BENEFITS of Magical Maths

• All children will have the opportunity to practice and develop maths skills in a fun way

• Develop children’s confidence and enjoyment of maths

• Practice and perform magic taught during the workshop

• Magical Maths = Fun Maths. This means an exciting day – and children will remember and learn better when having fun.

• Work according to the National Curriculum.

• Performed by one of the few women to pass the exacting Magic Circle Membership Exam

• I am dynamic, fun and love maths, magic and enthusing children.

• 15 years of performing to children.

SUITABILITY of Magical Maths For Your School

• For KS1, KS2 and KS3 (Workshop tailored to audience)

• Depending on your class timetable 5 or 6 classes can be taught. Each class will be able to enjoy the mini-show and interactive activities regardless of age, experience, background or ability.

Please contact Jasmine on 07870 215675 or Jasmine@Jasminesmagicparties.co.uk quoting MagicMaths with any queries
or take a look at our website  www.jasminesmagicparties.co.uk

Online Student Options Selection – FOR FREE

1. Set-up the subject option choices – Takes less than half hour per year level.

2. If required can apply study streams, restrictions, pre-requisites, subject handbooks etc – Great
for IB programs.

3. Invite students to select their option choices – Mass emails can be sent directly from the
software.

4. Students enter their subject options online – From home, school or anywhere with internet
access.

5. Selection data feeds into our Student Options Module to calculate and build option blocks in
seconds – Or export to Microsoft Excel to use with other programs.
And that’s it. Your subject selections sorted – No printing or postage costs, no admin time and fool proof data entry.

New Version includes Voting Manager – Online voting for Head Boy/Girl, House Captains and school play or trip attendance.

Fully hosted, FREE and unlimited use for 12 months with no obligation to purchase – No software to install and no catch.

Visit our website and create your Free Web Preferences Account – No commitment and no card details required.

Timetabling Solutions

T: 01524 220066

E: dale@timetablingsolutions.co.uk

W: www.timetablingsolutions.co.uk

What is the simplest way of showing Ofsted that you are actively promoting British values?

The fact is that auditing or mapping what’s happening in terms of actively promoting British values across the school can be a complex and time-consuming task. Not least because it runs across so many departments.

Indeed, so complex is the situation that trying to change the teaching in any way while simultaneously introducing methods of recording what is being done is nigh on impossible.

As Russell Hobby, of the NAHT, recently said, “our advice for most members is: don’t do anything new, make sure you capture and describe the good work you are already doing.”

Which is why we’ve produced a simple and effective tool to audit and track what the school is doing actively to promote British values. It doesn’t suggest what should be taught – it just records what is being done in order to satisfy Ofsted.

In short, the aim of the tool is to make the recording and tracking quick and easy to use by everyone in the school so that each colleague’s contribution to the promotion of British values can be added to the record within moments.

But there is more, for we also wanted to make sure that with our approach the promotion of British values is better co-ordinated across the curriculum. And again that is what we have achieved.

What we found – and indeed what Ofsted found – is that through using it to co-ordinate the school’s actions, SMSC Gridmaker not only audited and tracked work in this field, but the teaching itself became better co-ordinated across the curriculum as a result.

You can see SMSC Gridmaker in action on our website. Alternatively you can try it yourself for free by clicking here.

If you would like to know any more please call 0115 942 8912 or email us at dan@opeus.com

Finally the video shows the whole process in about 60 seconds on our website – http://smsc.opeus.org/capturing-evidence-of-british-values

Often, the reason for any student not thinking bigger, better and braver is because the student does not know that bigger, better and braver exists.

And so it is our responsibility to unveil to such students the extent to what they can achieve more, to see just what their knowledge, skills and aspirations could one day equate to.

In an industry as competitive, diverse, and fast moving as the arts, it is true that the possibilities are endless, but this makes it difficult for us to fulfil this responsibility to show our students all that they might become.

Without revealing the limits (or perhaps lack of limits) of and within the industry to our students, it makes decisions as to how big they should dream and how far they should strive much harder to make.

Indeed, it is near impossible for our students to aspire to something they don’t know is in existence.

So to answer the question, “How can we encourage our drama students to think bigger, better and braver?” we must first give them the opportunity to see and experience bigger, better and braver for themselves.

New York is still one of the most influential cities in the development of Performing Arts where drama, dance and music grow hand in hand.

At StudyTrips our tours are tailored to meet your specific learning objectives and budget. We’ll look after you every step of the way, helping to bring your ideas to life, and encourage your students to think, bigger, better and braver.

Our New York Arts tour is fast becoming the No 1 choice for arts groups to inspire students to follow their dreams – no matter how big or small.

