “Additional funding is needed now to ensure we keep them and provide our students with the best possible education and outcomes to give them the future careers they deserve.” Her appeal comes after more than 3 million households received a letter last week as disillusioned headteachers directly called on parents to join them in lobbying MPs and the government for more money to help schools after budget cuts. The letter adds: “These issues… are common features across our education system. Levels of concern are widespread.” Teachers nationwide are rallying together to address the government’s lack of action. Rose Wilcox, the School Business Manager at St George’s Primary, lambasted the government for their lack of support: “The amount of money given to schools for each child has not changed from 2011 – 2017. This is simply not good enough. Schools need help now. “The reduction in staff, both teaching and non-teaching, means less support for vulnerable pupils, and leaves less staff available to carry out small group work for pupils who are not thriving. “In the worst cases parents are actually being asked to pay towards books and resources. How long will the Government allow this iniquitous injustice to our children continue?” Andy Brown OBE, a headteacher from Cleveland who was the Chair of the DfE Primary Headteacher’s Reference Group and held the post of National Leader of Education from 2007 – 2018, added that school funding has withered while the government fixates on Brexit: “Funding for our schools is becoming a major issue. Teachers rightly received a pay increase, but this was only partially funded. “Some of our schools have had to make redundancies. The government has been fully focused on Brexit and our schools have been forgotten.” However, Lord Agnew, the academies minister, believes that the first step to solving the crises is to find and eliminate wasteful spending. One initiative looking to help cash-strapped schools save money that has already received the public support of Lord Agnew is Education Mutual. Education Mutual has been set up by schools, for schools and looks to give educators the flexibility to design their own staff absence cover to match each school’s exact needs. Founding director, Mrs Gray, explains: “Schools across the country are losing a notable proportion of their school budget every year to private business profits. This is a huge waste of money.” “In contrast, the mutual keeps as much of the budget as possible within the education system with any surplus money left over at the end of the year going back to its members in the form of a benefit. “Not only does this help to recycle the educational pound but it also means more resources are available to look after the health and well-being of staff.” She added: “80% of member’s contributions to Education Mutual go directly towards the payment of claims (with the other 20% covering running costs). Compare this to private insurance companies, where (on average) only 58% of your school’s annual fee is spent on the payment of claims, with the remaining 42% going towards a combination of sales commission, running costs, taxes, and of course, profit.” Education Mutual is different from other staff absence cover providers because it’s owned by its members – schools, colleges, nurseries and other education providers. This means that all of the money that schools contribute to the mutual goes solely towards the payment of claims, covering running costs, and nothing else. Mrs Gray argues this approach to be advantageous to schools and encourages other schools to join the ‘Mutual Revolution’: “Every school should join the mutual so we can all regain control over our school budgets, work together to better support staff well-being, and keep our money where it is most needed – within the education system.” Mrs Gray, who chaired the Board of Trustees for the Institute of School Business Leadership, also believes that the model helps prevents long-term staff absence and said: “This means health problems can be dealt with quickly, before escalating, and that long-term staff absences can often be averted as a result. Our care delivery includes physiotherapy and muscular skeletal services, mental health services (including face-to-face counselling), and a surgical assistance programme. Together, these services are able to address the most frequent causes of staff absences.” For more information on school business management see educationmutual.co.uk
Students taste life in the food industry with Future First
School students interested in a career in food are taking part in a programme to demonstrate the breadth of jobs available in the industry and increase their work skills. National education charity Future First has partnered with The Flava People, who supply the UK’s leading retailers, restaurants and food manufacturers with sauces and seasonings, to inform state school students about the skills necessary to succeed in the food and hospitality industry. Under the scheme, The Flava People will welcome Year 11 students from two Manchester state schools, Burnage Academy for Boys and Sale Grammar School to its Sharston factory to see the production line first hand, benefit from the experience of staff and learn the skills they need to be successful in work. The insight days will help students understand the wide range of careers available in the food industry and the study routes students should choose to pursue specific roles. The project forms part of The Flava People’s ‘Flavour to Fuel change’ commitment to promote the industry in higher education and to support Manchester’s young people while providing a future diverse pipeline of young people coming into the industry. The Flava People is one of several leading employers working with Future First to connect their employees with young people in schools and colleges. The link between schools and employers enables students to broaden their horizons and boost their confidence, motivation and knowledge about career pathways. Future First believes everyone should be able to succeed in a career of their choice, regardless of their background. The charity’s research shows almost five in ten young people receiving Free School Meals don’t know anyone in a job they would like to do and that three quarters of them don’t believe that they can be successful. Matt Lent, Chief Executive Officer Future First, said: “Students cannot be what they can’t see. Future First’s new partnership with The Flava People will provide inspiring opportunities for more young people to develop their employability skills and understand the food industry. Students will be able to connect with experienced staff whose stories will bring the industry alive. Hearing from employees in interesting jobs helps students make better-informed decisions about what they need for their working life as well as develop the skills employers are looking for.” Scott Dixon, Managing Director of The Flava People said: “We believe passionately in the power of food and flavour as a tool to drive positive change, not just for businesses and brands but across education, employment and beyond. We have a responsibility to use what we have, what we know and what we’ve learnt to empower others who might not otherwise get that opportunity. Future First, with their extensive knowledge of the education sector, was the obvious partner with whom to start this journey.” Teacher Pippa Conley, Faculty Leader for Design & Technology at Sale Grammar School, said: “Our students came back to school brimming with enthusiasm after all of the activities they took part in. I really do think they have had their eyes opened to many diverse careers and possibilities for the future.” For further information on Future First visit the website Picture caption: Students from Sale Grammar School attend The Flava People’s Sharston factory to learn about the industry.
