Is Outsourcing ICT Support Becoming Inevitable in Education?
Martin Pipe, Head of Service Scope & Design at RM Education, explores the growing trend in schools seeking to outsource or co-source their IT support services as a measure to not only save time and cost, but to manage risks, access expertise and future-proof their technology provision. According to RM Education’s latest annual survey, a growing number of schools are now considering outsourcing and co-sourcing their IT support in order to keep up with the constant changes in technologyand minimise overall support costs. As moving to the cloud continues to help schools drive down expenditure and enhance learning, educational institutions of all sizes are also beginning to look for IT partners who can not only help them transition to the cloud, but provide ongoing IT support and expertise as the breadth of available technologies develops. In guidance issued in July this year, the Department for Education (DfE) reiterated that the marketplace is increasingly seeing cloud services as the way forward, but advises schools to select a knowledgeable and experienced service provider that shares the school vision and can provide both initial and ongoing assistance. They also stipulate that ‘as the complexity of locally hosted, school based ICT solutions increases, it can become more and more challenging to ensure the same level of reliability in respect of the ICT provision in schools’ – making the support of a trusted partner in this journey essential. So what are the key influencing factors driving a growing number of schools to outsource or co-source? Central motivators “You’d think there would be a clear starting point, but the motivators for outsourcing IT services are different for every school as it depends entirely on the long-term and unique issues they face,” says Martin. “However, there’s often a more critical driver, such as their existing systems aren’t working well enough, technology is too slow or failing during lessons, infrastructure isn’t supporting new apps and software, the cost of in-house IT support is too high or they’ve had a change of senior leadership who has brought in new ideas.” Cost is still a prominent factor in the decision to outsource IT support and services – almost half the schools surveyed cited cost as a central influence for bringing in third party support – whilst riskmanagement is another key driver, both from a technical and a staff perspective. Outsourcing IT support allows schools to transfer the risk of day-to-day mishaps and any other risks associated with IT to the service provider, as well as providing cover for sickness and holidays. It also minimises any disruptions from technology, as IT partners providing managed services to schools can run proactive checks on the schools’ systems throughout the day to instantly pick up and rectify issues before they become a problem. Conversely, co-sourcing IT support can fill in gaps in internal expertise and save schools time, money, and effort in recruiting additional staff. By combining services from within the school and from a well-chosen partner, both parties can work to achieve the same goals. Bridging the gap However, perhaps the greatest motivator of all is no longer simply about cost, but about addressing the widening technology skills gap; in today’s competitive marketplace and with technology moving at a rapid pace, schools are finding it increasingly difficult to attract the right type of IT specialists to support them. This trend is again reflected in RM’s survey, with 60% of schools citing the need for additional skills and expertise as the most important motivating factor. “Schools have so many of their own challenges that recruiting top IT talent – quite understandably – tends not to be their main priority,” says Martin. “However, the problem is that when they do try to find the right staff, the marketplace is tough – they’re competing with the enterprise IT market and candidates can often get much more from an organisation than from a school. “As technology becomes an increasingly integral part of education, schools need IT expertise in multiple types of technology, which leaves them with two choices; to find a single IT support specialist with the knowledge and expertise of five different people, which is almost impossible – or to employ multiple experts to cover the vast range of technologies, which is very expensive. “When an IT issue occurs that goes beyond the expertise held locally – such as server failure, or pupils not being able to log into something – schools have to rely solely on their Network Support Manager or IT technician, who may not always be able to help. This puts schools in a vulnerable situation as it could ultimately lead to hours of lost teaching time and major classroom disruptions. “And that’s where outsourcing or co-sourcing IT support can become a major advantage for schools, as whatever the issue, they have access to the infinite expertise of a much larger organisation with every possible skillset they need.” Reclaiming time But while existing IT support staff may perceive outsourcing as a threat, the reality is often that they are not only benefiting from broadening their skillset by working with third party IT support providers, butare actually freed up to concentrate on offering more practical, hands-on IT support around the school. The DfE’s guidelines agree that ‘reducing the costs of managing and supporting a school’s ICT infrastructure can make more effective use of available in-house technical support’ and that ‘staff may be refocused away from purely technical support of a multitude of in-house systems towards supporting the uptake of the ICT and thus delivering improved benefits for the teaching and learning outcomes.’ Martin adds: “When you think about the sheer scale of what an IT technician has to do – from in-class support for teachers using ICT and proactive and reactive management and repair to monitoring security updates and load times and everything in between, it’s becoming almost impossible for them to achieve everything on their list without the support of a third party. “For Network Managers, the plethora of responsibilities is even more pronounced; in addition to network and server management they have to manage tight budgets, constantly monitor performance, implement and manage filtering and safeguarding policies, produce monthly reports and manage their team – as well as staying up to date on the changing technologies and developing an intrinsic understanding of how they can support teaching and learning. Ultimately, that model isn’t sustainable.” Bringing in a third party IT partner allows IT technicians, Network Managers and Business Managers to reclaim the headspace they need to focus on the more important tasks; rather like having a smoke alarm – you can confidently walk around your house knowing that if anything happens, you’ll be told. A good IT partner should understand
