Teacher absence tackled by new partnership between Schools Advisory Service and health app
The Schools Advisory Service (SAS), which provides teachers in the UK with absence insurance, has partnered with a Manchester-based healthcare company to provide members with GP appointments via smartphone. The SAS is working with Now Healthcare Group, utilising their Dr Now mobile app which connects users to a qualified doctor via Skype-style video chat. The partnership is set to begin on 1 April and will be available to the SAS’ 100,000 members nationwide. Dr Now is an ‘mHealth’ app which allows those who need to see a doctor the chance to book an appointment at the touch of a button and speak to one via video call on their Android or iOS smartphone. It can also deliver medicines straight to a patient’s home or office for ultimate convenience. The SAS previously relied upon a GP telephone service for when staff fell unwell, but this is to be Lee Dentith replaced with this new arrangement with Now Healthcare Group. Nearly 3 million teaching days are lost through sickness in schools in the UK every year, and the SAS is aiming to reduce this number by providing teachers with quick and easy healthcare – helping them avoid waiting times at the clinic and the hassle of taking time off to see a doctor. Director of Schools Advisory Service, Les Marshall, said: “Our new service from Now Healthcare Group will be an essential element of trying to prevent and reduce staff absences in schools. This service is just what teachers have been asking us to provide for years and to finally be able to provide a service of the highest quality from the market leader demonstrates why Schools Advisory Service is the UK’s largest supplier of staff absence insurance.” Founder & CEO of Now Healthcare Group, Lee Dentith, said: “Now Healthcare Group is thrilled to be working with Schools Advisory Service through this exclusive partnership. We’re looking to significantly reduce the number of sickness days lost by teachers and education workers by giving them access to a GP immediately through our mobile app platform, Dr Now / Now GP. Our partnership will benefit schools, teachers and children alike as we look to minimise disruption to pupils’ education across the country.” https://youtu.be/rHcdD0YKdbs Download the app from the App Store and Google Play.
Six steps to keeping classroom technology safe
Having technology in the classroom can help enhance student engagement with what’s being taught. Today, many schools have iPads, iPods or other tech devices, and measures should be put in place to keep these expensive products safe from being lost or stolen. Here are six safety steps to consider when keeping technology safe in the classroom, provided by gadget and mobile accessory brand Griffin Technology. 1. It’s important to take necessary precautions against theft in the classroom. Devices such as videocameras, iPads, and laptops should be put away in locked and secured places when not in use. 2. Always establish and enforce classroom procedures for student use of technology. Create a register to check-out and check-in equipment, so it’s always accounted for. 3. If you’re using an iOS device such as iPad or iPod, install the Find My iPhone app on these devices. If these gadgets are ever lost or stolen, the app can easily remotely track it, lock it or even erase data. 4. Invest in proper protection. This will ensure all expensive products are protected with a suitable case to defend against accidental drops. Cases that shield devices against drops and knocks should be purchased, and will add another layer of safety should a mishap occur. 5. Label each device that is used in the classroom. This way, there can be no confusion as to who owns the device. Sometimes, school equipment can be mixed up with pupils’ own devices, therefore it’s good to clearly identify school property. 6. For more expensive equipment and those devices used outside of the classroom, create a process by which supervision of its use must be carried out. This is good practice to roll out for new purchases with a high value, so that a responsible watch is taken over the device and it isn’t lost. For gadget protection and accessories, Griffin Technology provides a range of cases to suit tablets, smartphone and more. For iPads used in the classroom, the Survivor All-Terrain is recommended, as it has been tested to meet military standards making it super tough. When charging multiple devices, the MultDock2 Charging Station 10 and 30Bay provides the perfect security when hosting a number of iPads, tablets and smartphones all at once.
