How should heads cope with rising mental health issues within teaching?
Robyn Johnstone, Chief Executive Officer of Education Placement Group specialists in teacher recruitment, recently partnered with Education Support Partnership (ESP). ESP is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of teachers, and its free and confidential 24-hour helpline receives over 7,500 calls a year from education staff who have reached breaking point. Here she answers some questions about the rising mental health issues within teaching… What issues are teachers facing in terms of their mental health? Teachers are currently facing high levels of stress, resulting in behavioural, psychological and physical symptoms. Behavioural impacts cause teachers to be more prone to procrastination and mood swings, which may affect their teaching ability. Psychologically, increased work pressure can lead to anxiety and panic attacks, leading to cases of depression. There are also physical impacts of raised blood pressure, tension and regular headaches affecting their performance. How are schools affected when teachers leave the profession due to mental health issues? Mental health issues result in teachers suffering from long term sickness, meaning that temporary members of staff are required to cover these absences. This creates stability issues for pupils as children do not have regular and familiar teaching staff, impacting both their performance and behaviour. Schools may also face challenges relating to the recruitment of new member of staffs, particularly for STEM subjects. How does the Education Placement Group’s (EPG) new partnership with Education Support Partnership (ESP) work? Our partnership aims to raise the issue of mental health and how it impacts the retention of staff in schools. We want to ensure all teachers have access to a support network, whether that is professional or social, in order to help them remain within the profession. It will also help school leaders to understand how their school can support teachers suffering from these issues. ESP and EPG will be working together on a number of events to raise awareness and provide wellbeing advice and support for teachers. We will also be working collaboratively on a Teacher Community which proactively provides trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers with a peer community, professional coaching and guidance with ‘real time’ wellbeing advice. What can heads do to reduce the number of teachers leaving the profession? Head teachers need to recognise that a supportive school culture should be at the forefront of their agenda. A strong and positive culture where teachers are often rewarded and recognised will help with both recruitment and retention of staff. School leaders need to be supported by the senior management team to address the issue as a team. Head teachers also need to provide sufficient guidance and advice about health and wellbeing for their staff, through well communicated formal policies. Teachers are less likely to seek support from their employer when experiencing mental health issues related to work. A school culture which positively addresses mental health, rather than seeing it as a sign of weakness, will be better equipped to address issues early, before staff inevitably leave. What should policy makers be doing to ensure that teachers feel valued in their roles? Policy makers need to understand the current level of mental health issues teachers are experiencing and thus how policy changes can contribute to exacerbating these issues. Unsustainable workload and work-life balance are the two top causes of poor mental health, yet many policy changes, particularly if they are made rapidly, often increase the workload and only make the situation worse. This is particularly prevalent as a major stress for senior leaders in schools, who report that the rapid pace of organisational change is one of the major reasons for leaving the profession. For further information on mental health support see educationsupportpartnership.org.uk and for the Education Placement Group, please call 0114 2572700 or email info@educationplacementgroup.com.
Preparing your organisation for the GDPR
As the enforcement date of 25th May 2018 approaches, your organisation should be promoting a strong culture of protecting data ahead of the General Data Protection Regulation being implemented. As the deadline for this gets ever closer; everyone that deals with personal data will be responsible for ensuring they comply with the GDPR. However, do you know where to start? Background – how does the new General Data Protection Regulation apply to schools? GDPR encompasses any personal data that is stored and processed using computers, as well as any data that is stored on paper in any manual filing system. Whether it is on a standalone computer, a network server, in the cloud or as hand written notes. For example, in an educational setting that means all, and any, personal data held on students, parents, staff and governors. Organisations must be able to evidence how they are actually doing this in practice – not just produce a series of policies or protocols that are compliant. Below, we detail the 3 key steps to get ahead before 25th May. 1)Produce a data map In the example of a school, the setting needs to identify all categories of data that are held about students and staff, the purpose for which it is held and how it is being processed. By doing this the organisation will become familiar with the personal data ecosystem within the school. This information can then be used to run an audit. To help do this the ICO has an audit tool that RAG rates* your current practice and gives a clear indication of where your strengths and areas for improvement are. The result can then be printed off. As you progress you can go back and conduct the audit as many times as you want to measure progress; this provides a useful framework for planning as well as good evidence of action taken. *RAG rating: Red: not implemented or planned Amber: partially implemented or planned Green: successfully implemented 2) Promote good practice Your organisation should already be promoting a strong culture of protecting data. In preparing for the GDPR you should: appoint a data protection officer train staff carry out an information audit update and review policies and procedures tell people why the data is being collected. 