Zehnder UK unveils integrated heating and lighting panel for schools
Zehnder Group UK is proudly unveiling its integrated Multi-service ‘Foil’ product, which encapsulates heating and cooling, lighting, acoustics and other functions all in one panel. The Foil has been jointly engineered with lighting specialists Whitecroft Lighting, and is ideal for schools and other educational facilities. Bringing together Zehnder’s expert knowledge in radiant heating and cooling and Whitecroft’s heritage in specialist lighting, the Foil combines all the best features of energy efficient heating and cooling, lighting and acoustics. Other services such as speakers, fire alarms, sprinklers and smoke detectors can also be easily incorporated into the design. Case study: Mercia School, Sheffield In 2017, Sheffield Council and the Mercia Learning Trust embarked on an ambitious, £25million new school development in the Bannerdale area of south-west Sheffield. Upon announcing the project, Mercia Learning Trust commented: “The offer of Mercia School will be very different. We intend it to be a traditional school with its culture rooted in exceptionally high behavioural standards and an academic curriculum which celebrates mastery of knowledge.†Educational excellence was the common theme that ran throughout the project brief, ensuring that the school would provide an optimal space for learning, development and achievement. All contractors and building products were chosen with this aim in mind, meaning that every aspect of the build would adhere to these high standards and contribute to the enhanced learning environment. Zehnder’s multi-service foil, developed with lighting specialists Whitecroft Lighting, provided the ideal solution for the school’s science classrooms, combining heating, lighting and acoustic services within one easy-to-install solution. The build was approved in April 2017 and completed in September 2018. The project brief £25million invested by Mercia Learning Trust and Sheffield City Council Brand new secondary school and sixth form building for 11-18 year olds Modern building facilities to deliver a traditional academic environment Ergonomic furniture and room design throughout Specific requirements and challenges Aesthetically aligned to the building Save space and not disrupt the learning environment Cost-efficiency Easy to install Easy to maintain The architect, Bond Bryan’s, vision for Mercia School was to have clean, uncluttered spaces conducive to a positive and academically rigorous teaching and learning environment. The contractor, BAM Construction, was tasked with selecting solutions which adhered to this vision and would supply the necessary functions needed in the building whilst not detracting from the idea of a clean, productive learning space. Over 200 foil radiant luminaires were installed in the science classrooms. The ergonomic furniture design in the classroom resulted in a lack of space for heating services against the wall. Thus, integrating both the heating and acoustic services into a single lighting feature ensured an uncluttered space matching the teaching and learning environment that had been envisaged by both the architect and the Mercia Learning Trust, to support the vision and values of the school. Product specifications: Maximum working temperature: 80°C Maximum test pressure: 7.8 bar Maximum working pressure: 6 bar Tested to EN14037, EN12464 and ISO 354 standards Product benefits: Space saving: combining heating, lighting and acoustics in one unit Radiant panels: savings in excess of 20% vs. traditional heating systems Silent operation: enhancing the quality of the learning environment for students and staff Ease of install: a single install reduces risk of delay to the building programme Simplicity: accessible for easy cleaning and maintenance Energy efficiency: reduces the school’s carbon footprint
Spring into action to combat childhood obesity
Children are being offered free PE lessons in an innovative bid to combat teenage obesity. Free passes for school children are being doled out to schools nationwide in an effort to encourage kids to bounce themselves fit. Cash-strapped schools will be able to swap dusty gymnasium halls and knee-cutting Astroturf’s for foam pits, stunt box zones and Ninja warrior courses. The keep-fit initiative has been launched by UK trampoline franchise Flip Out after alarming statistics revealed nearly half of children are overweight or obese in parts of Britain. The move was backed by former Sports Minister, Tracey Crouch, who is also an advocate of the sport: “Trampolining is a really popular activity right across the country and it’s a great way to exercise, socialise and have fun. Arenas like this provide a safe and enjoyable environment for people of all ages and with different levels of experience.†Flip Out co-owner, Richard Beese, who launched the campaign across 21 sites today (April 2nd) said: “We are in the middle of an obesity crises that is plaguing our youth. More needs to be done to encourage kids to exercise and keep fit and active. Studies have proven that bouncing on a trampoline improves balance, coordination and motor skills. We have 2.5m visitors a year – mostly children – and we think we have a massive opportunity here to play a crucial role in tackling this national epidemic.