Access control systems – making students safe
Students preparing to move into university accommodation will no doubt worry for their safety – or at least their parents and teachers will – and news circulating the internet has given them good reason to. A video that went viral last year recorded students at Nottingham Trent University chanting racist comments in front of the door of another student in their university accommodation (halls). Rufaro Chisango shared her short video to Twitter, which instantly caught the attention of users across the planet. Thankfully, with the advancements in technology and the implementation of access control systems in university halls, Rufaro was physically safe from any threat. But now, expectations must be higher to ensure that this type of behaviour, or risk, does not happen again. What are access control systems and are they necessary in 2019? When it comes to implementing access control systems on a site, there are two main functionalities used. The first has a more basic yet effective approach and has the ability to enable or prevent someone from entering or exiting a location — this could range from the whole site, a wing of a building, or a singular room that needs protecting from unauthorised personnel. When looking at the second option, this allows security managers to track any movement around a specific location — which can be beneficial when it comes to audits and discovering how compliant users are with the systems. It can also detect any areas where improvements could be necessary. For people to gain access to a locked-down area, they must have valid credentials; this is no different for university campuses. The purpose of having such security measures in place is to help protect students from unauthorised access, which could potentially threaten their wellbeing or put their possessions at risk. No student should feel unsafe in their own home but it was found that 52% of students have noisy housemates, 37% of housemates steal food, 8% live in dangerous living conditions and 6% have experienced a break-in or a burglary. With data from a survey carried out by Save The Student suggesting that the average cost of renting is £131 per week, students are left with little to live on after deducting the payment from their maintenance loan. Yet one in three people feel like their accommodation is not worth the cost. As a result, there is a demand for larger investments into deprived areas — accommodation providers are under pressure to make changes, or encounter detrimental damages that will impact them in the long-run. Implementing access control systems and why they are needed Access control systems have become an integral part of British university campuses, as well as accommodation facilities. Evidently, from the story above discussing the racist chants, it has become critical to ensure the safety and protection of young people as unsolicited actions can be carried out without any prior detection. To improve safety, providers are giving students greater choice on their flats; students can decide whether to be in a loud or quiet building, with non-mixed or mixed gender housemates and can even specify the age range of the people they’d like to live with. Key benefits of access control systems: Opposed to regular keys which can be copied, key cards are unique and can be deactivated when lost or when a student leaves their accommodation contract. This removes the risk of any unauthorised entry and heightens the safety of the new tenant after the previous lease is up. Those trying to get into a locked-down area will need the required credentials, so if they have no card, they won’t gain entry. As they require the swipe of a unique key card for entry permissions which are given only to students, this will make it difficult for anyone other those who are enrolled as residents to enter. Security teams can properly manage each location in real time. Using access control systems and key cards, this can all be documented and easily accessed when needed. Cards can have customised permissions, for example, certain credentials may only be able to gain access between specific times of the day. This is particularly useful when it comes to accommodation employees such as cleaners, as their key cards can be matched with their shift patterns. Students, in particular, are avid users of smartphones and now, locked areas can be accessed through the use of such device as credentials are able to be stored safely; this is an extremely important new feature as smartphones are very rarely out of the hands of young people. You can’t put a price on safety, and university accommodation providers are now realising it by installing access control systems.