3) Ask questions In addition to a clear description of the data, the following questions should be asked of those people that are responsible for collating personal data. What information is being collected? Who is collecting it? How is it collected? Why is it being collected? How will it be used? Who will it be shared with? How long will you keep it for? How will it be kept secure? What process is it needed for? (e.g. admissions, recruitment) How is security maintained? Who has access to the information? Who manages the data? Who are the data subjects? What is the source of the data? What software is used? (if any) Where does the data go inside the organisation? How is the data stored? Does the data leave the organisation? Does data flow outside of borders? (that is national borders to areas not covered by GDPR). Test your GDPR strength against these 3 potential data issues: To identify how prepared you and your organisation are for the GDPR’s enforcement date of 25th May 2018, we have put together 3 questions relating to potential data problems for you to resolve. Answer these below: Issue 1: Governors Confidential papers are being distributed to governors using personal email addresses. They may contain sensitive personal information about staff. When a governor’s term of office finishes you have no control over the deletion or destruction of confidential documents kept digitally. How would you resolve this? Issue 2: Cashless pay system The establishment where you work has introduced a new cashless catering system, which involves both collecting new data for a new purpose and using existing data for a new purpose. What should be conducted? Issue 3: Holding data externally Staff are holding student data on personal USB drives and using them to take student data offsite to work at home. This means that staff may have several USBs with student data on them, and some may have transferred the data to home equipment. For more information on how to prepare your organisation for the GDPR click here
Teaching assistants, school governors and volunteers – who needs a DBS check?
DBS checks are a key part of safe recruitment. It’s clear that teachers need a DBS check – but what about people in other roles? Keeping children and young people safe is one of the most important responsibilities schools have. In particular, schools must have robust recruitment procedures in place to help them identify, reject or deter anyone who isn’t suitable to work with children. Teaching assistants Although their role doesn’t involve as much responsibility as a teacher’s, teaching assistants should still have a DBS check. Anyone who engages in a regulated activity must have an enhanced DBS check with a check of the children’s barred list. In summary, a person will be engaged in a regulated activity if they do one or more of the following: Are responsible, on a regular basis in a school or college, for teaching, training instructing, caring for or supervising children. Carry out paid, or unsupervised unpaid, work regularly in a school or college where the work provides an opportunity for contact with children. Engage in intimate or personal care or overnight activity, even if this happens only once. A full description of the scope of regulated activity is available here. As a teaching assistant’s role falls within this scope, they should have an enhanced DBS with a barred list check. School governors Governors in maintained schools are required to hold an enhanced DBS certificate. The governing body is responsible for applying for a DBS check for any governor who doesn’t already have one. As governance doesn’t involve regulated activity, governors aren’t eligible for a check of the barred list – unless they also engage in regulated activity in addition to their governance duties. Governors of other schools and colleges should also have an enhanced DBS check. Volunteers Volunteers who teach or look after children regularly, or provide personal care in a school or college (even if it’s only once) will be working in regulated activity, and so should have an enhanced DBS check with a check of the barred list. Volunteers who don’t engage in regulated activity but do have the opportunity to come into regular contact with children – for example, supervised volunteers – should have an enhanced DBS check without a barred list check. If a volunteer is undertaking activity that would be regulated activity if it was unsupervised, then they must be supervised by a person in regulated activity at all times. DBS checks in schools DBS checks should be part of schools and colleges’ wider commitment to creating a culture of safety and promoting children’s welfare For more information on a DBS check, see the government’s Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance or click visit www.ucheck.co.uk
Fire Safety in Schools: What Can be Done?