4 Great Reasons to have African Drumming and Dance in Schools
If you’ve never experienced one of our Unbeatable Energy workshops before, you might never have considered the many ways that African Drumming and Dance can benefit children’s health, well-being and ability to succeed. Here are four reasons why an Unbeatable Energy workshop can help create a success in your classroom: 1. African Drumming and Dance brings cultural topics to life! 2. African Drumming and Dance boosts children’s confidence! 3. African Drumming and Dance gets children active which improves the brain! 4. African Drumming and Dance improves listening skills – not just in music! 1. African Drumming and Dance brings cultural topics to life! An African Drumming and Dance workshop provides a fantastic activity for Black History Month, an Africa topic or to include in a Cultural Diversity Day. It is an exhilarating experience for pupils and teachers alike when they make that first rumble all together with the African djembe hand drums. As each pupil plays on their hand made drum, they discover a whole world of history, tradition and culture – not just by passively listening or reading, but by actively playing and participating. This way they really experience the ethnic tradition and culture of West Africa. To quote a recent Headteacher at one of our schools ‘it is the hands-on activities like African drumming which children really take away and remember from cultural topics because they become active participants in the music as opposed to merely spectators.’ 2. African Drumming and Dance boosts children’s confidence! It happens frequently in workshops – a child who really struggles with maths and literacy, or is shy and socially disengaged in class, completely transforms in a drumming session. It is as if they have finally found the thing that ‘pulls’ them emotionally and gives them a sense of release. African Dance is also a fantastic way for children to build their self-belief. Dancers normally perform to a crowd either on their own or accompanied by one or two other dancers. In our workshops, children are invited to dance to their peers in the space inside the drum circle. This part of the workshop is entirely optional for pupils, but we provide some gentle encouragement by saying that the experience will make them one feel great afterwards. After a few of the more confident children have given it a try, we start to see a cascade of other children all wanting to have a go. In this way, some of the most shy and reclusive children amaze everyone by jumping into the circle and sharing their joy of the beat! The smiles on children’s faces after this session speaks volumes about their sense of achievement! 3. African Drumming and Dance gets children active which improves the brain! African Drumming and Dance is a fantastic way to for children to exercise and channel their energy. African djembe drumming builds strength and stamina in the upper body while dance improves cardiovascular fitness and is an all-over body workout. Obviously this is great for enhancing children’s fitness and wellbeing, but studies show that such exercise sharpens the mind; makes for happier children and improves their performance in other areas such as maths and literacy. 4. African Drumming and Dance improves listening skills – not just in music! It is a typical thing which you hear a teacher say in class music lessons – ‘listen!’ For good reason too because good listening is crucial. Like all music, learning African drumming is great for building a variety of listening skills. For example the ability to focus listening on an individual pattern within a poly-rhythmic piece of music (multiple rhythms being played simultaneously) or developing the listening skills required to understand the feeling of a rhythm when hearing against a regular pulse. Whatever the type of listening required, there is a common personal attribute that becomes essential for any budding musician – the ability to give oneself time to reflect and process what has been heard. Experienced African drummers who are learning something new always give themselves time to listen before they start playing, because they are all too aware that their mind can quickly make wrong assumptions of what they have heard, based on what they already know. Although the children often find it hard to resist playing straight away! The great thing is that children can not only improve their listening in music through African Drumming, but can also apply the same skill to social situations – for example in conversation. By giving yourself time to hear what someone is saying, you can stop one’s internal chatter from making assumptions; truly absorb what someone is being said and then create a greater sense of rapport – this is called ‘active listening’ a great life skill for a child to learn at an early age! If you are a school who would love a day of African drumming and dance workshops for your pupils or have an Africa Topic or Black History event coming up and think we could help, we’d love to hear from you! Visit us at http://www.unbeatable-energy.co.uk/education/ Special offer: 10% discount if your school books a workshop in September and October 2016. Just quote ‘QA Magazine’ in your enquiry to us to receive the discount.
