English schools facing a significant rise in water rates
The Coronavirus pandemic has increased the amount of bad debt in the commercial water market. In April 2022, this cost will be passed on to customers through a temporary price rise. The commercial water market was deregulated in 2017, allowing schools to choose their water supplier. Until recently, the savings available from switching business water tariffs have been minimal, so the vast majority of schools have continued with the water supplier they’ve always had. Businesses that have never switched water suppliers pay business water rates on a deemed contract with their default supplier. Default water rates increase each year slightly as the cost of maintaining the water network increases. April 2022 is different; not only will schools be hit with inflationary increases in the cost of water, but they will also be charged more due to Ofwat’s decision to raise prices. To avoid the rising cost of water, schools can compare business water suppliers, just like they do with electricity and gas supply contracts. See how much your school can save today with the AquaSwitch water comparison service. Here are the other reasons why schools should consider comparing the water market for a better deal: Are you satisfied with the service of your current supplier? Billing and charging issues are the most common complaints with business water suppliers. Some water suppliers take customer services more seriously than others. See what your options are using the AquaSwitch water comparison service today. Would you like a more environmentally friendly water tariff? The treatment and pumping of water around the country is a highly carbon-intensive activity. See if your school can save money and help the environment by switching to a green tariff today. Save money on water rates. Schools often pay significant surface drainage charges on their water bills due to the large area covered by schools grounds. In the deregulated water market, suppliers compete for price. See how much your school can save today with www.aquaswitch.co.uk
Leading education partner Whizz Education on hand to help with real time assessment
Recovery and Assessment By Emma Ringe, Schools Director, Whizz Education Real-Time Assessment and reporting on children’s progress across the whole school, are some of the most significant challenges facing schools today. It can come at a substantial cost yet often does not provide the information needed to gain the insights to make robust decisions. EdTech offers solutions but can over promise and under deliver if not implemented correctly and as part of an educational programme tied to clear objectives. Programmes need to be linked to real-time learning analytics into students’ progress and levels of learning in addition to capacity building, data-driven course correction, ongoing pedagogic support plus high impact tutoring. These elements need to come together to be able to monitor progress effectively and will have a higher impact on improving attainment than EdTech alone. In early 2020, Roskear Primary School was looking for a solution to target pupils with SEND and those not on track to achieve age related expectations, to support their learning goals in maths and make it easy to track progress. Miss Furnish, Headteacher, Roskear Primary School, explains: “Any investment in EdTech needs to be considered carefully as full commitment from teaching staff and students is needed to get the best out of any solution. Working in partnership and collaboration with Whizz Education ensures we have been able to achieve this engagement across our school, maximising our investment and the results now speak for themselves.” Jess Morris-Marsham Maths Leader, Team Leader for Years 3 and 4 and Year 5 Teacher at Roskear Primary School continues: “Every half term, we assess standardised age scores. The results have shown accelerated progress. For example, our most recent assessments identified the Year 2 pupils who were below ARE in the autumn. Following the after-school interventions, where children used the Maths-Whizz virtual tutor for two hours per week, each one of those children had reached ARE within six weeks.” Real-time, continuous formative assessment is one of the keys to addressing the issue of recovery. We need to know where children are in relation to their ability and attainment as this enables teaching staff to identify, prioritise and address gaps in learning. Virtual tutors generate data analytics in real-time, as an automatic by-product of their learning, providing continuous assessment data. This has allowed teachers and Whizz Education to track learning progress and loss. Roskear teachers are now empowered and picking this up themselves since staff training on ‘5-minute analysis of data’. They can now identify struggling students and know how to use the virtual tutor to address this. Roskear acts upon the data and has arranged after school clubs for extra access to the virtual tutor for the lowest attaining 20% of students. Meaningful assessment also requires a standard learning metric that benchmarks every student in a school. We have found that the Maths Ages of Year 6 students determined over time by continuous assessment informs teachers where to focus the class teaching. It means Data-driven instruction can be embedded in the school day. We use analytics generated by the virtual tutor, synthesised with qualitative feedback and reflections from our Education Success Partners to enable the implementation plan to be