Avoiding the tech trap
Currently, there is a global movement in education to become smarter. Businesses have been competing to be more digitally intelligent and energy efficient for some time and schools are becoming no different. This shouldn’t mean a tablet computer for every pupil. Instead it means using existing data in new ways: intelligent ways. Here Carl Plant, CEO of digital technology expert bITjAM gives best practice advice for schools looking to become digital leaders. In a study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in September 2015, doubts were raised as to the benefit of increased technology in schools. The report stated that students who used computers frequently in school were attaining poorer results than those who used computers infrequently – once or twice a week. The reality is schools can become better at using digital tools even without a considerable investment in new machines or advanced technologies. Instead, the shift requires looking at current issues and implementing simple digital solutions. Using tech in schools should do three things: solve problems (not create them), engage pupils and aid communication. So what current problems do schools face? Save paper, go digital A couple of years ago it was recorded that the average school consumed the equivalent of 74 trees worth of paper a year. When you combine this knowledge with the latest government statistics that state there are just under 25,000 schools in the UK, that’s a considerable effect on the environment and an unnecessary expenditure. Students are largely required to work on paper and will be for the foreseeable future. However, ways to minimise carbon consumption and become more efficient can be sought elsewhere. In secondary schools and colleges, for example, timetables are invaluable to pupils and yet faculties hand them out on pieces of paper – destined to be lost, binned or succumb to wear. By using existing databases in a more intelligent way and tapping into the rising number of tablets and smart phones, schools and colleges can cut down on carbon consumption by taking advantage of technology. bITjAM recently worked with Stoke-on-Trent College to create a timetable app students could access on their smart phones. The app, called Logga, is a smart approach to the traditional problems schools face with paper timetables. Logga allows schools to minimise the amount of paper used, while also engaging students. The app also negates any excuses of pupils claiming to have lost their timetable. In addition, Logga opens up another means of communication between teachers and pupils. Task management features allow notes to be made regarding attendance and achievements, providing pupils, teachers and parents with historical information at the touch of a button. The great news is this app doesn’t require radical technical changes to a school’s IT infrastructure. All the information is currently available, it’s just a matter of using it in a more intelligent way. It sounds obvious, but technology in schools needs to have a practical use and make logical sense. There’s no use kitting out the IT lab with expensive iMacs simply because a budget exists. Track work experience When talking to schools and colleges we’ve come across another common problem to which we’ve created a digital solution. Although no longer compulsory, students are often encouraged to take part in work experience. Unfortunately, few schools have a reliable tracking system for work experience, and even fewer actually give students the tools to put together a relevant and clear CV even before they leave school. With competition for university places and jobs as high as it’s ever been, it’s become just as important to record out of school activities as it is curricular ones. Again, what schools need is a smarter framework in place to keep track of students’ extra-curricular activities, like work experience, Duke of Edinburgh, volunteering and other skills development. bITjAM was recently involved in an EU-funded project conducting research into the core skills gap. What became brutally obvious during this research is that students and businesses alike don’t seem to know what they want when it comes to work experience. To help, we’re developing an app on which students can record all their extracurricular activity. They can then use their digital CV towards employment or UCAS as an accurate portrayal of skills and experience. Businesses can look at this record and make informed decisions when taking on young people for work experience and apprenticeships. This way, technology can open up another means of communication, this time between businesses and potential employees. Using technology in an educational environment doesn’t have to be more of a distraction than a benefit, so long as there are clearly defined goals. By simply looking at existing data in a smarter way, schools and colleges can make a conscious effort to reduce their effect on the environment, minimise costs and increase engagement. Uncoincidentally, these are the same goals driving hospitals, factories, shops and a number of other businesses to become smarter too. It’s really not a matter of whether you take the steps, but when. bITjAM would like to invite schools and colleges to get in touch with their challenges and see how the company can help to implement digital solutions. To get in touch, go to www.bitjam.org.uk.
More young people experience mental health problems than asthma
Jonny Benjamin, the man who created the phenomenal #FindMike campaign, launches a new mental health workshop ThinkWell focused on educating the next generation in wellbeing and mental health. Jonny’s search for ‘Mike’, the man who stopped him taking his own life on the same date in 2008 (14th January), reached millions of people around the globe and created one of the biggest mental health campaigns in history. Not only starting a debate around mental health and suicide but also working on breaking down the stigma surrounding it. His aim is to empower and encourage young people to discuss and look after their mental wellbeing and simultaneously challenge the stereotypes and stigma associated with it. “Mental health is one of the last taboos in our society. I know first hand the prejudices and stereotypes that surround it. I’m determined to change this for younger people and get people talking about mental health. It’s something we all need to engage in” says Jonny, who’s experienced mental health problems since he was ten years old. “I never had any mental health education at school. I didn’t even know what mental health was whilst growing up. If I had had a workshop such as ThinkWell come to my school I think I would have sought help sooner and felt able to talk about what was happening. Instead I suffered in silence, leading to an eventual breakdown after becoming psychotic and ultimately taking me to the point of wanting to end my life. I hope to try and stop other young people from going through what I did by ensuring every pupil has mental health education, just as they do physical education. I believe that it should be a compulsory part of the curriculum.” Mental health workshops are safe & supportive The workshop ThinkWell will be launched nationwide and delivers a dynamic 100-minute session delivered direct to young people by both a highly trained workshop leader and a qualified therapist. It has been designed to provide a safe and supportive environment to