The benefits of having canopies in schools
Opting to install a canopy in a school would bring with it a number of benefits. The children would be able to play and learn outside in an environment that would not be affected by the wind or the rain. This makes it possible to spend time outdoors all year round but it also means that the children are protected from the sun during the summer as it blocks up to 99% of harmful UV rays. From a safety perspective, the children will know that they have to remain within the canopy and this makes life easier for teachers. The following reasons will show exactly why canopies are a great addition to any school. Improved learning Having the ability to learn outdoors means that lessons can take a different approach. Children have more space and can take part in messier activities. They can exercise and also interact with their surroundings while exploring nature. Protection from the sun Spending time outside without a canopy means that the children and the teachers have to be aware of the sun and the damage it can cause. A canopy will offer protection from the sun which means children can spend more time outside during the summer months. Increased space A canopy will instantly offer more space and is a cheaper alternative to extending the building. The children can use the outside space any time of year and they won’t have to worry about furniture cluttering up their space. Better play The weather in the UK means that children spend a lot of time stuck indoors. Even if it is raining the children can still go outside and play and this offers them even more freedom. Safer temperatures and less energy used Having a canopy fitted over a window will provide shade and this will lower the temperature in the classroom. This will mean that air conditioning will not have to be used and this will reduce the energy used as well as lower costs. Extra storage If you chose to add roller shutters to your canopy you can instantly create extra storage space that is secured. This is ideal for storing outdoor equipment which in turn will mean time saved as there is no longer a requirement to return the equipment indoors Waterproof waiting areas Often parents have to spend time waiting for their child in the rain but a canopy will offer them a place to wait in all weather. It also gives the children somewhere to stand while they wait for their transport giving providing safety. Protected Walkways Sometimes pupils and teachers have to move between buildings and this means that they can get wet. A walkway or canopy will stop all people within the school but it will also mean that pupils no longer have to run to get out of the rain which will mean that there are fewer accidents. They look good A canopy can really lift the way in which the school looks. Bespoke designs and a vast array of colours means that canopies can fit in with the colour of the school and the design of the building. Author Bio Andy Swain is the Managing Director of SAS Shelters, who are a family run business with over 50 years of experience in the design, manufacture and installation of school building products such as school canopies, sail shades and shelters.
Mayor’s Fund for London supports legal education project with primary schools in London
Almost 1000 primary school pupils have gained an insight into the workings of the justice system through taking part in the Mayor’s Fund for London Theatre of Law project during this academic year. This innovative legal education project is delivered by the National Centre for Citizenship and the Law (NCCL) who have an education team based at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The project works with primary school pupils from London and aims to improve students’ understanding of the law and the contemporary justice system. The project consists of two days – one at school and one at the Royal Courts of Justice. At the start of the project, pupils are asked to consider how much they know about what happens to someone who breaks the law and how much they know about the different people who work within the legal system. This is then reassessed at the end of the project, usually resulting in a positive increase in knowledge, awareness and aspirations to see the law and related areas as a future career possibility. Matthew Patten, CEO Mayor’s fund for London said: “Working with young people to understand the law and their role in society at an early age is essential to ensure they play a full part in London’s future. Theatre of Law meets this need and promotes social and emotional skills that underpin effective learning and positive behaviour.” During the Mayor’s Fund for London Theatre of Law project, pupils work on creative crime stories inspired by real cases, learn about the consequences of crime, write scripts to prepare for their mock trial at the Royal Courts of Justice and debate punishments. The project aims to improve participants’ knowledge and understanding of the justice system and the consequences of what happens when someone breaks the law. It helps pupils gain an insight into the workings of the justice system and the roles of legal professionals, encouraging students to raise their aspirations to see the law and related areas as a future career possibility. Pollie Shorthouse, Executive Director, NCCL said: “The professional environment of the Royal Courts of Justice is an ideal venue for this project and allows pupils to learn more about crime and punishment and the legal system as they explore real courtrooms. The Mayor’s Fund for London Theatre of Law project provides opportunities to enhance knowledge and understanding of the law among young Londoners and to raise aspirations. This is something we are very passionate about.” One