Activities range from a bespoke Broadway workshop, a visit to a Broadway show, a tour of Broadway’s theatre land, and a visit to Radio City Music Hall, plus of course the essential sightseeing activities ranging from visiting the Empire State Building to Times Square by night.

You can see the full itinerary for the trip by clicking here.

Alternatively for more information call us on 0845 026 4661 or email us at info@studytrips.co.uk

Chrysalis Research, an independent research agency, is carrying out research among teachers and tutors who deliver careers guidance and help develop employability skills. If you are not the appropriate person to complete the survey, please forward it to those who are responsible for careers guidance and developing employability skills. This research is being conducted on behalf of LifeSkills created by Barclays.

The aim of the research is to gauge how careers education, information, advice and guidance provision is approached and seen at your school/college. The survey is open until the Friday 6th February.

All completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw: two participants will win £200 and two others will win £100. Terms and conditions apply, please see the survey for more details. A summary of results will also be shared with survey participants.

The survey should take around 15 minutes to complete and is completely confidential. Please click here https://surveyc.orcinternational.com/orc/start/j3000307/LiveN.htm?pwd=bdswbkxhhr to complete the survey. If this link doesn’t work, please copy and paste it into your browser.

You will only need to leave your personal details if you want to be included in the prize draw so we can contact you.

Your personal details will be held securely and will not be kept any longer than 12 months. We will not pass on your contact details to anyone else and we will not re-contact you about anything unrelated to our research into the LifeSkills created with Barclays programme.

If you have any questions about the survey please contact Rana Baroud at Chrysalis Research, 0117 230 9933, rana.baroud@chrysalisresearch.co.uk

Alternatively you can contact the LifeSkills team by emailing barclayslifeskills@barclays.com

Kind regards,

Kirstie Mackey

Director – LifeSkills

Barclays Bank PLC. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register number: 122702).

Registered in England. Registered No. 1026167. Registered office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP.

How can we teach students to grasp the gist and detail in order to identify and extract information?

It is invariably the gist and detail of any conversation that represent the keys to understanding.

But while much of the gist and detail can be grasped through the words, it is the context that generates the confidence in a student that he/she really can grasp what is going on when a conversation is held in French.

Thus, if one person asks another what time the next train to Paris is, the implication is that the person being asked not only knows the answer but also will take the time to give out the information in a helpful and polite manner.

From one simple question we know who’s who, and what their relationship is to each other and to the situation.

Therefore. if the scene is played out in French the students will quickly grasp what is going on, not just through the language, but through the clothes worn, the gestures and the context.

The benefit of such an approach is that where this happens students quickly gain the confidence that they can understand what is going on – as long as the scene is happening immediately in front of them.

Indeed it is this immediacy that turns out to be the key. If the action is there before them, it is real, it is engaging, and really is the next best thing to being in France.

This is why we have created BON VOYAGE – a theatrical performance that includes key vocabulary from Key Stage 2 and 3 including: holidays, travel, directions, the weather, family, food, numbers, hobbies and interests.

At one level, it entertains. But simultaneously it gives students confidence in their ability to understand and to speak French.

Bon Voyage includes comedy, music and slick physical theatre to ensure the students are focused and interested throughout. The play makes French accessible while reinforcing student learning at KS3.

As for the storyline, we find that Pierre flies into the sunny south of France for a surfing holiday with his cousin, Lola. All Pierre wants to do is surf but getting there seems to be a struggle. Lola tries to keep Pierre on track as they try out local transport and follow directions to the beach. But …

To read more about the production and to make a booking please click here.

If you scroll down the page you can also see what French teachers say about this performance.

For more information please call 01287 669156 or for any other enquiries please email info@flyingtheatre.com

PPA. Why the A takes precedence.

It is not possible to plan and prepare lessons without assessing the students’ abilities first.

And regular assessments of the students’ abilities in Science at KS3 are particularly important given that is perhaps the broadest subject featured in the compulsory national curriculum in terms of the diverse and extensive range of modules it comprises.

By planning and preparing regular assessments we can identify the level at which each student is working and the subject areas that need revisiting before we progress the students further.

The most popular method of assessment among science teachers is that of testing – whether it is weekly multiple choice questions, termly tests, lengthy exam style testing using past exam papers or test questions we compose ourselves to assess students’ depth of understanding in a particular topic area.

Alfiesoft is a tool which supports science teachers through the assessment stages of each student, offering an extensive range of testing templates, including those mentioned above. And all of these are linked to the new KS3 science curriculum and written by well-known publishers and awarding bodies such as AQA.

