It is an interesting fact of life that some schools do virtually no advertising while others spend considerable sums – and yet both get the same level of applicants.

It is also interesting that in some schools the school office is terribly overloaded with phone calls and email enquiries from parents and prospective parents while in others it is not.

And what is most interesting is that these two findings are not related to a school’s size, Ofsted report, or level of exam results. It is down to something quite different.

That something is, rather curiously, the state of the school’s website.

Three years on from the School Information Regulations it seems that around 40% of school websites don’t contain all the information they should. Which not only means that the school is in breach of the regulations (obviously) but also that parents are calling the school or waiting to speak to someone in the office in search of information which could easily be displayed on the school’s website. For example, how many of your parents say ‘my child has lost their permission slip?’ Placing a generic form on the school’s website for them to complete and return would help.

Nearly 90% of the school websites reviewed by Raise Education do not provide information which is commonly sought by parents, while 98% of them rather embarrassingly contain spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors – not really the best advertisement for the school.

Even more frustrating, 76% of school websites contain at least one link that does not work, while 73% contain information that is seriously out-of-date (such as a staff contact list for a previous year).

But what is perhaps most interesting is the fact that in 95% of cases where schools have a serious error on their website, the person who is in charge of the website asserted that everything was ok.

Which, by and large, is why Raise Education developed the Web Review Challenge. For we realised that where the person who updates the website is also the person who checks the website, then problems are likely to continue. As publishers of books and digital media will always say, “You can’t proofread your own work”.

So we’ve now created a service that checks every aspect of a school website, checking on statutory content, good practice, spelling, grammar, links, and the currency of the data. We then produce a detailed written report, not only specifying any errors or incompleteness we find, but also exactly noting exactly where they are and what the problem is.

Over 1000 schools have now used this service, and it has fast and firmly become embedded as the one review of the school website which means you can rest assured that your school website is fair on you. You can see what some have said about us by clicking on ‘testimonials.’

Click on ‘example report‘ to give you an idea of what the report will look like.

Click on ‘web report’ to find out further information for governors’ duties on ensuring key content is published.

If you’d like to have your website reviewed then reply with the words ‘Web Rev HH’ in the subject box and confirm your school’s website address. The fee is £235 for primary schools and £265 for secondary schools and colleges. However if all the statutory content is in place the cost is £117.50 for infant, junior and primary schools and £132.50 for secondary.

Our best wishes
Jazz from the Raise Education team

Contact details
Email: jazz@raiseeducation.co.uk
Website: www.raiseeducation.co.uk
Tel: 0843 362 4834

Historical Association

Make your voice heard. Take part here and have your say.

A message from Jerome Freeman, Chair of the HA primary committee…

The HA is committed to representing teachers’ views – making your needs and concerns known to policy-makers, and demonstrating the impact of their decisions on you and your pupils. That’s why we need your help!

The HA primary history survey 2015 is now live and we are asking you to please spare a few minutes to fill in the survey.

Tell us how you are finding the new primary history curriculum. Are you happy with the new programmes of study and enjoying teaching some of the new history content contained within them? Or are you finding parts difficult to resource?

How are you assessing your children’s progress now that the level descriptions have disappeared?

Whatever you think we would really like to hear from you. Your views are vital in helping us provide effective support for primary schools from the content of our journal, Primary History, through to our CPD events and the HA website.

This is your chance to tell us what matters most – so that the HA can use its voice to support you.

Please take just a few minutes to fill it in to make sure our knowledge of history in primary schools is bang up to date and you can be entered for a prize draw to win £100 of M&S vouchers.

To participate in the survey, click here

Thank you.

What is the single most effective way of hugely reducing your school’s electricity bills this year, next year and every year?

There are of course several ways of cutting electricity bills, from the obvious turning off of lights that are not required, to switching from one supplier to another.

Both of these ideas are worthwhile, of course, but there is another approach which a growing number of schools are now using, and which can make a much, much bigger dent in your annual electricity bill.

Better still there are no set up costs, no special fees, nothing at all.

And even better, the resultant approach is one that will be utterly fascinating for everyone in the school and will be an excellent advertisement for the school for years to come. Indeed it is not unknown for parents to be very clearly influenced in sending their children to a school that uses this type of energy.

As you may have gathered from that last paragraph I am talking about solar energy. But before you move away because of traditional issues about installation costs etc, let me reassure you, there are no set up costs.

Absolutely none.

The solar panels are free, the maintenance is free, the savings directly reduce your mains electricity costs and you get low cost renewable energy, thus putting into practice the message of the need for renewable energy.

This approach to school energy uses government funding to incentivise the uptake of rooftop solar panels, and obviously is dependent on government policy. Project are currently viable with schools seeing great savings. But we can’t say how long the government will back new projects, especially after the General Election.

So we do suggest you take a look at this now, rather than at some time in the future, when the government funding of the scheme may have come to an end.

To find out more please call Ann on 07946 245 556 or email a.flaherty@engynious.com or better still visit our website and register to find out more at https://www.engynious.com/en/ukschools/schoolssolarprogramme/howtojoin/

There is no commitment to registering and you may find a great project for your school.