Over half of education professionals don’t know how to ask for a pay rise
A study conducted by CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job board, has discovered that over half of education professionals (56.3%) don’t know how to ask their employer for a pay rise. A further 51.1% revealed that they’ve never even negotiated on parts of a job offer. What’s more, the survey of 1,200 British professionals reveals that 56.1% of education professionals haven’t received a pay rise in the last 12-18 months. Of those who did, over a quarter (29.4%) received a minimal increase of up to 2%. Below, CV-Library reveals that education is one of the top ten sectors in the UK where Brits are least likely to negotiate on salary: Social Care (59.5%) Hospitality (58.3%) Catering (52.9%) Manufacturing (48.8%) Retail (47.1%) Education (43.8%) Automotive (42.9%) Property (42.1%) Engineering (40.5%) Distribution (37.85) Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments: “Our survey highlights that a natural fear around bringing up the subject of pay is holding many education professionals back in their careers. Being able to negotiate a pay rise will not only bring you financial reward, but the sense of achievement and increased morale in the workplace. “If you do feel nervous about discussing your pay with your boss, I’d advise doing your research before approaching them. Find out what other employers are offering for similar positions, or even what your own employer’s range is for new hires. Determining your worth is the first step towards knowing how to ask for a pay rise.” Education professionals are in a fantastic position for negotiating pay right now, with salaries for new jobs in education rising by 2.3% in February. This suggests that candidates who don’t know how to ask for a pay rise could be missing out on the chance to improve their job offer. Biggins continues: “In the current UK job market, it’s important to be aware of your worth. With Brexit imminent and unemployment being at its lowest in fifty years, businesses are desperate to not only attract top talent, but hold on to the employees that they’ve got. So, if you’re after a pay rise, now’s the time to start negotiations!”
The Growing Role of College Mergers
Mike Hopkins, Principal of South and City College Birmingham, comments on the role of college mergers and keeping the students’ best interests at heart… Mergers and acquisitions previously carried a stigma in higher education, but the sector is seeing more than ever before. College mergers offer relief for a struggling establishment and provide a strong cultural change. Simply put, they offer an avenue for those seeking a strategy to turnaround a college if they are willing to put in the work and commitment. Why are college mergers on the rise? When merging with another, similarly-sized institution that operates in the same locality, both colleges can benefit from estates rationalisation. This means an institution can combine the best departments and if done right, be left with a leaner operation that doesn’t need to build new facilities, use the same pool of students and become more financially efficient. During my 11-year post, I have led two college mergers – the first between the former South Birmingham College and City College Birmingham, and most recently with Bournville College. For our second merger, we knew exactly what was needed to be done and the processes involved, so we were able to do things more rapidly. All preparation for the merger was done in-house and planned to the last detail. Bournville was previously a failing college, however, just 15 months after the merger, both South & City and Bournville were awarded a Grade 2 Ofsted inspection result, achieving a “Good” status across all areas. Are college mergers the future for education? I don’t think there’s a right or wrong college merger model. We can provide evidence from our latest inspection report that we are here to provide for students from many different backgrounds. We believe that if we get the student bit right, everything else follows. However, a merger may not be the best strategy for every institution. My suggestion for any college considering a merger is: make sure you fully understand what you are undertaking. Consider the drivers for your merger, carefully observe the financial state of the college you intend to partner with and think about the considerable amount of time and commitment that you need to invest; you will be involved in a lot more than just the day-to-day running of the institution. A merger needs to be done with the student’s best interests coming first. For more information on the Birmingham college mergers visit sccb.ac.uk
Roehampton’s digital learning journey