The Mutual Revolution: New Insurance To Cover Staff Shortages
Shock figures reveal a staggering 57% of teachers have considered leaving the education sector within the past two years because of health pressures. The latest studies from the Teacher Wellbeing Index expose the problems facing the sector with the recruitment and retention of teachers being a key issue. Now one company, based in the North East, is trying to change the way school finances are run so that profits are fed back into the system rather than being sucked into the private sector. 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. This can include existing and ongoing absences, planned surgeries and ongoing maternity leaves, all supported by our fast-track health cover services. With schools struggling to deal with teacher absences and seeing their budgets being squeezed across the country the idea of a mutual, where members all have a democratic say on how money is spent and refunded, is becoming increasingly attractive. The mutual was established in 2018 by education professionals disillusioned with the insurance policies in the sector charging a premium for a decreasing service. Company chairman Nick Hurn OBE said: “Education Mutual provides a new innovative way to manage staff absence and healthcare. Our continuous focus on clinical governance ensures the highest level of service provision and quality outcomes for our members.” Unlike traditional insurance companies, a mutual does not have to make money for investors or shareholders. Instead Education Mutual is owned by its members – schools, colleges and nurseries, all education providers, with the purpose of keeping more of the budget within education. Education Mutual is operated solely for the benefit of the members with all members paying a contribution to the mutual which is used to pay claims. Members can attend Annual General Meetings and vote on important issues such as; who is elected to the board, cover improvements and contribution levels. The board makes key decisions such as what to do with any surplus after payment of claims and administration costs. While a mutual isn’t a new concept (in fact it’s an idea that’s been around for centuries), it has had a resurgence in popularity in recent times because it offers a stable and trusted alternative to traditional insurance. Find out more
Woodhouse Grove School receives donation of 3D Printer and Safety Cabinet from Kora
Aspiring engineers at Woodhouse Grove School in Apperley Bridge will be enjoying interactive Design and Technology lessons thanks to the generous donation of a 3D printer and accredited Safety Cabinet by the Leeds-based manufacturer of desktop 3D printers, Kora. The top-of-the-range Kora Pro PC 3D Printer and SC-01 Safety Cabinet will enable Senior School pupils to produce intricate designs from filament and enrich the teaching of STEM and design subjects. The donation of Kora’s newly designed SC-01 Safety Cabinet, which removes the risks to users from heat, entrapment and particle emissions from the 3D printing process, will also make Woodhouse Grove the first school in the UK to be compliant with new regulations surrounding the safe use of 3D printers that have been recently announced by CLEAPSS/Health and Safety Executive (HSE). James Allison, Woodhouse Grove Head of Design Technology, said: “We are extremely grateful to Kora for giving Grove pupils the opportunity to experience and understand the potential of of 3D Printing in a safe environment. Although we have only had the Kora 3D printer and cabinet for a short time, and still have much to learn, it has been a great hit with staff and students alike. “With changes to D&T specifications at both GCSE and A Level it gives our students yet another way in which they can communicate/model ideas and a superb resource to manufacture industrial standard components and prototypes. At The Grove, we aim to fully prepare our pupils for whatever they go on to do once they leave our doors. Grovians can now be equipped for a world in which 3D printing and similar technologies are increasingly commonplace across a range of industries.” Steve Burrows, Managing Director of Kora, said: “Additive manufacturing is an exciting new development and one with huge potential. However, we believe that until recently, not enough was understood about the safe use of 3D printers and the impact on air quality. We are delighted that our donation will allow teaching staff at Woodhouse Grove to provide a safe learning environment in which students can try their hand at 3D printing.” https://www.kora3d.com/
Bowhill kits out Selkirk hockey team
The S1 girls’ hockey team at Selkirk High School will be playing in style this year after receiving new training tops funded by Bowhill House and Grounds. Earlier this year Bowhill launched a community bursary initiative with a focus on supporting local youth groups and clubs to celebrate VisitScotland’s Year of Young People. The scheme will see more than £1,000 shared between community groups based in or around Selkirk which are in need of a financial boost. The first beneficiary was Rowlands Youth Club in Selkirk who received £500 towards the organisation of its fireworks display in the town. The second beneficiary of the fund has been announced as the first year hockey team at Selkirk High School with the money being used towards their new season kit. Alan Aiken, Principal Teacher of PE, Health and Wellbeing at Selkirk High School, said: “Selkirk High School is delighted that Bowhill has agreed to help sponsor hockey kits for pupils in the school. As a school we are committed to ensuring that all pupils have the opportunity to engage in extracurricular activity, and the money from Bowhill House will significantly help reduce any financial barriers for pupils and parents when they purchase their playing kit. “This will make it much easier for all pupils to take part in extracurricular Hockey at Selkirk High School. Thank you very much to Bowhill for your support and help.” Helen Currie, House and Events Manager at Bowhill House and Grounds, said: “Community engagement is really important to us so we’re delighted to see our bursary fund benefiting the pupils at Selkirk High School.” For more information on Bowhill, visit www.bowhillhouse.co.uk, Facebook @BowhillHouse and Instagram @bowhillhouse.