Enhancing pupil and parent enthusiasm for, and appreciation of, the work of your school

Of course, the prime concern of the school is the education of the children. But when this can happen alongside an activity which will gain a significant amount of positive local publicity, and enthral the parents at the same time, this is never a bad thing.

For the past five years growing numbers of schools have found that they can enhance the status of their school locally while offering their pupils engagement in an exciting and stimulating event: Voice in a Million.

What these schools have done is take pupils to join a choir of thousands, supporting some of the UK’s most talented young singers in a show at Wembley.

These children rehearse and take part in an awe-inspiring musical event which not only can be a life-changing experience for the children, but also have a major impact on their parents – and gain significant publicity locally.

Better still, entry to the event is free – the only cost is for the rehearsal materials and the t-shirts that all participants in the event wear.

There are no auditions and no requirement of particular singing talent or level of ability. Voice in a Million provides everything needed for the rehearsal, including backing tracks, lyrics, etc.

What’s more, if you and your colleagues wish, talented children from your school can attend auditions for the opportunity to perform as a soloist. Additionally a workshop can be held in your school during which the repertoire is run through with your choir and potential soloists can be auditioned.

Also I must add that Voice in a Million is dedicated to raising awareness for adoption and fostering throughout the world. So in taking part everyone will be involved in supporting a stupendously important cause.

There is more on Voice in a Million (including clips from previous shows and events) on www.voiceinamillion.com. You can also register on the site by clicking on “Taking Part” and read comments from those who took part this year.

For the first time, Voice in a Million will be taking place on two dates, 2 and 3 March 2016. If you would like to discuss your school’s possible involvement in the next Voice in a Million on either date, please do call us on 07872 591409, or 01932 859667, or email me on jo.garofalo@voiceinamillion.com.

I’ll be very pleased to hear from you.

Jo Garofalo

It’s bad enough in lessons when there’ll be wasted time, disruption and reduced productivity, but if this sort of thing happens just before exams then DISASTER could be staring some pupils in the face!

NOW THERE IS A SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTION………..

It’s the “STUDENT ESSENTIALS SET”

Consisting of three quality black ink pens, two full length HB pencils, a 15 cm ruler, metal sharpener, eraser, all contained in a clear “exam friendly” wallet with a zip slider.

From just 75p each ex vat, it’s a simple and effective way of improving productivity in lessons and exams.

“Student Essentials Sets” are particularly useful at exam times when they can be handed out to ensure that your students have all they need to sit their exams. They’re also handy to give or sell to students at other times to avoid the problems mentioned above.

Full details can be found at: http://signposteducational.co.uk/student-packs/ or you can contact them on:

Tel: 020 7515 1797 Fax: 020 7515 4420 or email: signpost@talk21.com

Signpost Educational Ltd, PO Box 999, London, E14 6SH

PS. You can order by phone, email, fax or post. Next working day delivery is often possible, depending on what time they receive your order.

Please contact Signpost Educational Ltd, for more details.

There is only one thing that you need in order to buy toner at the lowest price

And that one thing that you need is…

A phone.

Just call JEM Sales on 01785 606 034 at any time and we’ll give you an immediate price.

Alternatively if you prefer you can email us on enquiries@jemdirect.co.uk

There’s even a fax if that is your cup of tea: 01785 814 036

Whatever toner you want, in whatever quantities, we can guarantee to give you the best price.

That phone number again: 01785 606 034

And here’s where we are: JEMDIRECT, PO BOX 2339, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8ZD

What is the most productive thing that a student who wants to be a medic can do this summer?

Going into medicine for a career is different from choosing any other career. Especially in the summer holidays.

Because increasingly universities that offer medical courses are looking for students who have had work experience in the field of medicine.

Of course, such summer work is not a pre-requisite for entry to university, but it certainly can help both in terms of impressing admission tutors and in terms of helping students decide if this really is what they want to do.

Which is one reason why Gap Medics exists.

For Gap Medics offers students the opportunity to shadow real life dentists, midwives, nurses or doctors in one of four locations: Thailand, Croatia, Poland and Tanzania.

The 2015 summer placements, which students can start on any Sunday of their school holidays, provide students over the age of 16 with 23+ hours per week of invaluable hospital work experience.

Gap Medics ensures that the students’ experience is tailored to their desired medical profession. They will be assigned to relevant departments, depending on their interests, and will be matched with a mentor who will guide them through their time in the hospital, explaining each case in detail.

Popular departments include paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, surgery and internal medicine; however we also offer opportunities in smaller, more specialist departments.

So far over 1,000 students have signed up for a Gap Medics programme this summer, representing over 700 UK schools, colleges and universities.

It’s not too late for your students to sign up and gain some unforgettable hospital work experience this summer which will set them apart from the rest.

If you have any students who are interested in a career in medicine, please either forward this email on to them or ask them to take a look at www.gapmedics.co.uk/summer-2015-hospital-work-experience

Alternatively they can call us on 0191 603 1111 or email us at info@gapmedics.com and we’ll send them a brochure in the post.