Tests can be completed online by each student, where marking and feedback is automatic and immediate, saving on valuable marking time and paper clutter.

However we are also adding a new feature into Alfiesoft which will enable the test templates and self-composed tests to be printed out – we will be launching this feature at Bett this week (hall/stand: E210).

The addition of this feature will enable science teachers not only to assess the students’ knowledge but alsoto see how well they can comprehend and answer the questions when they are presented in a similar format to a “real” exam.

Additionally Alfiesoft generates a progress report for each student based on the information that you submit to Alfiesoft combined with the information it gathers from the students’ test scores/feedback.

This report is helpful for presenting evidence to parents and Ofsted inspectors to show where each student is now and their unique path for progression.

What’s more, Ofsted will then count this approach as part of the students’ independent learning.

You don’t have to take our word for the brilliance of Alfiesoft as you can have a free assessment pass which allows you to use and experiment with it. The free assessment pass is available on our website.

If you have any enquiries or questions please do call 08456 171 500 or email us at info@alfiesoft.com

‘Calm Kids’

Schools all over the UK have been using our range of posters for the past year and we have received some great feedback, the exercises help to maintain a calm environment in the classroom which in turn encourages work and allows children of all abilities to thrive.

The four posters introduce children to abdominal breathing, guided meditation and muscle relaxation; they are simple, fun and informative.

‘Calm Kids’ Classroom Pack

Have a classroom of ‘Calm Kids’ in minutes!

• Bright, Fun and Totally Unique Range of Posters
• Meet Bendy Ben and Stretchy Sam in This Set of Four A2 Posters
• Includes 4 Smiley Balls, 4 Bendy Bens and 4 Stretchy Sams
• Four Simple to Follow Steps for Each Exercise
• Comprehensive Teachers Guidance Notes
• USB Stick With PowerPoint Version for Use on Whiteboards etc

Fantastic Offer for Schools – Over 30% Discount on our ‘Calm Kids Classroom Pack’

We are also offering a fantastic 30% discount (for a limited period) from our ‘Calm Kids Classroom Package’ which includes all four posters, comprehensive teachers guidance notes and a USB stick with electronic version of the exercises and a range of fiddle toys.

RRP £98.40
Special Offer Price £66.00

Follow this link Calm Kids to take advantage of this great limited period offer.
NEW: We have just introduced a new ‘purchase order’ process which allows you to buy products online with a purchase order (no need for a credit card). Simply follow the normal steps to buy online and add your purchase order number at ‘Step 5 Payment Information’.

Dan Carter
Stress Check Ltd
Tel: +44 (1904) 413560
Email: dan@stresscheck.co.uk
Web: www.stresscheck.co.uk

Energy is important to each and every one of us on a daily basis. What do we use energy for? What positive and negative impact does ‘energy’ have on our lives? What does the future hold?

The resource supports study for the 14 -16 age group for any GCSE specification exam purposes.

It encourages the learner to undertake research, to reflect on their findings and reach a conclusion using enquiry based learning. A step by step approach has been applied to support students gaining an insight into this topic.

The first section of the resource looks at the general background to this issue. Examples of enquiry questions include: what are the causes of this issue, what are the global changes over time in the availability of major energy sources, how is this issue managed, how may this issue develop in the future? Wind farms are controversial. Solar power is unreliable.

What is an alternative? Could the answer to our energy needs lie in the ocean and tidal power!

61 slides – £ 39.99 (£49.99 inc. VAT) – Order code H6038

Once purchased the CD can be freely copied and networked throughout the school.

To see sample pages please email sales@classroom-resources.co.uk quoting the order code H6038.

You can order the Issues in Our Fast Changing World – Energy CD-ROM in any of these ways:

• On our website
• By phone on 0117 940 6409
• By fax on 0117 940 6408
• By email (quoting a school order number) to sales@classroom-resources.co.uk
• By post to: Classroom Resources, PO Box 1489, Bristol, BS99 3QJ

Classroom Resources
PO Box 1489
Bristol
BS99 3QJwww.classroom-resources.co.uk
info@classroom-resources.co.uk
Tel: 0117 940 6409

A magical password formula: teaching
and using logical reasoning skills
in real life

When was the last time you struggled to remember your password? Frustrated as each attempt is met with red lettering and failed counts, let alone the dreaded ‘You’ve entered the wrong password too many times’. We all do from time to time. So, as students enter KS2 and use technology more and more, they will too.

What if there was an easy way for them to learn how to create memorable, unique and safe passwords at the same time as covering the new computing curriculum topic ‘use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work’?

Arguably, being able to create (and recall!) efficient passwords is a skill for life, but it’s also an ideal way to cover algorithms at the same time in an engaging way.