Pupil safety in schools is paramount. From anti-bullying policies to teaching pupils about being safe online, a large portion of a child’s school day revolves around security and protection. This includes fire safety. All education facilities are required by law to implement a stringent fire policy, with alarms, evacuation procedures and risk assessments. But with the tragedy at Grenfell, which subsequently highlighted flammable cladding on a number of schools, many are calling for improvements. But what steps can be taken? And what additional practices should be implemented? Simple Measures Commenting on this issue, and on what improvements could be made, experts at Rocburn stated that the government needs to review fire safety across the board: “The UK recently saw the serious effects of fire damage in Grenfell Tower (sadly leading to the loss of life) and it’s important that the government and fire regulation rules are reviewed in terms of the exterior (and interior) materials used. Long term plans could be simple measures such as, reviewing what materials are not highly flammable and considering how the better design and structure of fire escape routes could potentially improve the process for when people exit a building.” Interior systems are vital in making sure every occupant is aware that there is a potential hazard and frequent drill procedures can help everyone to practice responding to alarms. Our products such as the smoke control system are governed by standards such as BS EN12101 and it’s these checks that make sure our equipment is the best it can be.” Building Improvements While new school buildings have been designed with better fire safety regulations, many older buildings need further development. As such, Labour have recently pledged £14billion to install sprinklers, but what improvements can school leaders make? “Everyone at Rocburn continuously look for ways to keep our smoke ventilation amongst other products the very best. A well-designed smoke control system for schools can not only protect the occupants within the building but improve external efforts from local firefighters and on-site operations. The Education sector has taken cuts over a period of years and that doesn’t just disturb the children’s rights to have the best education, it can affect their safety too. It’s crucial the schools look to attaining the latest and safest smoke ventilation and fire safety equipment.” Education Finally, in addition to updating building safety and procedures, schools also need to put a greater emphasis on education. Although teaching should take precedence, better fire education could help to save lives. While providing this within budget constraints can be difficult, a spokesperson from Rocburn stressed its importance: “A lot of the time, schools have a set budget in which will be split across the departments. Education for the students does come first, in most cases however there could be ways schools could educate children from the offset. This might include fire safety drills more regularly and showing children in education the dangers of how a fire can spread.”
New report warns of damaging accountability system for schools
A former Number 10 adviser and education chief at the RSA has warned that English schools are being damaged by common practices that are of little value to students. The Ideal School Exhibition is an essay penned by Julian Astle, which reveals that schools are dicing with students’ futures by scrambling to achieve the best league table results. This essay is a result of Astle’s search for inspiring “mission-led” schools that are bucking a growing trend of schools hollowing out their teaching in a bid to meet the constantly shifting demands of the government’s accountability system. These issues include: Narrowing the curriculum – particularly as pupils approach primary school SATs and GCSEs, when schools increasingly focus their time, energy and resources only on those subjects that will affect their league table position. ‘Teaching-to-the-test’ – the practice whereby schools drill pupils in the tactics and techniques of exam taking, and focus their instruction on the specific demands of the test and the mark scheme. This not only turns young people off learning but which generates superficial, temporary and illusory educational gains. Gaming – particularly the practices of manipulating the admissions and exclusions system to attract high-performing students and remove low-performing pupils. Also of entering large numbers of pupils for easy-to-obtain qualifications of little interest or value to the learner. Julian said: “Having worked at the centre of government, I know that the architects of England’s school accountability system are motivated by the best of intentions: to expose serious under-performance and raise standards. “But as the grip of that system has tightened over the last 25 years, and the catalogue of unintended consequences and perverse incentives has grown ever longer, it is hard to not to conclude that the costs now outweigh the benefits. We have reached that critical point where positive change becomes possible – where the risks of inaction are higher than the risks of reform. “The RSA calls on everyone who recognises the importance of assessment and accountability, but who shares our concerns that the system as currently designed is damaging children’s education, to join the debate about how to reform that system for the better.” To tackle these problems, Astle recommends: Training teachers in the use and misuse of assessment to develop a deeper understanding within the profession of how teaching-to-the-test impedes, rather than supports, learning. Making explicit Ofsted’s emerging role as: the guardian of a broad and balanced curriculum; a