Researchers appointed to gather data about school libraries
The Great School Libraries campaign announced in late October that the Foyle Foundation had awarded a grant to appoint a researcher to gather data about school libraries – specifically to try and find out how many there are. After a tender and interview process we are delighted to announce that the research group tasked with gathering this data is BMG Research. They have carried out a number of education based research projects, including working for the Welsh Government and the Department for Education. The research will be comprised of an online survey and follow up phone calls to make sure we get a range of respondents from all types of scenarios – the purpose is to build a true picture of the reality of school libraries and their situation. This is necessary because school libraries are not included in the school census which the Department for Education issue every year, meaning that no statistics exist on how many schools have libraries, or whether they are staffed or funded. Elizabeth Davies, Research Director, BMG Research, stated: “BMG Research are delighted to be working with the Great School Libraries campaign on this important survey.School libraries play an integral part in supporting pupil’s educational and personal development, we hope this research will provide a greater understanding of how many are currently operating to inform future policy and resourcing decisions. Barbara Band, Chair of the School Library Data group (part of the Great School Libraries campaign) commented: “I’m delighted that we have awarded the contract to BMG Research and look forward to working with them. Hard data on school libraries is desperately needed and will support the Campaign as well as providing a benchmark for future reference.” Alison Tarrant, Chair of the Great School Libraries campaign working group said: “This data collection is an important pillar of the campaign – allowing us not only to see how many school libraries there are across the nation, but also look at differences between certain characteristics. This will allow us to develop our campaign strategy for the next two years and make sure support is getting to where it is most needed.” We all have a role to play in ensuring every child receives the benefits a Great School Library can offer. You can explore the resources currently available here:http://greatschoollibraries.edublogs.org/resources/
Prowise and Wizenoze increase the relevance of the internet in the classroom
Wizenoze and Prowise join forces. With the collaboration, Prowise enables users to gain access to The Web for Classrooms, through the free education software Prowise Presenter. This innovative technology provides relevant, reliable and readable online information that is suitable for an educational environment and offered at the appropriate level for students. The Web for Classrooms will be fully integrated in Prowise Presenter 10. This entirely free education software is already packed with content and interactive possibilities for teachers (instruction), groups (collaborative learning) and students (processing). With the integration of The Web for Classrooms in Presenter, teachers and students gain access to a more relevant source of online information for preparing their lessons or presentations. The technology, based on artificial intelligence, aligns the relevance of the information retrieved from the internet with the demands of the users in the education sector. Complete education software Presenter 10 is currently available as beta version and is the latest version will be presented to the public during the Bett in London, the world’s largest education convention. From April 2019 onwards, the latest version of the education software (including The Web for Classrooms) will be available in The Netherlands, England and Belgium. With the education software, teachers and students use images, videos, tools, Touch Table tools and 3D models, as well as ready-made education strands, quizzes and mindmaps. International development Both parties are enthusiastic about the opportunities that accompany this collaboration. Diane Janknegt, founder of Wizenoze, is ecstatic about the prospect that now hundreds of thousands of teachers can start using The Web for Classrooms, a source of online information especially fitted for use in the classroom. “With this platform, users can retrieve online information to strengthen their lesson or presentation. It is time efficient and students get better grades. Prowise has now given us the opportunity to rapidly develop The Web for Classrooms on an international scale.” Appealing to schools “The integration of The Web for Classrooms” makes our free education software Prowise Presenter 10 even more complete”, director Michael Ahrens adds. “Presenter runs perfectly on our hardware devices such as Prowise Touchscreen, Chromebooks EduLine, All-in-One PC and EduBook 360. Moreover, it plays an integral role in our online learning environment Prowise GO for teachers (instruction) and students (collaborative learning and processing). This makes the interactive Prowise solution extra appealing to schools.” About Wizenoze: Wizenoze was founded in 2013 by Diane Janknegt (previously at Microsoft) and Prof. Dr. Theo Huibers (Twente University). Their goal is to make quality content available for students, adolescents, functionally illiterate and anyone who enjoys acquiring readable information. This disruptive technology is developed by an international team of teachers, scientists and developers, specialised in language technology, search engine technology and artificial intelligence. Since 2018, Wizenoze has become a player on the international stage. About Prowise: Prowise is a leading global company that invests in innovation, quality and reliability in the field of digital learning solutions. By developing their own touchscreens, tablets and user-friendly software, Prowise makes learning more accessible, effective and enjoyable. In 2017, Prowise was awarded the golden FD Gazellen Award (region South in the category large companies) as one of the fastest growing companies in the Netherlands. The Budel-based company, that has only been operational for 9 years, recorded an average revenue growth of 151% over the past three years. Today, over 20,000 schools, 300,000 teachers and hundreds of businesses in over 21 countries use the Prowise solutions. Find out more