Regards

Mark Hinksman
Programme Director

Design a classroom that will meet the school’s practical and student’s learning needs.

There are of course many different ways of setting up a classroom, from the traditional ranks of desks through to informal groupings of seats and tables.

Different arrangements imply different room layouts and indeed different shapes, and this is why The Learning Escape exists – to design and build bespoke classrooms tailored to your school’s practical, and students’ learning, needs.

However you want the room to look inside, we can arrange the physical structure to make that arrangement possible.

After all, it is you and your colleagues who know what classroom set up is most effective in terms of teaching specific subjects and specific groups of students.

By way of example, here is just one of the many classrooms that has been designed recently by a school and constructed by The Learning Escape.

In short, you and your colleagues can take control of how you want the classroom to appear while we take on the building to meet your requirement, ensuring the classroom’s acoustics are just right, the natural lighting is perfect for your needs, the temperature is maintained at the right level throughout the year, and so on.

Thus The Learning Escape look after the build, all the way from planning permission to the final handover. And because of the way we work, the classrooms we have worked on previously have invariably been built for much less than a traditional building would cost.

What’s more, our lease financing options on a permanent, architect-designed Learning Escape can actually cost less per month than hiring a temporary solution!

To see more of what schools have designed, and what we have built recently, just click here.

To discuss any aspect of your project or to book a free survey, just call us on 0800 917 7726.

You can find more information on our website.

This 130 page volume presents rhythm, harmony and melody as separate sets of activities which can be incorporated into lessons of any length. Each lesson plan sets out the purpose of that lesson, the materials needed, the method employed and the tasks to be done.

Activities are supported by specially composed short practice segments covering a range of styles, for example rock, reggae, jazz and funk.

Each activity and its accompanying music includes easier and more advanced elements for classes with a range of abilities.

The CD illustrates the text and provides accompanying music for student tasks with at least one CD track for each lesson. Students are guided through scores and lines of music, encouraged to get a feel for the flow of the piece and to sing or play at every opportunity.

An early example from the volume contains explanations and musical examples to show how the 8^th note of a major scale becomes the first note of the next octave. Examples are generated and then joined together as a song.

By the middle of the volume, in Lesson 27, students progress from block harmonies into the harmonies that can occur in a free flowing song – in this case a round. The CD contains a recording of the round, which consists of eight two bar segments, each of which can be introduced at two bar intervals.

You can see the presentation of this lesson by clicking here.

Towards the end students combine everything learned about rhythm, harmony and melody into a series of pieces for which the music is provided.

Details of how to order are given below. The format of the book is a Ringbinder plus CD. The price is £34.95 plus £3.95 delivery.

• Publisher’s catalogue number T1614emn
• ISBN: 978 1 86083 603 9

Methods of ordering – please quote catalogue number T1614emn

• By post to First and Best, Hamilton House Mailings plc, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Rd., Corby, Northants NN17 4HH
• By fax on 01536 399 012
• By phone with a credit card or with an official school order number on 01536 399 011
• By email to sales@firstandbest.co.uk
• On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=448

With summer fast approaching, now is perhaps the best time to start planning school sports events, including Sports Day!

Sports, games and physical activities in general play an essential part of a child’s development. Sports Day is a fun way for a child to compete against their peers and can boost self-esteem, which in turn can vastly improve a child’s confidence and school performance.

Of course, there is a certain element of competition on Sports Day and it is always a lovely idea to encourage the students to perform well by rewarding them with a prize at the end of the day.

Capital Badges specialise in the design and manufacture of die struck medals, of the highest quality. The medals are struck in copper and can either be embossed (3D) or single level (2D). The plate is then added in gold, silver or bronze, depending on your requirements.

Double sided medals are a great way of keeping the medals simple, but if you wanted some text, or a picture or logo on the back, we can of course do this at no extra charge. We can also supply you with ribbons!

The great news is that we are now able to offer FREE POSTAGE AND PACKING with orders over £50 (UK only) AND a 5% discount on orders placed with us before the end of May! (UK only).

For more details, prices and pictures….

http://www.capitalbadges.co.uk/collections/custom-products/products/medals

** Please do quote HH1 when contacting us **

or you can…

• Email us on: info@CapitalBadges.co.uk
• Phone us on: 01462 678314
• Place an order by fax to: 01462 678315
• Or write to us at:
  Capital Badges
  Business Centre West
  Avenue One
  Letchworth Garden City
  Hertfordshire
  SG6 2HB

From the moment the exit polls were revealed, thie election turned out to be political dynamite. We have certainly seen many events that will rewrite the textbooks and affect how your students may answer in their exams:

• The SNP landslide in Scotland (as well as the failure of Labour)
• The collapse of Liberal Democrat support
• UKIP becoming the new 3^rd party in terms of vote share (but not seats)
• The near-simultaneous resignation of 3 party leaders in less than an hour!

