Future First helps budding lawyers with careers insight
Young people interested in a career in law have the chance to gain careers insight and work experience at a leading legal firm under a programme designed to improve social mobility. The national education charity Future First has partnered with Taylor Wessing to offer a programme for 80 sixth form students from London schools which will improve their aspiration and confidence and boost their job readiness and employability. The students joined Taylor Wessing staff for insight days designed to inform them about what to expect from a career in law and the skills needed to succeed in it. Those who showed ability were linked with a Taylor Wessing mentor who worked with them more closely over three months. Students who impress on the mentoring scheme will now progress onto Taylor Wessing’s Tomorrow’s Talent programme which provides students with meaningful work experience, client insight and support to apply for education or employment opportunities in future. Future First’s programme aims to provide Taylor Wessing with a diverse pipeline of entrants into law. It also gives the firm’s staff the opportunity to develop their skills in volunteering with young people who would not normally expect to encounter such prospects. Students attending insight days came from Eastbrook School in Dagenham, Hayes School, Canons High School in Edgware, Woodhouse College in Finchley, The UCL Academy in Camden, The London Academy in Edgware and Carshalton High School for Girls. Future First connects employers and pupils Taylor Wessing is one of several employers working with Future First to connect their employees with motivated young people in need of role models in the world of work. Current employer partnerships include The Wellcome Trust, Ashurst LLP, KPMG and Rothschild. Future First/YouGov polling shows that 70 per cent of 16 to 19-year-olds think it will be hard to get a job when they leave school or college and 39 per cent don’t know anyone in a job they would like to do. Future First Chief Executive Officer Matt Lent said, ‘Young people cannot be what they cannot see. It is vital to open young people’s eyes to a world beyond their own and broaden their jobs horizons. Our Taylor Wessing partnership will enable students who aspire to a career in the legal sector to achieve what may otherwise have been impossible.’ Dan Harris, Taylor Wessing’s Diversity, Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, said ‘Our long-standing partnership with Future First targets young people in state education, enabling them to reach their full potential. Our partnership is an example of how embedding a relationship makes a big difference to our local community, our people and our clients. The varied backgrounds of our volunteers help to show there is no ‘right’ background and that anyone can pursue their ambition with some guidance and encouragement.’ For further information see the Future First website or call 0207 239 8933.
Education Mutual Becomes AFM’s 50th Member
Education Mutual is the latest firm to join the Association of Financial Mutuals (AFM), becoming the organisation’s 50th member. Education Mutual, a national mutual, launched in July 2018 to provide cover for schools for staff absences and other health services. The mutual’s core purpose is to be ‘By Schools, for Schools’, which means schools and academies that sign up to its services automatically become members. The mutual insurance industry has doubled its market share in the 10 years since the financial crisis, and this latest addition reflects a growing interest in the mutual business model from sectors that find existing insurance cover represents poor value. Martin Shaw, Chief Executive of AFM, commented: “I’m delighted that Education Mutual has become our 50th member. It is great to see the establishment of any new mutual organisation, and seeing the way the education sector has quickly embraced their own mutual is proof that the model is as relevant today as it was when local communities and trades set up their own mutuals in the 19th century.” Nick Hurn OBE, Chair of Education Mutual, CEO of Trinity Catholic MAT and Headteacher of Cardinal Hume Catholic School, added: “We are honoured and delighted to be a new member of this highly prestigious and well-regarded professional association. The Association of Financial Mutuals has a well-deserved national reputation for excellence, probity and financial acumen. Education Mutual’s membership of the AFM is further proof of our company’s relevance and appropriateness for academies, schools and colleges. There is a growing demand among the education sector for a scheme like ours that brings all the benefits of being a member of a mutual.”