†Trampoline exercise is one of the most effective forms of keeping fit and Charlotte Evans, Paralympic Skiing Gold Medalist, argues that the activity provides a myriad of other benefits: “It’s really important to have an area where kids can come down and be involved in sport and try something new. As a kid I would have loved to have something like this. Trying new sports is really important, if you just try one sport it can cause burn out and boredom. If you try a variety of different sports it brings new skills to the sport you finally want to get into.†Steve Sallis, mentor with the England u15 national football squad and author of Educating Football, also backed the new scheme: “Having spent 20 years of my life working in the physical education of young children I know how important it is to encourage children to exercise, especially those at risk of childhood obesity as this can potentially lead to a lack of confidence. I think Flip Out’s initiative to allow schools to hold P.E lessons within their trampoline and adventure parks is a big step in the right direction. Exercise on a trampoline is social, very inclusive, fun and it’s so important for kids to try out something new.” Interested schools can sign up directly for an hour session during term time, to register to combat teenage obesity click here.
Nigel Duncan awarded OBE for services to Further Education
The Principal of Fareham College, Nigel Duncan has been presented with his OBE by Her Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle for his services to Further Education, during a career spanning nearly 40 years. After a number of years as a part-time lecturer in Birmingham, Nigel started his full-time career in Further Education as a lecturer at Solihull College of Technology in 1981. Following this he moved on to hold senior posts at Lowestoft College, as Director of Faculty for Vocational and Technical Studies, and West Herts College as Director of Curriculum. Nigel joined Fareham College in 2005 as Vice Principal Curriculum and Corporate Development, before being appointed Principal and Chief Executive of the College in March 2012. Over the next few years, Nigel led Fareham College to win the prestigious TES Best FE College Award in 2018. The steps to this prime position included Fareham College opening a Centre of Excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training (CEMAST), a leading centre in the UK for apprenticeships and technical qualifications and being judged ‘outstanding’ at its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2017. This Autumn, the College is to open a £4.1m Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC) created to deliver more than 1,600 civil engineering and groundworks apprenticeships during the next five years. Accepting his award, Nigel said, “Today has been a day I will never forget. This award is a huge honour and one I simply would not have received were it not for the amazing support of my family, friends, and the fantastic colleagues I have had the opportunity and privilege to know and work with over the years.†For more information about Nigel and his OBE please visit https://www.fareham.ac.uk
Tomorrow’s designers & technologists supported by Dudgeon grant
A grant from the Dudgeon Community Fund has enabled Neatherd High School in Dereham, Norfolk to establish an out-of-hours Design School, On your Bike. The aim is to inspire students to embrace STEM education [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] as they consider their future career options. The Design School runs from 3:30-5:30pm once a week, and groups of between 15 and 20 students, aged 12 to 16 years, undertake a practical STEM project which seeks to provide a solution to an identified problem. The Design School initiative started in September 2018, and, with each project structured to last for a half a school term, two projects have so far been completed. On your Bike saw students working with representatives from local business Pauls Cycles to improve their skills in basic bicycle maintenance, gaining valuable skills in identifying parts of the bike to repair and maintain. Students then went on to study micro controllers, using these to develop their own design of a bicycle light, with rapid prototyping being used to produce a casing for each light. WestCotec, a Dereham based business producing vehicle activated traffic signs, supported student progress and the development of their design ideas. With support from Norfolk County Council, all the students who participated in the On your Bike project also had the opportunity to participate in road safety training, improving their awareness of road hazards. Book Stands was a community design project inspired by Dereham Library’s desire to identify bookstands which would help engage more readers in the library. Having been given that brief, students had to choose a genre of book for which they would design a stand. Initial design pieces were modelled using proto-card, and this was then taken into a CAD design software package before being sent to the laser cutter to be machined. The stands were then bent to shape using an industrial strip heater. The stands are currently on display at Dereham Library, accompanied by each student’s design paperwork. The Design