However, you don’t have to rewrite those textbooks, because we’ve done it for you with the…

AS Politics: The UK General Election Update 2015

To make sure students are in tune and up to date, we’re providing full analysis of all aspects of the 2015 General Election, from the background issues and build-up, the campaigns and the election itself, right up to analysis of the final result. Written by best selling Government & Politics author René Cochlin.

This pack is not just an update, it also relates all the events to essential AS exam topics: improve your students’ exam knowledge and technique, with exam-style questions and exam tips throughout.

Cross-referenced to every main exam-board specification, and supported by learning grids and worksheets to help engage your students, this is essential reading for AS Government & Politics students of all exam boards.

Praise for our 2010 Election Update
‘It is detailed, well set out and easy to follow. It is also incredibly thorough and leaves no stone unturned… It is so up to date… there is nothing else like it on the market!’
R Baker, Head of Politics and Independent Reviewer

View full inspection copies and prices right now at zzed.uk/UK-Election-2015

The AS Politics: The UK General Election Update 2015 is available as a photocopy master with site licence (£39). Also available in:

1. Easy-printing PDF files (add 30%+VAT), or
2. PDF with editable Word files (add 50%+VAT).

Preview and order now at zzed.uk/WP72

ZigZag Education, Unit 3, Greenway Business Centre, Doncaster Road, Bristol BS10 5PY
T: 0117 950 3199 | f: 0117 959 1695 | Politics-WP72@zigzageducation.co.uk

Give your promotional code WP72 to get free postage!

What is the most cost-effective way of offering pupils the opportunity to play a multiplicity of sports?

There are typically two things that determine the number and type of sports that a school can offer to their pupils: space and funds – and there cannot be one without the other.

Yet space and funds are both things that the average primary school has a tendency to be short of, and thus the number and diversity of sports on offer to pupils is not as great as one might perhaps wish for.

Which is why a number of schools are turning to Notts Sport to design and install a bespoke Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA). It is a space-efficient and cost-effective solution to offering pupils the opportunity to try to play a multiplicity of sports.

Notts Sport’s synthetic surfacing systems are suitable for all types of sports including football, tennis, hockey, basketball and netball, to name just a few.

The self-contained Multi-Use Games Area requires minimal maintenance and can be used all-year round, whatever the weather, during lessons, playtimes and outside of school hours.

Which brings the added benefit of being able to generate some additional income by hiring out the facility in the evenings and at the weekends to local sports enthusiasts looking for a pitch or court to practise on.

What’s more, Notts Sport can fund your entire facility via Fast Track Funding which is a proven mechanism for schools, local authoritys and academys.

Our service is tailored to meet your school’s budget by creating a funding arrangement (funding periods and payment schedules) to fit in with your school budget.

Additionally, the Design & Advisory Service will ensure products are always installed to the highest standards and that every project is a success.

For more information about Notts Sport’s Multi-Use Games Areas, please visit our website. Or indeed, if you have plans for the improvement of your outdoor playgrounds/sports areas and would like our professional advice free of charge please contact Notts Sport by emailing us at info@nottssport.com or by calling us on 01455 883 730.

What is the most cost effective way of finding a students’ area of difficulty in Maths and resolving it?

In a recent survey it was found that one particular approach to maths gave children a 54% increased improvement over expected results. A quite remarkable achievement.

Now of course when anyone makes such a claim the question is always, “how was it done?”

The answer in this case is through a straightforward on-line diagnostic approach followed by the use of online material geared around those test results.

The students each undertook a short diagnostic test and from that point on the on-line program took each student to their primary area of weakness, and started to work with the student to resolve it.

Naturally, such an approach can be undertaken manually, without any IT support, but allowing students to use the online approach does mean that, within minutes, any lack of understanding by any student in the class, on any point can be identified and remedial work undertaken.

The approach in question is Conquer Maths, and the best way to understand how it can work for your students is to try it for free. It will only take a few minutes for you to see exactly how the approach works.

To see a very quick demo of a diagnostic analysis, and then go into the whole system and experience the teaching and learning program for yourself go to http://conquermaths.com/try/

Alternatively if you would like to see a full demonstration then please go to http://conquermaths.com/school/
To see the whole range of maths topics covered by ConquerMaths please take a look at http://conquermaths.com/contents/

Finally, there is the issue of the cost. This is based on the number of students you are enrolling .We normally look for a minimum of 30 students for Primary Schools and 60 students for Secondary Schools and the price is £5 per student for a full years’ subscription.

For more information please call 0191 228 6027 or email info@conquermaths.com

Why is it that children struggle with their times tables when the concept is one of simplicity?

Many children find learning their times tables to be somewhat problematic, yet the concept of times tables is one of simplicity. And it isn’t the concept that children can’t grasp, but rather the task of committing multiples to memory.

It is therefore important that a learning approach is used whereby, through problem-solving, they can relate the times tables to their everyday routines and environment. Using this approach enables children to more efficiently learn and retain the multiples of each number.

The Mighty Multiples Times Table Challenge resource has been designed to do just this, with pupils required to apply their times tables knowledge to better understand and manipulate real life situations.

The resource is suitable for all abilities, and includes and challenges each individual.