New research highlights schools’ lack of confidence in handling online abuse
RM Education has today released key findings from its latest research – conducted in association with the NSPCC – into online safety policy and practice in UK schools. The survey asked 1,158 senior leaders, designated safeguarding leads and network managers from primary and secondary schools for their views and experiences in creating safe web environments for pupils. Results revealed that only 37 per cent felt very confident in identifying and handling online abuse incidents involving children, while 57 per cent of secondary school respondents and 77 per cent of primary school respondents felt only somewhat confident, or unconfident, in their understanding of the threats students face online. When asked how they would approach a coercive sexting incident between pupils, in which an image was circulated around school, just 61 per cent said they would confiscate the device and inform parents and police. The remainder of responses to this question were varied, suggesting inconsistencies in awareness around recommended practices. 7 per cent of education professionals said they would forward the image on, which directly contradicts the government’s advice on Keeping Children Safe in Education. Schools also indicated they were unclear around where the ultimate responsibility for online safeguarding lay. Only a quarter of respondents cited their Designated Safeguarding Lead as the main point of contact for online safety, while nearly half (49 per cent) of heads in primary schools were defined as the lead. Underpinning these statistics was an overall lack of confidence from respondents in their school’s approach to online safety. The majority of secondary school professionals were only ‘somewhat confident’ in their school’s approach, while the majority of primary school professionals were ‘unconfident’. Only 15 per cent of primary and 18 per cent of secondary respondents said they were ‘very confident’ in their school’s approach. Tools for tackling online threats also varied between primary and secondary schools. While 97 per cent of all respondents had filtering software in place at their school, 30 per cent of secondary schools and a staggering 73 per cent of primary schools had no software in place to monitor students’ online activity and identify potential threats or risks of harm. A recurring theme in the research appears to be training, with a third of schools not providing staff with regular online safety training and a further 12 per cent providing training only when requested by staff. However, most respondents felt the frequency of training would have little impact on their confidence in dealing with online safety incidents, and a quarter of respondents made no changes to any aspect of how they approach and manage online safety after training. Overall, the research confirms that schools need a greater degree of support to implement and apply effective safety training and policies. Jeremy Cooper, Managing Director of RM Education, said: “The results of the survey have further highlighted the challenges we frequently hear from schools. Online safety is a huge concern, and while many schools have invested time and effort into online safety, there is still significant work to be done to help staff feel more confident in ensuring their young learners are protected online.” Almudena Lara, NSPCC Head of Policy, added: “Social media, sexting and online pornography did not exist a generation ago and this survey underlines how crucial it is that today’s teachers feel equipped to help their pupils navigate healthy relationships in the modern world. “As part of the Government’s rollout of compulsory relationships and sex education lessons in schools, there needs to be comprehensive training and support in place to help teachers incorporate online safety awareness into this programme.” The survey also explored how online safeguarding practices were determined and implemented. Just 9 per cent of respondents involved students in shaping their school’s approach, while 32 per cent didn’t involve students in developing policies. This could represent a significant area of opportunity for safeguarding leads seeking to build and embed a more effective whole-school approach. RM works with thousands of schools and colleges across the UK, using technology solutions to help teachers to teach and learners to learn. Their team of experts provide guidance and support for schools, helping them to develop the systems and policies to ensure children can be safe on the internet. For more information, visit www.rm.com
GroupBC To Support University Of Birmingham’s One Estate Initiative
GroupBC, one of the world’s leading digital project and asset information management platforms, is pleased to announce a new contract with the prestigious University of Birmingham. The University of Birmingham is in the midst of one of the most transformational campus redevelopments since the first phase of building was completed in 1909. The development programme, worth £1 billion as part of a 10 year investment starting in 2016, is creating outstanding new facilities for students, staff and the community. GroupBC’s involvement Due to the scope of this multifaceted programme, it was crucial for the University of Birmingham to employ a solution which would securely support delivery and transition from ideation to operation. The high-profile and demanding programme requires a world-leading solution to manage the university’s current and future built assets. The University of Birmingham undertook a G-Cloud tendering process, selecting GroupBC as it offers the leading Common Data Environment (CDE) solution. Speaking on GroupBC’s appointment, Wes Simmons, GroupBC’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to be working with such an ambitious and informed organisation that is truly committed to digital transformation and BIM (Building Information Modelling) adoption.” A UK-owned and hosted CDE will ensure the