primary school participant told the NCCL team that through the project they had learned: “How many people can be affected by a crime… I didn’t understand how serious crime can be”. Theatre of Law participants are encouraged to develop a variety of important life, literacy and social skills through their involvement in the project. This includes attainment in spoken language, reading and writing, analysis, confidence, public speaking, debating and team work. The project also includes a set of comprehensive resources for schools to use throughout and legal education experts from NCCL are on hand to support and guide pupils in all activities. A teacher from Parkwood Primary School, London stated that the best part of the project was that: “It helped the children to understand the legal process – and getting to see a real court was fantastic. It was also very good that the judge who spoke to us was female.” This helps reduce stereotypes. Another teacher from Roe Green Primary School, London commented: “We really enjoy it and find that it gives the children a really clear idea of law and how the court works.” Schools interested in taking part in future Theatre of Law workshops should contact: london@nccl.org.uk or call 0207 947 7047. Theatre of Law is available for primary schools across London with above average free school meal eligibility. The project is funded by the Mayor’s Fund for London which means that schools only have to contribute £9 per pupil.
LED lighting for schools – a bursar’s guide
According to the Carbon Trust, getting lighting right is essential for both energy efficiency and the bank balance of a school, and as importantly for the wellbeing of its occupants. In the third of this special series of lighting in education guides, Energys will explore how LED upgrades can create multiple financial opportunities. It can also improve site health and safety, maintenance, and deliver infrastructure gains for bursars. Many bursars know the basics; energy efficient LEDs save on bills and the environment. But, the right level and the best quality of light is crucial to alertness, accuracy and the overall enjoyment of those working and learning in schools too. And, LED retrofit technologies can minimise work on school estates, and hike up other gains on the ledger too. Energy and cost savings Overall, The Carbon Trust says UK schools could reduce energy costs by around £44 million per year which would prevent 625,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Lighting, says the Trust, represents 20% of school’s energy costs, and 8% of their energy use. ‘Currently LED upgrades use at least 80% less electricity than an equivalent tungsten halogen source,’ it continues. So, the energy and cost-saving potential for bursars and their schools is clear. Further, ‘A properly engineered LED light has a comparatively long life, typically in the order of 50,000 hours. This can reduce maintenance costs significantly depending on the light source they are replacing,’ the Trust reveals. The Trust says making the business case for such low energy lighting is quite straightforward in terms of electricity saved vs investment required. Calculating the potential savings is based on identifying: a) The current lighting load (Watts or kiloWatts). b) The hours of use per annum. c) The new LED lighting load. d) The unit rate you pay for each kWh of electricity. “It is important to establish this cost-benefit analysis in schools nationwide,” says Kevin Cox, Managing Director, Energys. “When that analysis is done, the financial pathway to energy efficient, cost-saving installation is clear.” Health and safety (H&S) In schools, H&S is key. Today’s bursar’s aren’t just financiers, they are operations managers too. LED retrofit technologies are advantageous from this viewpoint. For a start, LED bulbs are more durable than traditional bulbs, and they have fewer fragile parts. Also, they are mercury free, compared with other bulbs which, if shattered during routine maintenance, require special care and removal, to say nothing of risk to operatives. Further, LED bulbs generate very little heat, so they can’t burn staff or children, and they make for a more comfortable teaching environment. Together, it all adds up to lowered H&S risk, and lower H&S costs. “We are right up to the minute on H&S,” says Cox. “We will install to the highest H&S standards and beyond, adding to the overall, lifetime H&S benefits LED offers to school bursars.” Funding options and capital expenditure For many bursars, even when the cash and environmental rationale stacks up, financing is still a key challenge. “It is wise to consider financing arrangements to suit your needs and more importantly, ensure you are saving money from the outset,” says Cox. “There are many schemes out there, and it’s crucial to research this intelligently and pick the right one. “Energys, in partnership with Utility Rentals and Smart Eco Energy, offers a financing scheme tailored to the needs of schools and colleges.” Such an approach is likely winto favour with boards of governors, tasked with myriad, competing demands for financing. And, you can also use your LED financing plan as evidence of the school’s cash-savvy, energy-intelligent approach in marketing materials and branding. Furthermore, LED lighting can even be included in schools’ lessons plans on sustainability, increasingly a key part of the curriculum. In so doing, another dual benefit arises, with further financial gains and teaching benefits. The shift to LED lighting Energys has a number of case studies on LED upgrades for schools and colleges available. These will help you learn more, and consider the best way to embed sustainable, futurist and beneficial lights in your environment.