Furthermore the activities within the resource are responsive to the demands of the three key learning styles; kinaesthetic, visual and auditory.

Activities for kinaesthetic learners include finding the 3x table pathway across the playground and a long jump multiplication challenge. Activities for visual learners include pictorial worksheets, number fans and bingo. And activities for auditory learners include listening (and singing along) to the songs and poems on the CD.

What’s more, The Mighty Multiples Times Table Challenge motivational reward system can be built in to whole school assemblies by presenting pupils with Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Awards as they progress through the levels.

To further help with progress there are helpful tips to get parents involved with practising times tables at the park or in the car, making learning maths fun for the whole family.

You can order the Mighty Multiples Times Table Challenge resource in any of these ways:

• On our website
• By phone on 01449 766629
• By fax on 01449 767122
• By email to orders@tradecounter.co.uk
• By post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.

Brilliant Publications,
Mendlesham Industrial Estate,
Norwich Road,
Mendlesham,
Suffolk,
IP14 5ND.website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
email: orders@tradecounter.co.uk

phone: 01449 766629
fax: 01449 767122

#GE2015: All the information your A Level students need on the UK General Election 2015

From the moment the exit polls were revealed, thie election turned out to be political dynamite. We have certainly seen many events that will rewrite the textbooks and affect how your students may answer in their exams:

• The SNP landslide in Scotland (as well as the failure of Labour)
• The collapse of Liberal Democrat support
• UKIP becoming the new 3^rd party in terms of vote share (but not seats)
• The near-simultaneous resignation of 3 party leaders in less than an hour!

However, you don’t have to rewrite those textbooks, because we’ve done it for you with the…

AS Politics: The UK General Election Update 2015

To make sure students are in tune and up to date, we’re providing full analysis of all aspects of the 2015 General Election, from the background issues and build-up, the campaigns and the election itself, right up to analysis of the final result. Written by best selling Government & Politics author René Cochlin.

This pack is not just an update, it also relates all the events to essential AS exam topics: improve your students’ exam knowledge and technique, with exam-style questions and exam tips throughout.

Cross-referenced to every main exam-board specification, and supported by learning grids and worksheets to help engage your students, this is essential reading for AS Government & Politics students of all exam boards.

Praise for our 2010 Election Update
‘It is detailed, well set out and easy to follow. It is also incredibly thorough and leaves no stone unturned… It is so up to date… there is nothing else like it on the market!’
R Baker, Head of Politics and Independent Reviewer

View full inspection copies and prices right now at zzed.uk/UK-Election-2015

The AS Politics: The UK General Election Update 2015 is available as a photocopy master with site licence (£39). Also available in:

1. Easy-printing PDF files (add 30%+VAT), or
2. PDF with editable Word files (add 50%+VAT).

Preview and order now at zzed.uk/WP72

ZigZag Education, Unit 3, Greenway Business Centre, Doncaster Road, Bristol BS10 5PY
T: 0117 950 3199 | f: 0117 959 1695 | Politics-WP72@zigzageducation.co.uk

Give your promotional code WP72 to get free postage!

Why is giving young children meaningful outdoor play experiences so important?

The interests that children acquire come, of course, partly from their parents’ input and activity and partly from their environment.

We’ve always known this, but what has made it an issue of concern of late is the increase in the number of children who spend much of their non-school time in the house, and often quite inactive.

Which is what makes it so important that we offer children meaningful outdoor play experiences – to give the child from a young age a more balanced experience of life and the possibilities that the world offers.

Edventure provides nurseries with an extensive range of outdoor games and activities that contribute to the development of all-important transferable skills, such as motor skills, dexterity, teamwork, hand-eye co-ordination, attention span…

Among these are Soft Bowling, Mini Football and 2 Dimensional Boules, to name just a few. To see our full range of games and activities, please visit www.edventure.co.uk.

You can place an order in a variety of ways, including:

• on our website at www.edventure.co.uk
• by fax on 01323 50 10 41
• by phone on 01323 50 10 40
• by email at sales@edventure.co.uk
• or by post to Edventure Ltd, Hargreaves Business Park, Hargreaves Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6QW.

What’s more, if you quote HH0515 on your order delivery will be free.

Without quoting the code the charge is £3.95 if ordered online or £6.95 if ordered by fax, phone or post.

What is the most effective way to support your upcoming year 7 pupils with the transition from primary school?

DfE research suggests that some transitioning Year 7 students struggle to achieve their academic potential – particularly those on free school meals.

When school starts they will inevitably be preoccupied with getting to grips with the new routines, the school site layout, lesson structures, teacher and peer names, and rules and responsibilities.

However, by inviting your upcoming Ever6 FSM year 7 pupils to attend a summer school at your school it is possible for these more vulnerable newcomers to settle in before the term has even started (thus allowing them to devote more attention to their school work and fulfil their academic potential).

These summer schools are fully funded by the DfE as an additional pupil premium grant.

And as staff are not always available to work in the summer holidays one option involves inviting highly trained West End actors to host your summer school for either one or two weeks.