Picture News – taking the weekly news agenda into schools
The 24/7 news cycle, social media and ‘fake news’ make it hard for even the savviest to keep up with what’s really happening in the world. Picture News is the simple yet brilliant new resource that enables schools to encourage children to question what they hear and read, to think around key issues and topics and develop ‘healthy’ news mindsets. The Picture News team consists of qualified teachers. Each week they choose the latest big news story, turn it into a vibrant A2 poster with a thought-provoking question and create an assembly plan with British values, Key Stage1 and Key Stage2 focus cards. The materials are available to schools as a download or printed and posted direct to the school. Promoting British values Since 2014, teachers must promote five key British values and their promotion is inspected by Ofsted. To achieve ‘outstanding’ status schools must engage with and promote these values in a meaningful way and the Picture News service builds consideration and discussion of these values into all of their teaching materials. Picture News is the brainchild of Early Years educational expert Katie Harrison, a mother of 3, based in Yorkshire and a former primary school teacher. Katie specialises in teaching Philosophy and Religious Education and is passionate about helping children understand and think critically about life’s big questions and issues. She also worked for a number of years in Education Sales and Training and founded Picture News with her partner Rob Harrison in 2015. Since launching the service has gone from strength to strength with more than 1500 schools signed up. The Picture News service is available in three levels suitable for: Early Years Primary School, and Years 7, 8 and 9 Schools can subscribe to the Picture News service as a hard-copy or email service with prices ranging from as little as £50 per year for email only access, to £300 per year for the full service where they receive posters and all materials in the post and via email each week. For more information on Picture News, see the website here.
Now vs then – how communication has evolved
By Adele Abbiss, Online Safety Expert, Smoothwall The 90s – oh what a time to be alive. Great (or not so great) music, funky hairstyles, denim overalls, the beloved Tamagotchi and who can forget the Spice Girls. When meeting up with your friends at the local park was arranged… using the house phone! Or if you were lucky it may have been via MSN – but that was often shared between your household members! Slower internet speeds and fewer devices per person meant online communication was often just a method to send the occasional email and browsing to find out information. Consumption of huge amounts of content Fast forward two decades and technology has come on leaps and bounds. Not only do we have incredibly quick internet speeds; it’s now wireless! Today it’s possible to consume huge amounts of content whenever and wherever. The way people communicate, especially the younger generation, has completely changed, but is it for the good or bad? The internet is now very easily accessible and not just on a computer fixed in one place. It can be accessed almost anywhere on our mobiles, tablets, and laptops. Less than 20% of households had access to the internet in the 90’s. But if so, it would often be on a shared device – something I think most would be unhappy about in this day and age! The latest figures on internet usage shows 90% of British household’s today have internet access and nearly all households with children had an internet connection in 2017 (98%). Communication has changed massively from when I was younger. For children growing up today, this change plays a huge part in their lives. No off-switch As we all know, using technology to communicate every day is now the norm amongst adults and children. The vast amount of communication methods and social media platforms – extremely popular amongst children and teens – means we’re always online. It’s no longer like MSN – you don’t really sign in and out of social media accounts and certainly not text messages. Notifications on mobile devices, means we’re often reminded of the connection we have with the online world. There is no ’off-switch’. Sadly, this can pose a risk to anyone, and in particular, children. Kids have access to a wide variety of communication platforms. Many will often be perceived as social and fun. However, there can also be a darker side to these platforms. Inappropriate and excessive use can threaten a child’s well-being, and now the government wants for social media companies to put restrictions in place. Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, recently urged schools to confiscate pupil’s mobile phones at the start of the day – not just because they can be a distraction, but due to the potential exposure to cyber-bullying. Whether it’s an addiction from excessive use, threats from cyber bullies or online grooming, we need to work together to educate children about the potential dangers and provide the tools they need to stay protected. We must all make an effort The growth in communication methods means a vast amount of content is available at any given time. Therefore, preparing the future generation to safely and appropriately use this technology, must be top of the agenda. Tighter regulations on social media and tech companies are vital if we’re to confront the matter. But it must still be a collaborative effort! The government, educational institutions, parents, social media and tech companies, need to join forces and support one another. You may have seen the many demands for social media and tech companies to make a stand.WhatsApp made a bold move by increasing their age limit to 16, while Apple made it easier for us to regulate the time spent on apps. These changes are certainly a step in the right direction. The recent call for the government to implement steps by putting pressure on social media companies is great. However, it still highlights the urge that we must all do our best to monitor children’s online behaviour, to keep them safe. The communication methods of today can be interactive, engaging and fun. Although, when used in the wrong way, it can damage an individual’s emotional and physical wellbeing. It’s clear that as the way we communicate advances, so must the protective measures.