Multi-Academy Trusts: What now for quality assurance?
While the softened, non-legislative path to drive English schools to become academies within a wider multi-academy trust (MAT) seems an inevitability, let’s remember that it’s also a path that remains at the heart of the Department for Education plans. For new or potentially expanding MATs, this move has a significant impact on how their senior leaders choose to oversee and monitor quality within each school under their control, says Louise Doyle, a MAT trustee and maintained school governor as well as director of self-assessment and improvement planning resources specialist, MESMA. Currently, 2,075 out of more than 3,300 secondary schools are academies, while 2,440 of 16,766 primary schools have academy status, according to the latest figures. Slightly less than 1,000 of those conversions are part of a MAT (although it is fair to say some only have one school in them). Against such a backdrop, it would be reasonable to suggest that the notion of converting as a stand-alone academy is one that will likely be consigned to the recent past. What’s clear moving forward is the expectation that those converting will be either planning to, or already be part of, a proposed MAT as opposed to the solitary academies. Mesma’s Louise Doyle says that no matter what the size and shape of a trust, quality assurance and more robust governance is critical In the main, for individual academies within a trust, it will be – for those that provide good education for their students – business as usual. Ofsted will inspect them in line with the Common Inspection Framework, while the head teacher will manage internal quality arrangements. Where things may start to differ is the way in which the central MAT leadership team decides to monitor the arrangements across each constituent part of the trust. The need to make decisions based on consistency of reporting, a solid process in place for self-assessment and improvement planning, a clear line of sight to when corrective action needs to be taken based on comparable data are compelling. This notion of consistency and comparability is likely to drive technology decisions that result in changes to business as usual for schools and (hopefully) the delivery of better education for all. Sir Michael Wilshaw in his letter to the Secretary of State in summarising the outcomes of Ofsted’s focused inspections of academies in 2016 said “A MAT needs to provide robust oversight, challenge and support to ensure pupils in all their academies receive a good quality of education”. Whilst giving a nod to examples of good practice, the tone of the letter was one of serious concern about whether or not MAT Trustees were any better at driving improvements in educational provision (particularly for those children who most need it) than the local authority from which the academies came. He went on to highlight seven key weaknesses with those levied at leadership concerning confused governance, lack of challenge, an acceptance of information presented and a lack of strategic oversight. In this harder, perhaps less tolerant landscape, where quality assurance – and the effective management of it – is increasingly to the fore in a culture of accountability (and culpability), the adoption of intuitive technologies have to be seen as an integral part of an effective deliverance strategy. Where such tools are adopted, the balancing act must always be about the holistic improvement of educational provision and not using the data produced as the proverbial stick to beat teaching staff with. Their involvement and engagement in self-assessment is crucial. What we must do is avoid a repetition of the negativity that has surrounded graded observations for example, where the process and outcome should be one of development and support. It’s clearly evident that within our brave new world, no matter what the size and shape of a MAT, there’s going to be a critical requirement for quality assurance and more robust governance. Indeed, in the face of recent findings by Education Policy institute, which found that 20 of the largest multi-academy trusts (MATs) – running more than 300 schools – fall ‘significantly below’ the national average for improving pupils’ attainment, the importance of self-assessment not just within each school but right across the trust, is perhaps more important than ever before; and goes to the heart of addressing the issues raised in the all-party parliamentary group’s (APPG) 21 questions http://www.nga.org.uk/News/NGA-News/Pre-2016/21Q.aspx