refined so students and teachers realise the full benefits of individualised tutoring. We refer back to the objectives of improving ARE and increasing the Maths-Age for example, by working in collaboration with schools to understand the context, any challenges and behaviours, and then we develop a course correction to improve performance. Data can also be used to compare students’ progress with performance in a school’s chosen third party assessment. For example: alongside the quality face-to-face classroom teaching, during Autumn term, the Maths-Whizz virtual tutor has helped 86% of Roskear children attending after school Maths-Whizz sessions increase their STAR Maths score. For children attending in school sessions 72% had increased STAR Maths score. Reliable data can be used to supply to boards of governors and OFSTED. Whizz Education collaborates with schools across the UK to identify specific learning objectives and develop strategic implementation plans. By working together, we can make a significant contribution to recovery through data driven, continuous assessment programmes designed to spot learning gaps and enabling teachers to give targeted support without additional burden. To find out more visit: www.whizz.com
Water is cool
It is a documented fact that most School children do not drink enough water. Children are at greater risk of dehydration than adults as they do not always realize that they are thirsty and if they are not encouraged they may not drink enough. Many children go through the entire school day consuming perhaps just one glass of water or less. Our bodies are made up of approximately 70 % water and it has a multiple functions in the body – controlling temperature, digesting food and regulating the excretion of waste. Drinking water regularly throughout the day is a very important way to protect long term health. When children do not drink enough their attention span and concentration is severely affected. It has been noted that when thirsty their mental performance is decreased by 10% and will continue to decrease even more if adequate hydration is not attended to. The child may become tired and irritable and suffer headaches, which can then contribute to behavioural problems and they find it difficult to focus on lessons. Children need educated by explaining why drinking water is so very important to their health. To ensure mental clarity and to be able to participle in exercise and physical activity it is essential that water is available for children at all times of the day and it is readily accessible. We owe it to our children to ensure adequate hydration to protect their long term health and help them to achieve their best personal educational potential by ensuring that hydration is used as an aid to their concentration and attention, which will help maintain mental clarity at lessons and improve their overall learning. As children spend a large proportion of their day in School this gives a vital and unique opportunity of encouraging regular water intake to promote good health and an excellent learning environment. Children do not always like the taste of chlorine in water so it is essential that a source of clear pure pleasant tasting water is available and this can be achieved by the use of a Filter. Also the use of refillable bottles can encourage children to drink more often. We have been providing Schools with suitable Water Cooler Units since 1998, and can provide a wide selection of Units suitable for both small and large schools, and would be happy to offer advice and recommendations for the best options for the specific needs of your school. www.watersystems4u.co.uk Tel: 01727 226 464 Email: sales@watersystems4u.co.uk
Sunshade Services Fixed Canopy Structures
Sunshade Services have recently completed the installation of numerous fixed canopy structures allowing the free access of children in & out of the adjacent classroom buildings in any weather. The main advantage of fixed canopies is their sturdiness & resilience to all inclement weather conditions whilst the opal coloured roof panels offer considerable shade cover in very sunny conditions. Our steel powder coated structures are available in almost any colour & can be complimented or matched to our wide colour range of safety pads. Each structure is individually designed using the latest CAD software to suit any building profile to ensure that your own personal needs are met. All our fixed canopies are fitted with guttering systems which discharge rainwater to ground level. No shape or size of building is an issue as we survey all sites to find the best all-round solution & ensure that all existing drains & underground services are located to minimise any disruption to the client. No canopy is too big or too small. All installations are taken care of by our own employees to ensure total control from start to completion. Contact us now to find out more…. T: 01782 398848 M: 07807 063734 / 07415 462406 E: info@sunshadeservices.co.uk W: www.sunshadeservices.co.uk
Everyday good food with attitude from Urban Eat