Pupils who attend the summer school are also given the chance to increase in confidence, make friends and improve their communication skills so that they arrive in Year 7 keen and ready to learn.

The summer school typically ends with a performance to families which is a great opportunity to welcome a new group of parents and carers into the school community.

The West End in Schools team are qualified dancers, choreographers and directors with a range of skills and strong teaching experience.

Once a booking is made we work closely with you to finalise the attendance numbers and staff requirement to ensure that the DfE’s budget allowance covers all the costs of the summer school and that there is no cost to the school itself.

Our summer schools webpage includes a one minute video which will give you more information and contains feedback from the workshop coordinator at an Academy we worked at last summer. You can see this at www.WestEndinSchools.org.uk/summer-schools

To find out more please do give me a call on 020 7395 7520, or reply to this email.

Nigel Godfrey
Director

What is the best way to impress prospective
parents from the off?

The process of making a decision between A and B usually starts with a Google search. And the decision over which secondary school into which a parent should enrol their child is no exception to this.

It is therefore essential that a school’s website is responsive to the demands of all its visitors in order to make a good impression, not only with prospective parents, but also with existing parents, students and stakeholders.

And although many schools do indeed have a website that is rich in content, it is not always as accessible to those viewing the site on a smartphone or tablet device.

INCO Education has worked with a number of schools on responsive web design to ensure that their school website is compatible with all the various mobile devices and offers all visitors an optimal viewing experience.

This is achieved by making the website appearance and content unique to each device in a number of different ways, such as changing the layout based on the size of the display screen, configuring buttons to make them easier to press, and hiding parts of the design so information can be presented differently.

This will improve the users’ experience, retain website traffic, increase credibility, make navigation easier, improve Search Engine Optimisation, and give your school a competitive edge over those that may not have a responsive website.

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

You can read more about responsive web design on our blog.

What is the most cost effective way of finding a students’ area of difficulty in Maths and resolving it?

In a recent survey it was found that one particular approach to maths gave children a 54% increased improvement over expected results. A quite remarkable achievement.

Now of course when anyone makes such a claim the question is always, “how was it done?”

The answer in this case is through a straightforward on-line diagnostic approach followed by the use of online material geared around those test results.

The students each undertook a short diagnostic test and from that point on the on-line program took each student to their primary area of weakness, and started to work with the student to resolve it.

Naturally, such an approach can be undertaken manually, without any IT support, but allowing students to use the online approach does mean that, within minutes, any lack of understanding by any student in the class, on any point can be identified and remedial work undertaken.

The approach in question is Conquer Maths, and the best way to understand how it can work for your students is to try it for free. It will only take a few minutes for you to see exactly how the approach works.

To see a very quick demo of a diagnostic analysis, and then go into the whole system and experience the teaching and learning program for yourself go to http://conquermaths.com/try/

Alternatively if you would like to see a full demonstration then please go to http://conquermaths.com/school/
To see the whole range of maths topics covered by ConquerMaths please take a look at http://conquermaths.com/contents/

Finally, there is the issue of the cost. This is based on the number of students you are enrolling .We normally look for a minimum of 30 students for Primary Schools and 60 students for Secondary Schools and the price is £5 per student for a full years’ subscription.

For more information please call 0191 228 6027 or email info@conquermaths.com

Why do we have Fathers’ Day, and
what can we do about it?

It might be thought that Fathers’ Day is a recent addition to the older celebration of Mothers’ Day.

But in fact that this not the case; both Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day date from the early part of the 20^th century.

As far as anyone can tell, Father’s Day was first celebrated around 1910 in Arkansas in recognition of the sterling work undertaken by a bereaved father of six who dedicated himself to bringing up his children.

The idea quickly caught on with many churches using the opportunity to preach sermons in celebration of the work of fathers in promoting family life.

This is obviously a theme that can be integrated into arts and crafts lessons, bringing in a multiplicity of skills in exploring the theme of fathers and family life. Whatever art form is considered to promote the day, there will undoubtedly be opportunities for cutting, drawing, painting, sticking, folding, carving, moulding …

Of course it is possible to base arts and crafts lessons on all the various celebrations and events that occur at regular intervals throughout the year: Christmas in December, Valentine’s Day in February, Mother’s Day in March, Easter in April and Father’s Day in June.

At S & S Services we supply an extensive range of themed arts and crafts materials and products suitable for all the major celebrations and events.

Below is just a small selection of the arts and crafts materials from our product range that children can stick, cut, fold, draw and paint to create unique and personalised Father’s Day cards:

• A4 white card
• Transport Sponges
• People Sponges
• Multi-Cultural die-cut faces
• Multi-Cultural die-cut bodies
• Wiggle Eyes

You can view our full range of arts and crafts products on our website.

And you can order in any of the following ways:

• On our website at the web links above
• By email to info@ss-services.co.uk
• By phone on 01789 765323
• By fax to 01789 765469
• By post to S & S Services, Units 4-8 Tything Road, Arden Forest Industrial Estate, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 6EP.

Delivery

We offer free delivery on orders over £35 and charge only £2.99 delivery for orders which come to less than this across the majority of the UK.