Tackling low-level disruption
According to the teachers’ union, NASUWT, the main concern for staff in schools in all areas, is the growing pressure from ‘low-level disruption’, which is recognised as the most common form of poor behaviour. Therefore, in order for teachers to encourage productivity and boost attainment, in-class disruption must be kept to a minimum. Allie Palmer, ex-teacher and training and support manager at MINTclass, discusses the importance of creating pupil seating plans and the role they play in significantly reducing the impact of pupil disruption, making teachers’ lives easier and creating an effective learning environment. In Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector (HMCI) Annual Report 2012/13, concerns were raised about low-level disruption in schools. As a consequence, inspector guidance was tightened to place greater emphasis on the issue in routine inspections. In addition, HMCI commissioned a survey to ascertain the nature and extent of low-level disruptive behaviour in primary and secondary schools in England. The findings from this survey showed that teachers, parents and carers are rightly concerned about the frequent loss of learning time through low-level, but persistent, disruptive behaviour. Low-level disruptive behaviour includes talking to friends off-topic or passing notes between one another, which tends to only last a couple of minutes, but can significantly impact the flow of a lesson. As a teacher, if you are faced with low-level disruption in your class, there are some simple steps you can take to make your life easier. From my experience, it usually occurs when there’s inconsistency in school processes being applied, for example, not always sticking to a strict behaviour policy. The responsibility ultimately falls to senior leaders to enforce consistency when it comes to behaviour, which in turn, makes classroom teaching much easier and more productive. Praising the positive behaviour is also a good tactic. By focusing on the disruption, you can trigger more negativity and commotion in the classroom. Therefore, it’s important to concentrate on rewarding those students who are delivering. If those who behave are rewarded by being allowed to sit next to a friend one lesson, then disruptive students may take note and follow suit. Allie Palmer However, I’ve found that one of the easiest, yet arguably most powerful steps, is to create a seating plan! In order to avoid disruption in a class, you need to be in control of your students, right from the beginning. It’s important to set expectations; line them up outside and tell them where they need to sit as they enter. Doing this avoids any confusion and also focuses them on finding their name on the seating plan, rather than talking to, or messing around with friends. It also ensures that your students know how every lesson will start, so they’ll begin to accept the routine. Historically, teachers would have to manually create their own seating plans on Word or Excel, which means endless copying and pasting, for it to all change and be out of date after a few weeks, when the whole process would have to be created again from scratch. What may work for one subject, may not necessarily work in another, and the typical alphabetical or boy, girl, boy plans aren’t always the most effective. Thankfully, there are now digital seating plans available that make this process much easier. Once you get to know your pupils, their behaviour and friendships within the class, you can easily and quickly move them around, using the data collected to assess who they will work best with. This can be done regularly, every half-term for example, or on an ad-hoc basis, whenever a child’s behaviour suggests that they may benefit from being moved away from potential disruption. Every teacher will take a different approach when it comes to classroom organisation, but the important thing is to ensure that you have a process in place, which is enforced and integrated consistently into the routine of the lesson. It’s likely that the students will challenge your decision as they will want to sit with their friends, but remember, you have arranged the seating plan to maximise their attainment, so it’s vital to stick with it. The layout of your classroom may seem unimportant in comparison to everything else that a teacher has to deal with, but being in control of this means you can also manage disruption whenever it occurs, encouraging a productive learning environment and maintaining the highest levels of attainment.