Xavier Briche, Head of Digital Learning at the University of Roehampton, discusses how the Digital Learning department has enhanced the student learning experience. Here at Roehampton, we have created a robust Digital Learning Services department (DL) to support technology for teaching and learning. The department strives for innovation within the University and focuses on new and existing technologies to support the learner’s journey and to provide digital tools to the teaching community. We have separated the two departments to allow a greater focus on cutting-edge educational technologies to support the outstanding student digital experience. A solution for diversity In 2015, the University decided it was time to enhance the virtual learning environment (VLE) as a key enabler for improving accessibility. The existing solution wasn’t fit for this purpose as it was too static. We needed a versatile solution, one that would easily allow regular upgrades and product functionalities to help improve the user experience for less able students as they enter HE. We’ve been implementing an SMS plug-in as an add-on to our online assessment workflow. The plug-in automatically sends a text message to students when their assessment feedback is on the VLE, to engage our students in their learning and close the feedback loop more effectively. Complying with GDPR The new GDPR regulations and EU directive on online accessibility needed some close attention, therefore discussions between both teams about GDPR, and the steps needed to ensure the online learning practices, processes and system compliance were addressed. Clear results for students Universities are underpinned by their scores in the National Student Survey (NSS) and the Teaching Excellence Framework. Our DL follows these performance results closely, to see how outsourced services are performing and whether they are adding value to the student experience. The Moodle platform and the service, provided by CoSector – University of London, has increased student satisfaction by around 6%. Students now feel the VLE is reliable and robust, and can be accessed 24/7 from any location. We are pleased with the Moodle platform and the benefits of supporting the VLE as well as the teaching and learning ecosystems. Blended and online learning are priorities to engage and support our extremely diverse student population. Students and staff often rely on assistive technology integrations in the VLE, its therefore vital to ensure the VLE is an inclusive and accessible digital environment. Online learning and VLEs are hugely beneficial for students with disabilities as e-resources and teaching material such as course slides are systematically uploaded to the VLE. Most VLEs now provide a way of navigating around an online course with ease, accessing web links and additional files by using keystrokes only. Changing a VLE host can be a big risk because the system is embedded in all aspects of the delivery of teaching and learning. In terms of account management and value added for our students and teaching staff, it has proven to be well worth the switch. See roehampton.ac.uk for more details on how the university uses digital learning to enhance the student experience.
Wearing Lanyards to Keep Staff & Students Safe is Imperative
What is a Lanyard and why do we wear them? The simplest answer is that in business we need cost effective items to keep us safe, that can be worn by all and meets necessary safety criteria for every school/workplace environment. Lanyards are typically worn around the neck and have a clip to attach a security pass or some form of identification to indicate the wearer belongs to the organisation or has a specific role to play within the workplace. Lanyards are available in several styles of fabric, therefore choosing the right fabric largely depends on the print required. Let me give you a few examples: Flat Polyester Lanyards |These are typically used for companies who are happy to have just a name in text and they can have simple logos in 1 – 3 spot colours where the colours are not touching. Full Colour Lanyards|This style of lanyard is a silky fabric which starts off white it has a special coating to accept inks. The design is printed onto paper and is then heat pressed (transferred) on to the material. This is a great method where complicated logos with tones and tints are required and we can even print photographic images right to the edges of the lanyard. Tubular |These lanyards are made of a softer feel fabric and as the name suggests it is a small tube made from a knitted fabric, like the flat polyester it is suitable for uncomplicated designs up to 3 spot colours. Nylon |If longevity is your thing then nylon is a great comfortable lanyard with a lovely sheen to the fabric and suitable for spot colour printing. In each of the above lanyards, pantone matching is an option when stock shades are not near enough. Woven |Lanyards that are woven offer the highest of standards, they are robust and have a truly bespoke feel to them, therefore we would advise choosing woven when looking for something extra special – but please keep the design simple as jacquard weaving does have some limitations. Our dedicated website www.justlanyards.co.uk covers all the above styles and our online design tool allows customers the flexibility to design lanyards and choose all the fittings right through to the checkout. For those who would rather let us deal with the design elements, we are just a phone call (01257 483587) or email away info@justlanyards.co.uk– and without obligation. Just Lanyards have a wealth of customers, including the NHS, Amazon, Morrisons, Ferrari and hundreds of Schools ‘too many to name’ so we are well equipped to provide lanyards for any Occasion, School or Company. As a Company Gifts 2 Impress Ltd have been trading for over 18 years, we have a wealth of knowledge regarding the promotional products industry and specialise in items for schools such as leavers gifts, book bags, sports bottles and much more. Our dedicated educational website, www.ptapitstop.co.uk has an array of goods to choose from, and our Gifts 2 Impress website can be viewed at www.gifts2impress.co.uk for all other items, having said that if you need us to source a product for an anniversary, special event or everyday advertising our friendly staff will help once you give us the vital brief.