For those requesting delivery from Northern Ireland, the Isles of Scilly, the Scottish Highlands, Isle of Wight and the Isle of Man, delivery is £7 and for those living in the Channel Islands the delivery charge is £12.45 irrespective of the size of the order.

The History of Art spans tens of thousands of years; from the ancient cave drawings at Lascaux to contemporary cutting edge installation and performance works, with each piece and period having something to show us. Studying Art History requires students to explore theoretical criticism as well as visual analysis, looking at line, form, space, colour, and context to develop a thorough understanding of a work, artist, or movement.

The Art History Summer School offers an overview of the subject which seeks to explore and expand the traditional canon. Students will be introduced to a variety of approaches to Art History, including post-colonial, post-modern and feminist theories of art. This course will be taught by post-graduates from top universities and is structured in a way that gives a taste of undergraduate learning through a small group lecture and seminar format. The Summer School will offer a lively and interactive environment for students, allowing participants to express and develop their own thoughts and ideas together with tutors and like-minded peers.

For those keen on pursuing Art History at university, the course will give a broad introduction to some key areas of Art History which will enable students to speak more confidently about these periods, artists and themes and to discover more about areas which they might be interested in pursuing in more depth in the future. For those considering Art History in a more vocational light, there will also be material looking at the practical task of curatorship, as part of which we will be taking a trip to the National Gallery.

No prior knowledge is required to attend this course, all we would ask is that students have a strong interest in art and a willingness to engage actively with some fascinating and challenging material.

Feedback from previous students:

“This course is perfect for people who haven’t done any History of Art before! It helps you learn how to look at a piece of artwork differently and provides a vastly broad but also quite detailed introduction to the subject. It has been incredibly useful, as I am now positive that I want to study it at university!”

“History of Art with Debate Chamber was a great way for me to confirm that I wanted to study the subject at uni. Not only did I learn loads of new concepts but I got a taste of curating – something I would love to pursue as a future career. The course has made me excited about my academic future!”

“The Art History Summer School was really fantastic, covering a wide range of topics and yet covering each one in depth. The tutors were really friendly and had an infectious enthusiasm for their subject. Highlights included the trip to the National Gallery and the session on the visual uncanny. I would highly recommend this course to anyone with an interest in Art History.”

Practical Details:

The cost of the five-day course is £425 and it will be held at the University of London Union in Bloomsbury on the 3^rd-7^th August 2015. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

There will be a limited number of bursary spaces available for those who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.

To book a place please visit http://www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/art-history-summer-school/ call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Is it possible to make Shakespeare the basis for discussing contemporary moral and social issues with your students?

The answer is undoubtedly, yes.

But, sadly, the language used in these masterpieces of literature is often a barrier when it comes to using the plays with pupils as part of our reference to the universality of the problems and issues that people face.

Working with Will seeks to overcome this problem by focussing on practical engagement with the story line. It offers the perfect teaching resource through which your students can explore issues that that have been faced across time and can consider the choices made by the characters and the consequences of these choices.

In short the book enables the students to engage with the relevant issues without having to interpret the language that Shakespeare used in writing the plays.

Working with Will is a 179 page volume for PSHE teachers where the topics on the KS3 and KS4 curricula are explored via three schemes of work based on Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for example, the scheme of work covers ‘Relationships and Respect’, ‘Children’s Rights’, ‘Rumour Spreading’ and ‘Bullying’, demonstrating the relevance and contemporariness of the play.

The three schemes of work – each of which can stand alone – come with a series of lesson plans that can be used sequentially or can be dipped in and out of in any order. There is also a free CD containing the text of the book plus PowerPoints to use with the lessons.

The author offers workshops on Working with Will – please click here for more information.

You can see some sample pages at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/pshe/T1796.pdf

Publisher’s reference: T1796EMN ISBN: 978 1 86083 890 3

Prices

• Photocopiable ring bound book plus CD, £29.95 plus £3.95 delivery

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the book… please quote the order ref: T1796EMN

• By post to First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct, Earlstrees Way, Corby, NN17 4HH
• By fax to 01536 399 012
• By phone with a credit card to 01536 399011
  
• Email sales@firstandbest.co.uk
  
• On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=769

There’s one term left to go before the removal of levels at KS3 – is your school ready?

Doddle is the comprehensive whole-school solution to assessment without levels at KS3. Our assessment system lets you grade students on a skill-by-skill basis, letting you build up detailed reports on every student, department and cohort.

All your assessment data is stored online, to stay with students as they progress through KS3 – and you get comparable reporting from all departments.

And with 16,000 teaching and homework resources in the same platform, ready to assign in an instant, your teachers’ assessment feeds directly into differentiated teaching and learning.

To make a real impact with your KS3 students this September, book a visit from a Doddle Educational Consultant.

Joe
Doddle

Boardworks Ltd are the creators of Doddle, an online resource bringing together over 16,000 teaching, homework and revision materials across 18 subjects at KS3–KS4.

Comprising all Boardworks teaching presentations, thousands of formative self-marking homework quizzes, and our new progress reporting system, Doddle is designed to assist schools in consistently raising achievement.