Urban Eat, the UK’s number one sandwich brand, relaunched its popular Food to Go range last year offering ‘Food with Attitude’ with its best ever tasting range to schools and colleges. The £120million brand introduced new recipes and flavours, including new Street Food and Deli ranges which aim to capitalise on the latest food trends and broaden its appeal in a variety of channels. Ahead of the relaunch, URBAN eat conducted extensive consumer research and benchmarking to ensure the new range met the needs of modern consumers. There are now four distinct ranges available for schools: Urban Eat Core – all the Urban Eat favourites and classic flavours, plus a new premium range and light range to cater for those looking for healthy options under 400 calories. The range also includes more salads than ever before to accommodate growing demand and a range of vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and halal products URBAN eat Deli – a broad mix of coffee shop-inspired hot and cold deli products, tapping into café culture. Products include classic toasties and paninis, new additions such as the Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Bagel and a range of hot boxes in addition to cold eat sandwiches and salads. URBAN eat Street – a new collection of innovative and flavoursome products inspired by the latest food trends, including Bacon naan, Vegan Bean Burrito and Mozzarella & Tomato topped Flatbread URBAN eat Roots – the popular range of vegetarian & vegan sandwiches and wraps with punchy flavours and quirky names – all approved by the Vegetarian society and benchmarked to make them tastier than ever Wayne Greensmith, Head of Category Marketing at Adelie Foods, says: “The relaunch meets the needs of the evolving Food To Go market. This shines through with our refreshed packaging and simplified ranges that standout on shelf, while the new products allow us to have a portfolio that can flex around changing consumer missions, appealing to a wider demographic of consumers and reflecting modern food trends. It’s important for schools to stock the right range of products for their pupils. Our best sellers include the BLT, All Day Breakfast and Cheddar Ploughman’s, which shows that classic sandwich combinations still appeal to consumers. “Not having a vegan offering is no longer an option. Outlets must stock up on quality lighter and vegan options to keep up with shopper demand and expectation. Veganism is now a mainstay eating choice rather than a trend and in fact, vegans and vegetarians are set to make up a quarter of the UK population in the next five years, which is why we continue to innovate and grow our popular Roots range.” Sustainability is also a key objective for us. All the cardboard Urban eat uses is widely recyclable and is from managed renewable forests – with at least two trees planted for every tree used. In order to reduce food waste, 95% of the sandwich range now has a four-day shelf life. www.adeliefoods.co.uk
Sunshade Services Specialist Bespoke Outdoor Structures
Sunshade Services specialise in the design, manufacture & installation of bespoke specialist outdoor structures aimed at the pre-school, nursery, primary & secondary school sectors. There are many things to consider when deciding which type of structure may best suit your needs including aesthetic appearance, materials, safety, total coverage required, planning issues and cost to name but a few. Having a totally flexible approach to every single enquiry allows us to offer what we feel is the best all round solution to suit your individual needs. Every structure designed by us can be individually tailored to suit not only your requirements but allows us to meet any design requirements or site restrictions that may be placed upon us meaning that we will not clash with any drains, fences, existing equipment etc when carrying out the final installation. Many of our structures can also be expanded upon in a modular fashion to allow further or extended coverage of large or awkward shaped areas allowing you to limit your capital expenditure as required. Many of our structures are available in structural grade tantalised timber which not only allows for a strong safe installation but keeps initial capital costs to a minimum. As an alternative to this we offer sturdy, well designed steel structures which are available in either a shiny hot dipped galvanised finish or powder coated in any standard RAL colour. All our structures come complete with 50mm thick x 1.5m long padded post protectors which are available in 15 vibrant colours and can me mixed & matched at no extra cost to suit your tastes. Our structures are available in either Commercial 95 knitted shadecloth available in 15 colours or our hard-wearing Ferrari Industries PVC coated vinyl available in up to 41 vibrant colours. Please either call us on either of the numbers below or email your enquiry to info@sunshadeservices.co.uk & one of our sales team will get back to you as soon as they are free Contact us for your free no obligation quotation & start saving now. Sunshade Services Ltd. Unit 12A, Blythe Park Business Base, Cresswell, Stoke-on-Trent, ST11 9RD T: 014782 398848 / 07807 063734 e: info@sunshadeservices.co.uk www.sunshadeservices.co.uk
Thera-Build® with LEGO®
Thera-Build® is a LEGO®-based therapeutic approach for improving children’s emotional well-being. Participation in Thera-Build® groups can help to boost self-esteem, support social development, build positive attachments and encourage purposeful conversation. The methodology was developed by Alyson Thomsen, a former senior teacher and LEGO® Education Certified Trainer. Aly continues to work with families, schools, charities and Trusts to provide quality commissioned projects for children, and also provides training for parents, carers and professionals. Training covers: · The value of LEGO® as a therapeutic tool. · The fundamentals of Thera-Build® and its therapeutic aims. · The theory behind the methodology. · How to resource and organise a Thera-Build® intervention. · LEGO® building tips, technical vocabulary and advice. · The importance of purposeful play. · Helpful strategies for creating a secure therapeutic relationship. · Practical activities to help children learn to co and self-regulate. · Lots of ideas for LEGO® building experiences! Find more about Thera-Build® here: www.bricks2learn.com