University of Birmingham can access all documents, drawings, 3D Models and data regarding its assets from a single, secure platform. This will form the basis for its One Estate Initiative. The asset information management solution The University of Birmingham required a CDE and project management system within its Estates Office to improve project governance, portfolio and information management. Currently, project and asset information resides in multiple disparate legacy systems and is also held by the university’s external supply chain. With GroupBC’s assistance, the University of Birmingham is implementing a single system which can be utilised by the university, design teams and contractors to track and report upon milestones, changes and key decisions for project governance purposes. In effect, this will drive efficiency within its existing estate and the delivery of capital projects. It will also improve the delivery, visibility and control of important information and data across the department. It is also important that the university mitigates the risk of information loss in the event of a supplier dispute or insolvency during the design or construction phases, especially with such significant investment plans for the future. The implementation of a CDE will mitigate the above risks whilst at the same time substantially improving efficiency and availability of data for the university’s Estates Team. This new CDE will assure the safe storage and access of all data and is fully compliant with the university’s security requirements including ISO 27001, a specification for an information security management system. Commenting on behalf of the University of Birmingham, Trevor Payne, Director of Estates said: “The University of Birmingham is excited to be partnering with GroupBC, a sector leading provider for effective portfolio and project management solutions. The system will provide us with the foundation to open up our documentation and data, making it easier to link, interpret, find and manage information. Implementation of this initiative will deliver transformation of operation and service delivery, strengthening the University’s position as a world-leading institution.” About the University of Birmingham The University of Birmingham is one of the United Kingdom’s foremost research led institutions. Set in 230 acres of parkland campus in Edgbaston, the University has been leading the way since 1900 with internationally renowned research that influences the modern World. Birmingham ranks highly in the UK for research excellence; it is also one of the largest Universities in the UK with around 27,000 undergraduate students, including nearly 5000 international students from 147 countries worldwide and over 6,000 academic and support staff members. The University of Birmingham is one of the 24 Russell Group universities. They operate globally, attracting international students and academic staff from many different countries, they also have a strong role and influence within their regional and local community and are committed to the highest levels of academic excellence in both teaching and research. Russell Group universities make an enormous impact on the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of the United Kingdom. Birmingham has continued to be a university unafraid to do things a little differently, and in response to the challenges of the day. It was a founder member of the National Union of Students, the first university to be built on a campus model amongst other ambitious initiatives.
Cash-strapped education professionals work longer hours but struggle to make ends meet
Brand new research from CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job board, reveals that despite 62.5% of professionals in the education sector working more hours than they’re contracted to, over half (61.1%) struggle to make ends meet at the end of each month. The study surveyed 1,200 working professionals and found that one in four (44.2%) work 1-3 hours extra per week, amounting to 96 hours per year and meaning education professionals are missing out on £1,467.84* unpaid overtime. Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library, comments on the findings: “We’ve certainly built a reputation for ourselves in the UK for working overtime, with full-time employees working two and half weeks more than the EU average. This is no different in the education sector, where severe underfunding for schools has put extra pressure on its professionals to work longer hours. “Of course, we all have stressful days which cause us to work longer than we’re contracted to. However, if you’re continuing to go the extra mile, without your efforts being recognised, then something’s gone wrong. It’s unfair for managers to expect you to give up your valuable time without financial recognition. Know your worth and don’t settle for any less!” Although professionals in the education sector may be putting in extra hours in the hopes of impressing their boss and securing a pay rise, it appears that employers are failing to pick up on their efforts. The majority (77.8%) of the sector’s professionals believe they’re underpaid, with the survey revealing that: 66.7% of education professionals go into their overdraft before the end of the month 26.3% struggle to pay off their credit card each month 44.4% think that colleagues at a similar level earn more than them Aside from living costs, the top three expenditures of education professionals are groceries (44.4%), insurance (29.6%) and entertainment (24.1%) Biggins concludes: “It’s highly demotivating to feel like you’re putting in extra hours, without reaping the rewards. So, if you think you deserve it, don’t be afraid to ask for a pay review. It will do wonders for your motivation and productivity to have your boss acknowledge your hard work. Plus, we deserve to enjoy our hard-earned money by socialising and doing things we enjoy, rather than worrying about how to pay the bills at the end of the month!”