counterbalance to the pressures of the DfE’s numbers-based accountability system; and the body mandated and expected to referee the ‘game’, looking not only at what schools achieve, but how they achieve it. Withdrawing the ‘right’ for schools to act as their own admissions authority, and engaging with the RSA’s proposed Commission on School Admissions to ensure that the ‘low road to school improvement’ (manipulating the admissions system rather than improving teaching) is permanently closed. Abolishing the Ofsted ‘outstanding’ category and handing the definition of excellence back to the profession. Ofsted should play a role more akin to the ‘Food Standards Agency’ than ‘restaurant critic’, focusing solely on identifying serious underperformance. As the government and the inspectorate step back, so teachers, coming together through bodies like researchED and the Chartered College of Teaching, should step up, ensuring that research, collaboration and evidence-led practice drive-up standards. Creating a contestable ‘middle-tier’ to ensure that every school – particularly struggling or isolated schools without a high-performing local authority or Multi-Academy Trust behind them – is provided with timely and effective external challenge and support, with middle-tier bodies that cannot demonstrate an ability to maintain or raise standards replaced by ones that can. The publication of The Ideal School Exhibition kick-starts the RSA’s work to unlock the potential of an overworked teaching profession, and to get our schools focused on the pivotal relationship at the heart of teaching: between the teacher, the pupil and the text – the real substance of education. The essay will be launched today [16 November] in central London, with speakers including: David Laws, former schools minister, now executive chairman, Education Policy Institute; Daisy Christodoulou, director of education, No More Marking; Peter Hyman, co-founder and executive headteacher, School 21; Julian Astle, director of creative learning and development, RSA. David Laws, former schools minister and now executive chairman, Education Policy Institute, said: “Anyone who cares about the quality of the education England’s school children are receiving would do well to consider the warnings contained in this thoughtful essay. Ensuring the accountability system creates the right incentives, and drives the right behaviours, is a key priority.” Daisy Christodoulou, education director of No More Marking, added: “Exams are only an indirect measure of academic achievement, which means it is possible for them to be gamed and manipulated in such a way that they lose their original meaning. This report makes some vitally important points about why this is so damaging, and why the pursuit of exam results and accountability metrics therefore has to be informed by an understanding of the curriculum, and of what it means to master a subject.” Read more from QA Education:
The Perfect Finish: Two Schools Score Dulux Smarter Spaces £10,000 Design Prize
Two lucky schools have been announced as winners of the annual Dulux Smarter Spaces competition and are each set to receive £10,000 worth of colour and design services. Lawley Primary School in Telford and Highdown School & Sixth From Centre in Reading will revitalise their education environments with help from the leading paint manufacturer’s Smarter Spaces team, which puts pupils at the heart of design in schools. As part of their prize, the schools received a surprise visit from the Dulux Dog as well as Matthew Burton, star of TV’s Educating Yorkshire and ambassador for the campaign, to celebrate their win. The initiative promotes the concept of ‘learner-led design’ and the effective use of colour in schools and encourages pupils to be actively involved in the decoration planning process. Lawley Primary School will use the money to transform their entrance hall and main corridor, while Highdown School are set to turn an old technology classroom into an inspiring art and photography studio. The competition was launched as research carried out by Dulux revealed that a staggering two thirds of schools lacked the funding to make basic refurbishment improvements, with an overwhelming majority of teachers and head teachers considering the school environment to affect pupils’ academic life. Schools had to submit a 300-word entry explaining why they should win the £10,000 transformation and how they would make use of the funding. The final winner was chosen by a panel of judges, including Matthew Burton and education expert, Professor Stephen Heppell. Becky Orton, Senior Brand Manager for Dulux Smarter Spaces, comments: “We’re delighted to announce the winners of this year’s competition. We work with schools across the country to design learning spaces that are not only inspiring and stimulating, but also meet the needs of the busy school environment. Our decoration and design packages are tailored to a school’s needs, offering services to suit every budget. We can’t wait to get to work on these projects!” About the scheme The Dulux Smarter Spaces service helps schools get the most out of their environment within their budget and allows teachers and head teachers to focus on running the school. From creating an oasis of calm to building engaging classroom displays or focus walls, the initiative champions a range of ways to make simple additions to learning environments that can make a big difference to learning outcomes. Using Ofsted criteria as a starting point, Dulux Trade identified five areas of focus where the design of the environment can support teaching and learning: to inspire engagement, improve building function, promote wellbeing, improve teaching and learning experience and encourage positive attitudes.