Stronger Than Hate: USC Shoah Foundation & Discovery Education Launch Anti-Hate Video Challenge in UK Secondary Schools
Secondary schools across the UK are being encouraged to take part in a new challenge, inspired by the testimonies of Holocaust and genocide survivors, to empower pupils to make a difference in their own communities. Launched by USC Shoah Foundation in partnership with Discovery Education, the Stronger Than Hate Challenge inspires pupils to take positive local action against prejudice and to capture their work in a short film. Introduced in the US and Canada in 2013, the high-profile challenge is being launched in the UK for the first time, along with new classroom resources to help teachers and pupils recognise and counter hate and discrimination. Founded after the making of Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List, USC Shoah Foundation collects audio visual testimonies from survivors and witnesses of genocides around the world, preserving their stories for future generations. Students taking part in Stronger Than Hate Challenge will listen to these testimonies and be inspired to do something positive to effect change in their own communities, capturing their journey in a short video essay that shares their message with the world. Last year’s winning entry was a project to raise awareness of the struggles faced by immigrant families in Chicago, Illinois. The Stronger Than Hate Challengeis part of a larger educational initiative, Teaching with Testimony, which is comprised of series of resources and videos that empower students to employ empathy, build critical-thinking skills, and become inspired to create a brighter future after listening to first-hand accounts from survivors and witnesses of genocide. Program resources are available at no cost at TeachingWithTestimony.com. Discovery Education has also collaborated with USC Shoah Foundation to produce special age-appropriate resources for younger children. These are available to primary schools through Discovery Education Espresso – an award-winning, cross curricular digital learning service for teachers and pupils supporting the delivery of the National Curriculum and the successful integration of digital media into teaching and learning. Open to UK secondary school pupils age 13-18, the Stronger Than Hate Challenge runs from 14th January to 6th May 2019, with a total prize fund of up to £12,500, including school grants totalling over £6,500 and iPads. Claudia Wiedeman, USC Shoah Foundation Director of Education said: “Every year, USC Shoah Foundation continues to advance the mission of engaging students in themes around discrimination, genocide and identity to help young people build the necessary skills to counter hate. By expanding our partnership with Discovery Education and connecting students with real testimonies, we are able to inspire communities of leaders to act in positive and meaningful ways.” Hazel Carter, Discovery Education UK’s Marketing Director said: “We are proud to support USC Shoah Foundation, and to bring the Stronger Than Hate Challenge to UK schools for the very first time. We hope that it will enable students to explore challenging topics with their peers, using their voices to stand against all forms of discrimination and intolerance, while working for positive change in their own communities.” As USC Shoah Foundation founder Steven Spielberg has said, “We show the power of random acts of kindness because the best way to teach empathy is by using the power of example.” TheStronger Than Hate ChallengeUK winners will be announced in June 2019. First prize is a £5,000 grant, awarded to the winning school to help teachers implement positive change. £1,000 and £500 grants will be similarly presented to the second and third place schools. iPads are also on offer for up to four pupils on each winning team. Schools should visit teachingwithtestimony.com/challenge-uk to enter. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital content and professional development services, visit discoveryeducation.co.uk.