School initiative has been spearheaded by Jason Chapman, Head of Design Technology at Neatherd High School, who said: “It would have been impossible to fund this initiative from internal resources, so my colleagues and I are extremely grateful to the Dudgeon Community Fund for this grant. With some of the grant funding, the department has purchased a 3D printer which is proving invaluable in producing prototype models of students’ designs. The first two projects involved 39 students, and enabled the School to form strong links with two external organisations and two local businesses. The third project, Light Your Night, is now underway; a total of 22 students spread across two groups are involved and the project is being supported by two external organisations.” Sonja Chirico Indrebø is the Power Plant Manager of the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm which provides the funding for the Dudgeon Community Fund. She said: “With over 60 students already engaged in this highly practical initiative, I shall be very interested to see how many of them embark on a STEM career pathway as they move into their GCSE studies.” For more information about On your Bike please visit www.dudgeonoffshorewind.co.uk
Schools and colleges must act now to ensure their it systems are effective
EFFECTIVE IT technology has never been more important to the education sector – and now is the time to invest in systems. That’s according to specialist Fifteen Group which is seeing an increasing number of schools and colleges turn to its experts for support. The business believes that at a time of increasing pressure on education leaders from inside and outside the classroom, schools and colleges need to act now to ensure their IT systems are working to the same high standards they expect of teachers and students. Add to that the ever-changing data security threats and greater demands on staff time and IT Support Team Leader Paul Williams says the services offered by companies like Fifteen Group can provide a lifeline in more ways than one. Paul said: “There has never been a more important time for education providers to review their IT infrastructure and the role it plays in their overall aims. Not only can access to the right technology enable schools and their students to achieve their full potential, the right IT support can free up valuable teaching time.Whether it be making sure systems are running at their peak, or ensuring data is fully protected, we at Fifteen Group do what we do best, so teachers can concentrate on what they do best. And with many education centres feeling the funding pinch, it pays to ensure systems are well maintained and working at optimum levels.” Fifteen Group offers a range of services that can be tailored to the needs of individual schools. These can include engineer visits, remote and on-site support, anti-virus software provision and server monitoring. Paul added: “We have extensive knowledge and experience of not only installing equipment into schools and colleges but also of what these establishments demand from their IT and communications systems. And because we can put together a bespoke package of support, it leaves schools in control of their costs.” Jared Eccles, chief executive of The Moorlands Primary Federation, said: “We have commissioned Fifteen Group for IT support on several occasions. Their team are professional in demeanour, skilled and knowledgeable in practice. In this rapidly changing sector, it is reassuring to know there is an organisation such as Fifteen Group we can contact to solve our small or large IT issues that might otherwise cause our company loss in business. We would recommend their services unreservedly.” Paul believes that while schools and colleges are having to look closely at funding issues, technology is an area where they can find value for money – with the right guidance. He added: “January 2020 will see the end of support for Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 operating systems. These systems are still heavily used by a lot of educational establishments and will leave them vulnerable. Schools should be asking whether their next solution is value for money, what the total cost of ownership will be and whether the solution will meet the needs of the organization should it grow or join a multi-academy trust. As a Microsoft Partner, we are constantly up to date with the latest offerings. We also have a wealth of knowledge of other technologies offered by players such as Apple and Google and would be able to talk the customer through the pros and cons of each solution on offer.†For more information about IT technology please visit https://www.fifteengroup.co.uk
New Business2School scheme launch