New schools careers initiative to plug digital skills gap
A new school careers scheme is addressing teachers’ lack of understanding about the digital industries and the shortage of up-to-date information on how school leavers can get digital jobs. Digital Advantage was set up in response to feedback from creative and digital employers who think the national curriculum and classroom careers advice is failing to equip school leavers with the skills and experience needed to fill thousands of digital jobs. Employers report that schools do not have the technical know-how, latest careers information or relevant work experience links needed to prepare pupils for common roles such as web design, advertising, software development, marketing, social media, mobile technology and e-commerce. Earlier this month MPs from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee warned that the UK needs another 745,000 workers with digital skills by 2017. The ‘Digital Skills Crisis’ report identified that the skills gap costs the economy around £63bn a year in lost income. Digital Advantage is working with over 500 students aged 16-18 from 20 schools and colleges in Greater Manchester and Lancashire and has been developed in line with the government’s drive to extend after-school activities. It has developed a two-term digital enterprise course that brings industry experts into school classrooms to teach the latest digital employability skills and provide real-world careers advice. Twenty four hours of teaching and mentoring helps young people to understand the digital industries and give them the skills they need to get into it. The course has been designed by industry to help pupils develop new business ideas, use the latest digital technologies, create portfolios of their own work and improve core skills in communication, team work and problem solving. Teachers receive training on how to prepare students for the digital workplace and integrate digital skills development into existing lessons. They also get support with setting up school coding clubs and digital holiday camps. Students benefit from work place visits, inspirational talks from industry experts and, this year, the chance to win a £5,000 start-up prize for creating a digital business. The scheme encourages sixth formers to consider an apprenticeship in the creative and digital industries straight from school rather than going to university. It aims to help 16-18 year olds secure well-paid, entry level digital jobs, straight from school. Every sixth former that completes Digital Advantage’s course is guaranteed an interview with a digital company for one of over 200 apprenticeships in the North West region. Bernie Furey, assistant head teacher at St Ambrose Barlow RC High School in Salford said: “Digital Advantage has given the pupils a flavour of what it would be like to work in the creative and digital industries. Some of our highest achieving pupils are now considering a career in these industries, something which they previously would not have considered.” Jackie Holt, managing partner at communications agency BJL and the IPA’s (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) North West City Head said: “As both an agency head and a mum of a 14 year old boy, I’m very impressed by the opportunity that Digital Advantage brings to schools, teachers, kids and even parents. Schools need to forge better links with working environments, showcasing the type of real-life challenges that their pupils are going to face in 2-3 years. Teachers need support to be able to deliver that insight and knowledge so initiatives that provide real briefs can be inspirational. Kids are exposed to working collaboratively, under pressure and importantly with a competitive perspective – something that they definitely will face in the working world.” Andy Lovatt, managing director of The White Room, which delivers Digital Advantage said: “We want to show high achieving sixth formers that university isn’t their only option. Creative, technical and business brains are desperately needed right across digital industry. Students that get apprenticeships through Digital Advantage will benefit from high quality work experience, respected qualifications and good starting salaries; giving them a head start in the digital industries over young people coming out of university.” Digital Advantage is funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, City Deal Apprenticeship Hub Funding.
Building sustainable schools for the future
Shortage of space is becoming a fundamental issue for many schools across the country. Recently, it was revealed one in six secondary schools are already at or over capacity, with forecasts predicting there will be more than 300,000 additional secondary school pupils by 2020. In particular, a shortage in pupil places is placing a huge burden on schools to increase classroom sizes, numbers and implement redevelopment projects to make better use of existing structures. With budgets under threat, finding the best building products to use at the right price and with minimal disruption to class time is no easy task. As a result, it may be tempting for school decision makers to deem the external finish of the building a low priority. However, in the long term, taking a sustainable view to the built environment can help to improve a school’s branding – something that is particularly important for independent schools carving out their own identity. If possible, time and effort should be implemented at the planning stage to ensure any renovation, repair or addition to a school’s environment is something that will enhance it for the foreseeable future, and not paper over the cracks in the short term. Despite some schools having the luxury of open land to build on, it is not always the most practical option. Urban schools, in particular, are often hardest hit due to increasingly unavailable or expensive city building space. As a solution, many schools have turned to building upwards. Adding floors increases the number of classrooms whilst eliminating the need to build on open land that is vital to be used as a sports or outdoor area. A lightweight and cost effective solution is brick slip cladding systems, which are ideal for this purpose. With a wide range of brick types and colours available, it is also possible to match any additions or changes with existing brickwork to complement a school’s identity. For older school buildings where heat loss and thermal insulation can be an issue, retrofitting external wall insulation with brick cladding can be a highly effective option too. Staff and pupils will immediately feel more comfortable, energy bills can be reduced and previously old and tired structures will be rejuvenated. When working to tight budgets, school decision makers must ensure any money spent is with the future of the school and its environment in mind. Using products with short life spans may seem attractive at first, but robust, low maintenance solutions that are reliable for decades to come will put the school in a better position. Here at Eurobrick Systems, we have worked with schools on their cladding projects for over 25 years and understand the pressures faced today. When working with restricted budgets in a school infrastructure, it is vital to work with the right suppliers who can maximise the environment available to get the best result for teachers and students alike.