The Importance of Building a Great Relationship Between Teachers and Parents
In this post, The Present Tree, discuss thoughts on the importance of teacher-parent relationships, and offers some top tips to ensure that both teachers, and parents are making the most of their relationships. With the end of the academic year upon us, it is a good time for reflection. Next year, students may have different teachers, so it’s important to understand how to go about making a positive impression. The first contact between a teacher and a parent, in many ways, is the most important, as this is the time a rapport is built and trust can start to develop. A child’s academic success is greatly enhanced when teachers and parents are partners in the process. More specifically, there’s sufficient evidence to show that positive communication between parents and teachers can help improve academic performance. But both need realistic expectations, for each other and themselves. It’s only natural that certain things are expected to happen. Parents will expect teachers to instruct students and to guide their learning so they can have success. But teachers also have expectations, they wish for parents to support the instruction and learning that happens in school, at home. They also each have expectations for the child/student, which they share in common. So, what can you do to help these relationships blossom and keep teacher-parent expectations on the same page? Well, firstly it’s worth saying that a smile goes a long way, especially when greeting each other. It makes a difference, especially as most parents only occasionally interact with teachers, so make sure that the majority of your encounters are positive, warm, and friendly. Learn their names! For parents this is easy, but teachers might want to make the effort of learning parent names. This can have a profound impact upon ensuring the relationship is a positive one. Learn how they like to be addressed (By their first name?) and how to pronounce them correctly. Could teachers go one more and send out parent surveys? Two to three weeks after school starts, why not engage and touch base with parents by sending a parent survey home? It could ask questions such as: -What was your child like as a baby? -What are your child’s strengths and weaknesses? -What does your child do in his spare time? This information can help teachers get to know each student as a person and learner, as well as enhancing their relationship with the parents. You will probably find that even though parents are just as busy as teachers, they eagerly take the time to write as much information about their child as they can. Another top tip for parents is – don’t ambush the teacher during the morning rush. If there are issues to discuss with a teacher, arrange an appointment to talk after school. Go for the quick wins, perhaps an end of term gift? At the end of terms, like right now, parents and students up and down the country are buying gifts as a thank you for their hard work. Teachers work an average of 60 hours a week running around and educating children, so it’s important that students and parents show their appreciation for the person who has spent the best part of a year encouraging and teaching. Many kids show appreciation for their teachers through a variety of different presents, whether it’s chocolates, or flowers. Whilst these are lovely, why not look at buying something a little more unique such as tree gift to reflect a personal meaning, or a new personalised coffee mug? Teachers won’t want endless boxes of Thornton’s Continental Chocolates or Cadbury’s Milk Tray. Share successes, not just problems. Instead of waiting for an issue to crop up, speak to parents and teachers. Building a relationship with each other where both successes and opportunities for improvement are shared allows teachers and parents to work as a team. Classroom technology in this day and age can allow parents to track their children’s assignments, grades, and in-school activities remotely. This empowers parents to have a more comprehensive understanding of their child’s day, rather than having to settle for a “fine” when a child is asked how their day was. But when there is a problem, this is where the good relationship that’s been worked on so hard to establish pays off. Both teachers and parents want the best for the student. If a child carries home a tale of teacher meanness or unfairness, parents should maintain a neutral stance until more information is given. Parents shouldn’t talk negatively about a teacher in front of kids. Instead, parents should email or call the teacher and ask politely for the teacher’s point of view. At the end of the day, they’re both on the same team. There is no need to be aggressive or defensive, the teacher-parent relationship should be kept intact. When both a parent and teacher stay focused on a problem, be it a child needs more practice with a skill, or even something more concerning like an attitude problem, things can usually be worked out.
Project reveals new way to combat stress and anxiety in teachers
Schools and academies across the length and breadth of the country are full of staff battling stress and anxiety, leading one Trust to explore an innovative solution to the problem. Leigh Academies Trust in Dartford decided to look at ways to combat stress in school staff by using Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) with the use of an Alpha-Stim Device. The Alpha-Stim is a portable cranial electrotherapy stimulation device that transmits tiny imperceptible microcurrents via ear-clips. It works by stimulating nerve cells in the brain stem, activating the pathways that generate increased levels of serotonin and endorphins. Its positive effects are also cumulative, suggesting that the Alpha-Stim may bring about a permanent positive change in our neurological make-up. The Alpha-Stim also encourages the production of alpha waves in the brain, which is a calming, soothing wave. The study was set up by deputy chief executive Neil Willis, HR director Richard Taylor, and educational psychologist Jo Buttle, who examined ways to improve staff well-being through the use of this device. The project involved using the Alpha-Stim portable electronic device to see if it reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties among staff. A total of 21 staff members used the device daily for between 20 and 60 minutes, over a four-week period. A number of pre and post measurements were taken to monitor changes in anxiety, depression, sleep and general welfare. Staff at the University of Greenwich kindly carried out the statistical analysis of the results. Richard Taylor, HR Director of Leigh Academies Trust said: “As a Trust, we recognise that at times the challenges that teachers face in both school and home can lead to the onset of mental health problems. Leigh Academies Trust