Business2Schools was established to connect businesses such as Jaguar Land Rover, Tesco and several City financial firms with schools so that pupils can benefit from both cutting edge technology and high-quality furniture. The programme has resulted in thousands of pounds of furniture and equipment, including state of the art computers – surplus to requirements for businesses, but still fully-functional and way beyond the reach of a normal school IT budget – being given to schools in the Chichester, Bognor Regis, Kent and Watford areas. Business2Schools plans to expand the programme across the UK creating new opportunities for both schools and businesses Lindsey Parslow founder of Business2Schools commented: “At Business2Schools, we hope to create an ethical and environmental solution to the way companies in the UK replenish, refurbish or relocate their offices. The programme aims to help businesses and schools collaborate in a sustainable way that has the added benefit of improving the level of infrastructure in schools.The firms involved have been very generous in terms of their time and investment because they see the importance of ensuring that the future generation and their potential future workforce is prepared for the offices of the future. We are extremely grateful for the recognition of all our hard work today. We hope that Bishop Luffa School is just the beginning. We’re looking for more firms and schools to participate in the programme and to take Business2Schools nationwide.†Austen Hindman, Headteacher, Bishop Luffa School: “In offices across the UK, there is a regular need to replace and upgrade furniture and tech, far more quickly than a school would. The Business2Schools platform will allow us to fill classrooms with items that will help students fulfil their potential and provide them with far better technology and inspiring furniture. We hope it will also create a stronger relationship between businesses and schools across the UK, so we can also improve the educational experience and career path of students. I am delighted that so many businesses have got involved already. It is fantastic to see such a broad range of industries supporting the initiative. Dominic Pegram, Salt & Pegram, commented: “We supply businesses with millions of pounds worth of new furniture every year, but where does their old kit go? With the Business2Schools initiative, we now have the perfect answer. It will contribute to delivering the potential of Britain’s young people. Fabulous.†Richard Snowball, EFG Private Bank “EFG Private Bank is delighted to be involved in this initiative and to be giving a helping hand to future generations as well making a better impact on the environment. Supplying unwanted IT equipment and office furniture allows schools to really focus on using their already overstretched budgets on areas that really matter; providing tools and support to children to enrich and enhance their education. Business2Schools’ ethos is closely aligned to EFG’s five key values of being Accountable, Hands-On, Passionate, Solutions Driven and Partnership-Orientated. With the backing of EFG Private Bank, we will personally continue to provide support, where possible, to make this a success and urge other companies to think about this initiative when disposing of IT equipment and office furniture.†Stuart Bonthrone, ESRI UK: “ESRI UK have long supported schools and higher education providing both software and resources free of charge to the sector with the aim of helping students to develop expertise and understanding of geographic information systems and associated IT. This also supports future employment in a growing sector. We are delighted to combine these efforts with the Business2Schools’ mission to create an even more compelling offering to support schools and meet the multiple budget challenges in today’s environment.†For more information about Business2Schools please visit
Dogs for good supports making schools safe
Dogs for Good has welcomed the recent comments from Secretary of State for Education, Rt. Hon Damien Hinds’ about the benefits of dogs in schools but is keen to stress how vital it is to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of each dog working in an educational setting. Dogs for Good is an organisation that has developed a Community Dog Service for Schools and Chief Executive, Peter Gorbing says: “We believe that while dogs can make a very positive contribution in educational settings, their welfare should be at the top of the list of considerations. It’s all about making it safe for dogs as well as people because having a dog in a school can pose considerable risks; particularly if the dog has not been socialised effectively to deal with what can be a very stressful environment. Failure to adhere to some basic standards can lead to significant dog welfare issues, which in turn can create risks for pupils and staff.†Dogs for Good has been active in developing good practice guidelines, including a factsheet which is an essential starting point for any school thinking about having a dog in their school. In addition, and has also worked with the Kennel Club to produce more detailed guidelines for dogs that visit schools. As a charity with 30 years’ experience in making life-changing differences for people with disabilities, Dogs for Good has, over the past two years, developed a specific Community Dog Service for Schools. This uses the principles of Animal Assisted Interventions which supports students in reaching their individual goals. The charity has looked at a number of approaches and developed a service where highly-trained dogs work with a specialist handlers in educational settings. The dogs and handlers become part of the fabric of school life and an integral part of the staff team; working alongside teachers and therapists to maximise the positive benefits for students and the wider school environment. Peter Gorbing continues: “The handler ensures the welfare and wellbeing of the dog at all times so that it doesn’t become stressed or worried in what can sometimes be a very difficult environment.