Moulton School & Science College wins Redway Networks “Win Big” competition
Moulton School & Science College wins Redway Networks “Win Big” competition with a £20,000 Aerohive new WiFi 6 802.11ax solution! Redway Networks popular “Win Big” competition returned at the end of last year with a bigger than ever prize for the education sector. The competition was supported by Aerohive Networks to offer a school, college or university the opportunity to win a wireless solution with their new 802.11ax WiFi 6 wireless technology worth over £20,000, providing the very best in connectivity and mobility for their students. Redway Networks has now been running their “Win Big” competition for three years and this year saw a record number of entries and one winner was selected at random after a four-month entry period. Moulton School & Science College in Northampton were chosen as this year’s winner and were delighted to receive the news that they had won. They were very excited at being able to replace their outdated solution with the latest AX wireless technology and to be one of the first schools in the UK with this technology. The solution included 15 x Aerohive AP650’s access points which are designed for high performance environments and combine the latest in WiFi standards (IEEE 802.11ax technology), the latest in Ethernet standards (2.5G capability) and Aerohive’s software-defined dual 5 GHz radios for indoor and industrial environments. The wireless solution has now been installed and configured and the school is now benefitting from much faster download speeds and increased coverage, as well as higher density capabilities across the network, which has already proven invaluable for the large school. Leigh Hayes, Director of Redway Networks Ltd said: “We are committed to providing support to the Educational Sector, enabling them to benefit from our provision of leading-edge technologies. I am excited about the future for the pupils and staff at Moulton School & Science College who are already benefitting from the installation of the wireless solution, and the fantastic AX technology will really ensure that the school is future proofed for at the least the next ten years.” Phil Tomaselli, Network Manager, commented on the win “This is amazing for the school, the AX access points will ensure longevity and will now take us into the future, offering the very best in technology for our students and staff. This has allowed us to replace our outdated wireless network which was 6 years old and takes the pressure off our budgets and can now enable us to grow and continue our rolling IT programme. At present, we have installed the solution in our main building but we are now planning to roll out the installation of AX access points across the entire school to ensure that all of the school benefits from the latest technology and its capabilities. We really appreciate Redway Networks support with the competition; the solution will provide immense benefits to the school. They provided a detailed site survey before the installation to take place to ensure that the solution gives maximum coverage and performance. They have continued to provide support through the configuration and installation. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Redway Networks when we extend the solution across the rest of our buildings later in the year.” Redway Network’s “Win Big” competition will be back for Autumn 2019 and we will be offering another school, college or university the chance to win a 802.11ax wireless solution worth over £20,000! Keep an eye out on our website for details or follow us on LinkedIn to be in with a chance of winning!
What does the Timpson Review on school exclusions mean for your school?
The Timpson Review on school exclusions has been published, with 30 recommendations for change. Recommendations include making settings more accountable for school exclusions in an “effective and fair way” and offering more guidance and tools to teachers, writes QA Education editor Victoria Galligan. A £10million crackdown on poor behaviour also formed part of the key measures which are being taken by the Government in a bid to reduce exclusions. The review, carried out by Edward Timpson CBE, highlighted the fact that 78% of permanent exclusions concerned vulnerable groups – children with SEN, classified as in need or receiving free school meals. Mr Timpson said: “No parent sends their child off to school believing they will end up being excluded but when this does happen we all need to be confident we have a well-functioning system that makes sure no child slips through the net. Exclusion from school should never mean exclusion from education. “Throughout this review I have found too much variation in the use of exclusions and too many missed opportunities for children to remain in the education that best suits their needs. Although I did see examples of schools using exclusions appropriately and effectively, there is clear room for improvement and everyone – from teachers and parents, the Department for Education and Ofsted, to local authorities and children’s services – has their part to play. “We expect school leaders to make sure all children are getting a good education, but we must equip them with the skills and capacity to do so. We need to reward schools who are doing this well and hold to account those who are not. Most importantly there must be safeguards in place for when things go wrong so that we can keep children on the path towards the successful future they all deserve.” The publication of the review came after Education Secretary Damian Hinds made a Call for Evidence on SEND provision, last week. Welcome change on school exclusions Achievement for All – a not-for-profit organisation that works with schools and settings to improve outcomes for all young people vulnerable to underachievement – welcomed the review. Its CEO, Professor Sonia Blandford, said: “We welcome this important and vital review into exclusions. Too many children and young people are excluded, slip through the net