What is the most effective way of reducing the amount of traffic coming into the school office?

There are two types of school offices. In one there is constant activity, interruptions, and change of direction. In the other there is a feeling of calm and organisation.

In each the work gets done – but the latter is a less stressful atmosphere in which to work simply because for everyone in the office, matters feel more under control, rather than directed by outside forces.

Interestingly, many people who work in an office where there is constant coming and going and ringing of phones feel that this is inevitable in a school environment even though it may not necessarily be an ideal working situation.

And yet the experience of other schools proves that this is not the case.

It is in fact possible to reduce the amount of traffic coming into the school office (even on a Monday morning) through one simple mechanism – by including on the school’s website not just that which is legally required but also the information that parents most frequently enquire about.

The government states that “every maintained school must publish specific information on its website to comply with The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012”.

This includes the school’s contact details, Ofsted reports, exam and assessment results, performance tables, curriculum, behaviour policy, pupil premium, SEN report, charging and remissions policies, values and ethos.

Yet many schools are finding it difficult to comply with this legislation as the website isn’t quick or easy to update in-house.

It is therefore important that your school website comes with built in tools and controls to reduce the amount of time spent on maintaining the site and which enable any member of staff, even with the most basic of IT knowledge, to take on the task.

Furthermore the website should be accessible to every parent, anywhere, by ensuring that the information and content can be viewed easily on a range of devices including smart phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.

Where the website is easily accessible and full of information relevant to parents and prospective parents, traffic and calls into the school office can be reduced, making the school office a place in which work can be produced much more rapidly than might otherwise be the case.

If you would like to get an expert’s view on how well your school’s website is communicating information to parents, or indeed how the process of updating the website can be made more efficient, please do visit our website: www.inco-education.co.uk

Alternatively please call us on 01902 784 800 or email info@inco-education.co.uk

Secondary school scientific understanding and learning require a dedicated environment, with facilities to help students progress their ability and examination results.

An intelligently designed classroom can help students fully understand the scientific principles and develop their own studies and investigations.

Encouraging Free-Thought

Rather than helping students remember and regurgitate facts, a well-designed science classroom should help them fully understand the reasons behind scientific developments. A classroom which supports independent study and practical research can build a broader and more robust knowledge of scientific principles.

Facilities which safely support practical learning can help students develop their own experiments and investigations without the fear of explosions or contamination by hazardous materials. This freedom to experiment can help build a true passion for science within students.

Combined Learning Methods

The Pyramid of Learning demonstrates the importance of exposing students to a variety of learning methods – helping them gain a greater understanding of the subject matter and the important principles. This is particularly pertinent in school science laboratories and classrooms where theoretical understanding is developed through practical experimentation.

The dual-approach to learning scientific curriculum can benefit from a versatile classroom which supports both practical experiments and theoretical learning. Education interior specialist Innova Design Solutions have dedicated significant time to building classrooms which offer support for both practical and theoretical learning: “It is becoming increasingly important that all forms of learning are supported so students can switch from one discipline to another with minimal fuss and wasted time.”

Beneficial Environmental Factors

This study by the University of Salford determined that the environmental factors of a classroom can improve a student’s academic progress by up to 16%. Factors such as lighting, acoustics, air quality and orientation could all have significant effect upon the students’ progress – helping improve their understanding of the curiculum and test results.

The study recognised that environmental factors affected a large number of students, with 77% of the 751 students involved in the year-long research recording progress caused by classroom design. This figure demonstrates the huge importance placed upon the environment, when creating a classroom interior in which the students can flourish.

Stress-Free Surroundings

An inviting and stress-free classroom can help students feel more comfortable in their surroundings and receptive to the education and information they are receiving. A classroom which is stimulating without being overbearing can help students get involved in the subject without feeling intense, overwhelming pressure.

Creating a classroom in which students have sufficient space to move around and share work with one another can help improve their relationships with teachers and fellow students. This is particularly beneficial during practical lessons and tests.

Focussed Learning

Teenagers in particular are prone to distraction, with many more concerned with their mobile phone or what their neighbour is doing. This makes it important to create a classroom which helps focus their attention to their teacher or the area where a practical presentation is taking place. A well-designed classroom will ensure that all students have a clear view of their teacher and the lessons they are imparting.