†Dogs for Good’s Community School dogs and handlers engage students in the classroom, helping them to learn and focus on individual tasks. Activities with the dog can also be designed to help students overcome specific individual challenges, supporting positive behaviours and improving interactions with others. The dog can act as a focus or role model for group learning, such as diet, health and personal care and also be a source of emotional support for students. Additionally, the school dog works alongside the handler and therapists to engage and support students in therapy sessions, such as speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Here the dog can act as an important motivator and partner in a session, boosting engagement and ultimately improving therapeutic outcomes. For more information about Dogs for Good please click here
The emotional brain of children and teenagers
Taking place on Saturday 15 June 2019 at The Child Centre for Mental Health London the latest conference hosted by CCMH will address ‘What children and teenagers need to know about life in order to live well’. Through fascinating film footage and deeply moving case material, teachers and parents can learn how to present science and psychology-informed key information to young people on vital topics such as living with your emotional brain, why love hurts, how to make up after a row and knowing your brain chemicals so you can calm down effectively after stressful emotions instead of self-harming or turning to drink or drugs. Other topics to be covered include what drugs do to your brain, the key causes of depression and anxiety, how to prevent mental illness, how to keep going when you want to give up, why people want to die and why they want to live, what you need to know about sexuality and gender, how to manage friendships well and how to be a great parent. Speakers – eminent psychologist and neuroscientist Dr Margot Sunderland, trauma informed practice and emotional health trainer Clare Williams and psychotherapist and transgender specialist Bob Withers – will present research evidence showing that supporting young people and parents with psycho-education such as the aforementioned topics can significantly reduce mental health problems and dramatically improve the ability of couples, families and friends to resolve conflict with dignity, and love in peace not torment. The aim of the conference is to help delegates understand who should impart this knowledge to young people (do-able training implications for non-psychologists) and how to move from the anxiety of ‘pseudo-competency’ to complete competence in delivering psychological and neuroscience-based PSHE-based mental health education in schools. They will also learn what aspects of prevention and alleviation of human suffering cannot be addressed effectively through didactic learning (providing students with the required theoretical knowledge) and require instead relational change through individual face-to-face contact time with an emotionally-available adult in the school or home environment. Presenters at the conference will highlight the need for mental health programmes in schools to draw on 50 years of peer-reviewed psychological studies about the human condition and over 30 years of research in affective neuroscience (the study of the neural mechanisms of emotion) if we are to see an improvement in the mental wellbeing of young people and PSHE in today’s schools. To download a booking form for the CCMH conference please follow the link: booking form. The cost per delegate is £183.
Rethink Lockers with Action Storage
Who said lockers had to be dull? Action Storage challenges you to rethink lockers with its specially designed locker ranges that can transform student storage space. Having worked with schools for over 30 years, Action Storage understand what is required for school lockers to make them durable and easy to maintain. Action Storage have two locker ranges, firstly the versatile Atlas Steel Lockers which can cater to different student requirements and have a uniquely robust design to ensure long term use. Then there is the tougher-than-tough eXtreme Plastic Lockers with their undentable build quality they can withstand even the outside weather making them an ideal outdoor storage solution. To accommodate all schools, Action Storage have a School Locker Rental scheme that is designed to help you jump straight to the benefits without affecting your budget. If you’re not certain which locker solution best suits your school, Action Storage provide a No-Fee, No-Obligation site survey from one of their experts to measure the available space and include a detailed CAD drawing in their proposal. If that isn’t incentive enough, Action Storage are currently running a summer offer for QA Education readers. They are offering a 10% discount on your next quote from Action Storage, order before June 5th to guarantee a summer installation. If you’re ready to transform your school this summer, you can visit their website send them an email or call 01908 525 700 today.