and fail to receive the education they deserve. “With an inclusive and whole-school approach to education, permanent and fixed period exclusions can be reduced and futures transformed. Through our work with over 3.86 million beneficiaries including pupils, teachers, parents and carers, we know that many schools don’t feel well supported or equipped in this area. “We need to ensure they have access to a framework that focuses on quality teaching and learning, use appropriate interventions and engage parents and carers effectively. “Parent and carer engagement must be viewed as an integral part of school engagement – not an add on. We developed our Achieving Schools programme to meet these needs. In 2018, we reduced school exclusions in the settings we worked with by 70%. As the Timpson Review of School Exclusions states, a well-functioning system is needed to support all children and young people. “Exclusion from education must be avoided and we look forward to working with the government and other organisations in this area to ensure every child, irrespective of their background challenge or need, can achieve.” What does the review on school exclusions mean for teachers? Guidance for teachers will be updated, which will mean training and materials being made available for school leaders. The Government says Mr Timpson’s proposed reforms will support schools to intervene early before exclusion is necessary, improve alternative provision, as well as reducing incentives for schools to off-roll pupils (take children off the register and therefore out of the education system, without a formal permanent exclusion). And the new Ofsted framework will also require inspectors to question schools where there are signs of off-rolling, and instruct them to report where pupils are taken off-roll for the benefit of the school rather than the in the interests of the pupil. The report also encourages multi-agency working, saying “it cannot be the job of schools alone to take action to understand and address the complex underlying needs that children may have”. The Government should also clarify the role of local authorities to advocate for children with additional needs and those at risk of moving out of school through exclusion or otherwise, and require them to convene local forums in which schools participate, says the review. It also recommended that the Government extends its funding to equality and diversity hubs beyond 2020, to help increase the diversity of senior leadership teams in schools.
Open University secures £50M investment in social learning platform FutureLearn
Open University secures £50M investment in social learning platform FutureLearn SEEK Group investment takes FutureLearn from start-up to a £100m value company in just six years SEEK Group (ASX: SEK) will invest £50m to become a joint, 50% owner of The Open University’s FutureLearn social learning platform, it was announced today in a deal thought to be the largest ever private-sector EdTech investment in Europe. 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.
New grading framework to be launched to independent schools
The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) has announced plans to launch its new Pitch Grading Framework to independent schools. This will allow a new way for schools to showcase quality sports turf facilities and recognise the skills and expertise of its grounds teams while adding a new dimension to attract potential students and their parents. A nationwide pilot scheme is planned with a selection of independent schools set to take part. The involvement of these schools will help inform the Pitch Grading Framework from a schools’ perspective before the scheme is rolled out. The concept has been supported by all National Governing Bodies of sport and aims to boost industry standards for grounds facilities, improve the knowledge within the sector and set benchmarks for playing surfaces. The framework will not only highlight the level of an individual playing surface quality but also the appropriate training and education, and the recommended levels of qualifications, needed by the ground’s management team who maintain it. Natural turf sports pitches standards will be graded from levels 0 to 5, with 5 being ‘elite’ status. Within this Framework, grounds teams are advised to have a certain level of qualifications to obtain certification for each grade. Each level is complemented by a training and qualification recommendation framework that features specific and accurately blended learning, delivered both online and in the traditional format. Geoff Webb, CEO of the IOG, commented: “The Pitch Grading Framework delivers a much-needed requirement in the industry. It creates a standard for facilities to be compared against, which will be of huge benefit to schools when attracting new students and providing the students with sports pitches to excel on. In a similar style to OFSTED, schools will be able to promote their rating and highlight the standards of its sports and green-space facilities, as well as the knowledge and expertise among its team.” The IOG Pitch Grading Framework will help to progress standards and provides an outline for how schools can take their facilities to the next level. To aid this, the IOG offer Site Audits and Training Needs Analysis services, as well as a vast array of online and on-site training courses and qualifications to support the professional development of grounds staff. To take advantage of significant training and service discounts, schools must be member of IOG. Independent school membership costs just £300 per year, which provides access to benefits for the entire grounds management team. This gives access to leading experts; resources; the latest industry science and knowledge; as well as discounted fees on training and qualifications – to enable schools to create thriving sports turf surfaces that benefit their students and in turn help to promote and showcase the schools’ facilities. For further information please visit www.iog.org. or call 01908 312 511.