believes that teacher wellbeing is one of the most important issues currently in education and, as a result, we have been exploring ways to help teachers maintain positive mental health. “In addition to mindfulness sessions and examining the workload challenge we have been trialling the use of cranial electrotherapy stimulation to help reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as help with sleep disorders. As part of the trial we administered, in partnership with our educational psychologists, several controlled trials to see if the impact would justify a wider rollout. “The results from these trials were extremely encouraging and we saw a positive impact on the quality of life scores for nearly all those using the device. In light of the results, we are now rolling the scheme out so that it is available to all staff in the Trust. Whilst this is not the sole solution to improve teacher wellbeing it is a fantastic tool to help staff maintain positive mental health.” Jo Buttle, educational psychologist added: “It has been great to work with the Trust in supporting staff well-being. The Trust’s dynamic and forward thinking approach enabled us to adopt a creative strategy in helping reduce the symptoms of anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties amongst staff. The results are excellent and suggest this is something schools and academies should consider as part of their staff support strategy.” To determine whether the system was having a positive influence, the staff completed four scales: The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF); Bourion-Bédès et al., 2015 The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); Buysse, 1989 Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI); Beck et al., 1961 Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI); Beck & Steer, 1993 Using Q-LES-Q-SF scores, where higher scores on the scale indicate greater satisfaction, the mean scores improved from 3.3 to 3.7; a statistically significant difference in the positive direction. Using PSQI scores, where higher scores indicate worse sleep quality, following the treatment, mean scores had decreased from 1.28 to 0.76. This difference was statistically significant in the positive direction, which means that participants had better post-treatment sleep quality. Scores on the BDI tended to also display a better quality of life in terms of improved sleeping patterns and improved appetite. There are four sub-scales on the BAI scale. In terms of neurophysiological symptoms, mean scores of 0.43 pre-treatment and 0.34 post-treatment were not significantly different; however, subjective feelings of anxiety significantly changed between pre-treatment, 1.05, and post-treatment, 0.55. In addition, panic feelings significantly reduced from a pre-treatment mean of 0.46, to post-treatment mean of 0.25, whilst autonomic symptoms significantly reduced from a mean pre-treatment score of 0.94, to 0.52 post-treatment. The Alpha-Stim has numerous clinical studies behind it and after a 120 patient NHS trial that started in September last year is now being used by IAPT services to help treat patients with anxiety disorders. It retails for £549 or is available on a buy-to-rent scheme from £51 a month. For more information please visit www.alpha-stim.co.uk or call 01487 208041. Schools and academies interested in running a trial or wishing to find out more about supporting staff using the Alpha-Stim please visit www.iepskent.co.uk or call 01732 770031
The Importance of Hands on Learning in Schools
Alex Dalton, Managing Director of woodworking machinery specialists Daltons Wadkin, takes a look at the importance of hands on learning, and why subjects such as Design and Technology are important. I think the best example to outline why hands on learning is hugely important is when trying to teach someone to ride a bicycle. You can try and teach them in a classroom, but to actually learn, they should go out and actually ride it. There is the argument that learning from books or academics is the best way to learn, however you can’t ride a bike from reading a book, no matter the number of books you read about cycling, you are still likely to fall off the first time you try! So it is clear that certain situations that hands on learning is vital. It is often hard to properly understand something you have never experienced. This is why hands-on learning is so important in education – there are now more vocational courses that provide more work based experiences than ever before. Hands-on learning allows students to directly take on board and understand what is happening, or how to do something. This is a particularly successful way to teach kinestheticlearners, who learn best by example. However, classes such as art, music, woodworking and mechanics are few and far between these days, which is a shame. This types of classes provide important avenues for both education and career success, not to mention they motivate kids who love hands-on activities to remain interested in coming to school and learning. They also teach practical problem solving, and introduce students to highly skilled trades. Subjects such as Design and Technology (D&T) incorporate many aspects of hands on learning, and give children the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products. D&T is often a misunderstood and misrepresented subject. For many people, including employers and parents, it is still perceived as the subject they probably studied when they were at school, i.e. woodwork or metalwork. But it is vital that pupils develop an understanding of aesthetics and its role in the design of everyday items and architecture, as well as developing communication skills through designing and group work. In reality, it helps to put the T and E into STEM, and does so within school curriculum time, not as part of extra-curricular, enhancement and enrichment activities. We feel it is vital to nurture creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring the world in which we all live and work. The design process is central to project work and as a method of problem solving. It is the act of generating, developing and communicating ideas for products, services, systems andenvironments. Hugely important in responding to user needs and wants and/or market opportunities. Both digital and traditional design tools may be used. Addressing needs though this problem-solving, creativity bounded by constraints and combined with hands-on practical manufacture are the fundamental skills of an industrial economy. Lastly, there is a huge shortage in this country of people to fill jobs in the highly skilled trades. There are many high paying jobs for auto mechanics, certified welders for the oil industry, electricians, and so on. These are jobs that are intellectually challenging, and offergreat job security. Long live Design and Technology!