Lighting control for schools
Lighting control has seen dramatic changes in recent years as the advent for energy efficiency, costs saving and creating mood lighting has become a hugely desired need and aspect for all sectors. Lighting control systems vary depending on the need of their usage. Some are good for Architectural lighting, or Commercial lighting whilst others suit Residential lighting or venues. Lighting control has come a long way today and a plethora of products exist to suit all needs. Hence it is vital, if not key to understand and appreciate the type of products, their suitability and sustainability to synergise with your project. As we work with the majority of key brands, we are skilled and experienced in assisting you with the right advice, budget and recommendation of the key elements for your project. Aspects we can advise you on, for example, are understanding and guiding you through the control strategy and energy savings aspects. We have experience, expertise and knowledge on the majority of leading brands to cater to these specialist needs from lighting control equipment supply, installing, programming and providing support for all major systems including control gears, user interfaces, ballasts, circuit boards, dimmers, switch plates, touch screens, iphone and tablet programming. We can fix most issues we encounter on various systems with our expertise and specialisation. We truly believe in service and more importantly find the best solution for each site – be it short or long term. We can work to small or large budgets. We are a flexible company and therefore attempt to attend call outs within 48 hours as much as possible. Part of this flexibility means we can provide out of hours or work around normal hours service. As we say in our motto….’Believe in service only’ We have engineers who can visit sites at short notice; our hourly rates and call out charges are very competitive, be it in or out of hours; we can provide annual maintenance and service contracts. Since being established in 2011, Balkar Lighting Limited has successfully managed to provide a much needed service for lighting control systems to hundreds of satisfied clients. We have carried out work in hotels, private residences, commercial buildings, historic buildings, galleries and restaurants through to new build projects.
Celebrating a score in school first aid
The celebrations have begun at school first aid supplier Eureka!, as the organisation kicks off its 20-year anniversary this month. Set up originally as a catalogue business on the sunny south coast in Dorset, the company quickly succeeded in its quest to become the UK’s number one provider of school first aid supplies, by offering low prices, easy ordering, outstanding customer service and exceptionally quick delivery—attributes which remain at the heart of the organisation today. As the years have passed, Eureka! has listened to its customers and adapted to the changing needs of its school customers to ensure it remains the first-choice supplier in this sector. Supplies to meet any budget Providing schools with alternatives to well known and inevitably higher priced brands, is one such project that Eureka! has applied, to assist those schools facing tight budget constraints. Having long established relationships with suppliers around the globe, meant that Eureka! could source and implement its own range of essential first aid supplies such as bandages, plasters and wipes that perform as well as the leading brands. The Eureka! range of first aid items has become increasingly popular and the organisation is looking to expand the range in the near future. Assisting schools to implement change The last 20 years have seen various changes to the school curriculum and first aid industry standards, including the latest addition of first aid training in English schools, and the new British Standard BS8599-1:2019 for first aid kits. Eureka! monitors proposed changes as soon as they are announced and implements products to ensure schools can make early preparations and adhere to legal standards. Other additions to the Eureka! portfolio in recent years, include the provision of defibrillators, inhalers and adrenaline auto-injectors, that help schools to prepare for the administration of lifesaving first aid if needed. Hidden savings Schools will know that suppliers often enforce a minimum order value to secure free delivery. This isn’t the case with Eureka!. Whether you need to order a box of plasters or kit out your medical room, delivery of all orders with a UK mainland delivery address is free of charge. Often overlooked when assessing the budget, a decrease in delivery charges can lead to substantial monetary savings over the course of the school year. Eureka! also provides schools with special clearance deals, significant quantity discounts and buy two get one free offers on some of the most frequently used first aid items. Eureka! is looking forward to continuing its celebrations throughout 2020 which will include very special offers to schools. Request your catalogue now by calling 0800 358 0085, or visit www.eurekadirect.co.uk to find out more.