talk about mental health, demystify many of the stigmas – and silence – around this issue and, very importantly, provide information and signposting for young people. The dynamic workshop uses exclusive film footage, from Jonny’s recent Channel 4 documentary The Stranger on the Bridge, as well as discussion and kinaesthetic activities to empower young people to talk about mental health and reach out for help if they need it. “Just as our bodies can get ill or break, so can our minds. And just as we can get treatment to be become physically healthy again or learn to live well with physical difficulties so can we do the same with our mental health. So why do we teach children how to look after themselves physically and when to ask for help if feeling unwell, but don’t do the same when it comes to their mental health and wellbeing? Engaging children and young people in the debate ThinkWell is a necessary project that should be available to all children and young people. As Jonny Benjamin shows, it is possible to return from significant mental health difficulties and live well. By sharing his story and engaging children and young people in the important debate around their and others’ mental health, Jonny and the Pixel Learning team are doing so much to empower and educate our upcoming generation and make the stigma and taboo of mental ill health a thing of the past.” Says Professor Tanya Byron, Clinical Psychologist specialising in working with children and adolescents. Delivered in tailored packages for KS3, KS4 and KS5 the workshop creates a safe environment for young people to engage in the topic and breaks down the taboos surrounding it. “We want ThinkWell to act as an early intervention- empowering young people to talk about mental health before they reach a point of a crisis. Encouraging young people to talk about their feelings is crucial in breaking down the stigma around mental health for the next generation” says Hannah Knight, Education Director at Pixel Learning, the organisation launching ThinkWell. ThinkWell Workshop: www.pixellearning.org ThinkWell is for all young people aged 13+ across the UK. We have different versions of ThinkWell to suit the age, ability and setting of young people. There are KS3, KS4 and KS5 versions for young people in school. We have a ThinkWell version for young people in youth groups, colleges, PRUs and other out-of-school settings. ThinkWell is also differentiated for the abilities of young people with stretch and challenge extension activities and simplified versions of tasks. We cater for young people with SEN and ESOL requirements. ThinkWell is designed to be inclusive and is suitable for all young people aged 13+. We send a trained Workshop Leader and a qualified therapist to work with young people. The Workshop Leader runs ThinkWell which involves exclusive film footage, discussion and kinaesthetic activities to reflect the different stages of Jonny’s journey. In an adjacent room, the qualified therapist runs ThinkWell Space for young people who are affected by the content of the ThinkWell workshop and may want to talk about their thoughts and feelings in a safe space. The ThinkWell therapist offers emotional support, mental health first aid and signposting to young people who visit the ThinkWell Space. We provide a full report of safeguarding concerns and action plans to the designated contact at the end of ThinkWell. The aim of ThinkWell is to provide a safe and supportive environment to talk about mental health, demystify many of the stigmas – and silence – around this issue and, very importantly, provide information and signposting for young people. ThinkWell has 4 key messages: Everyone has mental health and mental health issues are common Talking about mental health issues is essential Reaching out for help is a positive step and lots of different types of help is available Recovery is possible and achievable ThinkWell is run by Pixel Learning. Pixel Learning is a unique collaboration between film and education. Our aim is to use film to inspire empathy in young people empowering them to
£44 MILLION OFF-SITE SCHEME STARTS ON SITE IN EAST LONDON
The £44 million Riverside Schools off-site project – the largest ever in the education sector – has started on site in Barking. The scheme for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham was awarded to the Portakabin Group and is using a Yorkon off-site solution to deliver an innovative three-school campus. Now under construction, the 23,000sqm Riverside Schools campus will provide places for 2,645 children from 0-19 years on a six hectare site. The development will integrate provision for nursery, primary, special needs, secondary, and sixth form pupils, and will be operated by the multi-academy trust, Partnership Learning. The Portakabin Group is the main contractor for this pioneering project. The contract was procured and awarded by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham via the Council’s local education partnership, Thames Partnership for Learning. It is funded by the Education Funding Agency. Commenting at the ground breaking, Councillor Evelyn Carpenter, Cabinet Member for Education and Schools at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham said, “I am very proud of the team for progressing the project so robustly. The off-site solution will help us to very quickly meet the urgent need for school places and deliver more outstanding schools in a good quality and modern educational environment. This will add to our ongoing work to help every child in Barking and Dagenham realise their highest aspirations.” Simon Ambler, Director of the Portakabin Group said, “This is our seventh project for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and follows on from the two earlier phases on the City Farm site near to the Riverside Schools campus, that are now in use. The scheme is one of the largest school projects now under construction in the UK and will create much needed additional school places for one of the fastest growing school-age populations in the country.” He added, “We are delighted to be part of a major development that will be at the heart of a vibrant new community with design-inspired public places and amenities.” Designed by Surface to Air and constructed using a Yorkon off-site solution for the curriculum areas, the scheme comprises an 1,800-place secondary school, a 630-place primary school, a special educational needs (SEN) school, and a 55-place nursery. The use of off-site construction will significantly reduce the programme time. The structure is now in production in York at the same time as the major ground works are progressed on site in East London. The project has been scheduled to complete the primary and SEN facilities at an earlier stage, in time for the start of the 2016/17 academic year to meet the urgent demand for places in the borough. The rest of the campus will be completed late Spring 2017. The Riverside Schools scheme is being developed in the Barking Riverside regeneration area, which is close to Barking town centre and part of the Thames Gateway development. Early phases of substantial housebuilding have already been completed with further plans for 12,000 new homes increasing the need for education provision. For further information about off-site building solutions from the Portakabin Group for primary and secondary education, call 0845 2000 123, email info@yorkon.co.uk or visit www.yorkon.info.