The definition of playtime has transformed over time.

For it was found that when children are provided with a multiplicity of educational play equipment, activities and games, their concentration, behaviour and attainment in lessons is significantly improved.

But of course, to provide such a multiplicity of games, activities and equipment, a budget is required – and one which will ensure that every pupil can get the most out of their playtime.

Our experience indicates that schools can provide suitable playground games from Edventure’s range for approximately £3 per pupil per year.

And with a further discount of 5% when you quote the code JSP15 at the time of order, which increases to a 10% discount if the order is placed online, it is possible to purchase playground games for even less. Orders can be placed at www.edventure.co.uk.

Our full range of play equipment, games and activities can be found in our online catalogue. Or alternatively, if you would like to receive a printed copy of the new Edventure catalogue in the post, please complete the catalogue request form.

You can place an order in a variety of different ways including:

• on our website at www.edventure.co.uk
• by faxing us to 01323 50 10 41
• by calling us on 01323 50 10 40
• by emailing us at sales@edventure.co.uk
• by post to Edventure Ltd, Hargreaves Business Park, Hargreaves Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6QW.

What’s more, if you quote HH0515 on your order delivery will be free.

Without quoting the code the charge is £3.95 if ordered online or £6.95 if ordered by fax, phone or post.

Is this the most beautiful classroom in the country?

In modern schools the classroom is an arena for many activities and thus needs to meet many and varied criteria.

Clearly they need to be flexible in layout so that they can be readily re-arranged for the array of lessons that the Secondary National curriculum demands.

They need to have decent acoustics and be accessible to all. They also need to be warm in winter, cool in summer, and able to withstand whatever extremes of weather climate change throws at them.

And perhaps as important as everything else, they need to be eco-friendly and bathed in natural light.

In short, if they can both look wonderful and meet the needs of today’s teaching requirements, they will of themselves inspire teaching and learning among all KS3 and KS4 students.

Such classrooms draw the students in so that they actually want to be here, and they offer the teachers the chance to create the lessons they want in an environment they love to be in.

So what does such a fantastic classroom look like?

There are many possible answers – and here is just one of ours…

This picture comes from an on-line portfolio of some of the school buildings we’ve constructed during the last couple of years.

It is one of many new school buildings that have been prepared by The Learning Escape, all the way from planning permission to handover. And because of the way we work, they have invariably been built for much less than a traditional building would cost.

Heating can be specified with a choice of electric, geothermal or air source heat pump/air conditioning. Each building is a bespoke design – a response to the local conditions, local needs and local specification.

Whether you need a classroom, staffroom, school hall or library, we take your needs and wishes and create a stunning and sustainable building that fits into your space and budget.

We also offer a leasing option which means that a permanent, architect-designed Learning Escape can actually cost less per month than hiring a temporary solution!

To see more of what we have built recently just click here.

To discuss any aspect of your project or to book a free survey, just call us on 0800 917 7726.

You can find more information and a number of case on our website.

How can we help Sixth Form students understand the concept of the meaningful argument?

A man walks into an office and says, “I’d like to have an argument, please.”

If you are familiar with Monty Python you’ll know that the man is Michael Palin and he spends the new few minutes debating with John Cleese the difference between a true argument and “mere” contradiction.

Of course, the sketch never approaches the debate about the difference between these two concepts – and indeed why should it? It is just a comedy sketch, although a sketch so popular that, although first broadcast in 1972, it was performed by the original actors to much acclaim in their farewell performance 42 years later.

But while the difference between argument and contradiction was never resolved by Messers Palin and Cleese, it is a vital one for A Level students to grasp.

And grasping the difference is still only the start.

For even when the student starts to get to grips with the difference between such concepts as “claims” and “arguments”, there still remain such puzzling issues as explanations, assumptions, counter-claims, evidence, examples, deduction, induction, generalisation…

However the fact is that where students do understand the nature of debate and proof they tend not only to get better A level grades but they also become better prepared for university and/or employment.

In short, for many students it is a grasp of critical thinking which takes them from a B to an A, which delivers a far more impressive UCAS application, and which enables them to be much more persuasive in interviews and presentations.

It is for these reasons that the volume “Critical Thinking” has been written.

But “Critical Thinking” is about far more than just dismantling and evaluating other people’s arguments. For it is also involved in the production of the student’s own explanations and arguments.

Through examples and activities the volume encourages students to develop their considered point of view in essays, reports, debates, etc, and helps them be prepared to stand back and assess their own reasoning.

Critical Thinking is available as a printed copiable volume or as a CD which can be put on the school’s learning platform for use by students and staff.

You can see some sample pages at http://pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/english/T1821.pdf

Publisher’s reference:T1821EMN; ISBN: 978 1 86083 861 3

Prices:

• Photocopiable report in a book: £29.95
• CD with school-wide rights: £24.95
• Both the book and the CD: £36.94

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report… please quote the order ref: T1821EMN

• By post to First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Way, Corby, NN17 4HH
• By fax to 01536 399 012
• On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=154