Here, we introduce Bob, Barbara, Ben and Bella – the family who keep forgetting their passwords, or using the same one for all websites/apps/games, jeopardising their digital safety.

Bob has an idea to solve everyone’s problems – he can create a simple, easy-to-follow algorithm (a set of instructions which don’t need a computer) for the whole family to use.

The story comes in the form of a digital mystery – students work in small groups reading, grouping and ordering little slips of illustrated information. While they go through them together, not only are they becoming more efficient digital citizens, they’re developing an understanding of what algorithms are.

It is all part of a Windows tool called Digital Mysteries – you only need it on 10 computers to have a class of 30 engaged working in groups of three, as each student can have their own mouse and cursor on the screen. Along with the Bob’s Password mystery, there are lots more included such as more tasks on the computing curriculum plus Maths, History and English.

It costs £400 for a one year subscription for 10 computers, but quote ‘HH20off’ for 20% off. Just click here for more details on how to sign up. You can also email info@reflectivethinking.com or call 0191 603 1960.

According to figures from the Dept for Education, the average secondary school teacher has about four working days off a year due to illness. Of course this incorporates teachers who have a long time out with a serious illness as well as the 44% of teachers who are fortunate enough to go a whole year not getting ill at all.

These numbers show why the need for ready-made materials for supply teachers who cover Maths classes is as vital as ever. For even when something has been left from the previous lesson, there are always going to be those who finish the work rapidly, and need something else to do.

Which is why the Absent Maths Teacher volume of worksheets was developed.

The worksheets within the volume cover a wide range of topics and range of ability – and are all designed so that they can be used as a one-off in an emergency, or as a series of highly varied tasks over a number of days, should the absence be unexpectedly protracted.

Activities range from drawing Venn diagrams showing the intersection of two sets, to working out profit and loss percentages.

Each topic area is followed by a wide range of questions, an extension task through which (for example) the students are required to balance equations, and a homework task in which the students have to copy a series of diagrams and find the value of angle x.

The volume covers such topics as the rules for algebra, decimals, equations, geometry, powers, statistics, etc. etc.

Each lesson in the volume is printed on a single page and is simple to photocopy instantly for any class that suddenly requires the lesson.

The Absent Maths Teacher Worksheets collection is available from Hamilton House priced at £30 plus £2.95 delivery.

You can order the Absent Maths Teacher worksheets collection by filling in the order form and sending it by fax, email, or post (see contact details below). Alternatively, if you have a school order number, you can order by phone.

First and Best in Education, Earlstrees Court, Earlstrees Road, Corby, Northants, NN17 4HH
Telephone: 01536 399 011 Fax: 01536 399 01 Email: sales@firstandbest.co.uk

Playtime is that time of the day that most children look forward to (and also those staff not on duty)

It gives the children an opportunity to release pent up energy, catch up with friends and embark on adventures that only young people can create.

During this intense period of activity there are on occasions issues of over enthusiasm which can lead to danger.

Upsons Downs have created a simple and efficient solution to help in preventing this over exuberance in the form of ‘Our Safer School’ set of playground rules.

In addition these signs are a real help for playground supervisors in enforcing sensible behaviour in the playground.These signs come in a selection of colours, 5mm thick, 100% waterproof and UV resistant, each sign can be personalised to reflect the playground rules you apply in your school.

To see more in the ‘Our Safer School’ range of safety signs see http://www.upsondowns.co.uk/safer-school-c-239.html

Orders placed before the end of January 2015 will get a 10% discount if you Quote code OSCHH1.

To order call 01423 521654 or fax us 0844 443 2455
Email info@upsondowns.co.uk

Upson Downs Ltd
13 Claro Court Business Centre
Claro Road, Harrogate
North Yorkshire, HG1 4BA

In recent years Food in Focus2 has proved itself to be an invaluable asset to numerous secondary school Food Tech Departments throughout the UK.

Although its main audience was originally Key Stage 4, it has become clear from talking to teachers that they also find it incredibly useful with younger students, particularly in relation to the new Key Stage 3 requirements in relation to ‘Principles of nutrition and health’ and their need to understand what constitutes a ‘Healthy and varied diet’.

Indeed one of the most useful analyses available in FiF2 is that the diets which students create, (their own or for someone else) can be matched up to the recommendations of the Eatwell plate.

So why not give the full Food in Focus2 package a try – free of charge?
http://www.foodinfocus2.co.uk/order/trial.php
The download lasts for three days from installation.

In fact, why not ask your Network Manager to download the free trial and install it on your school’s network – and then try it out with a group of students? It’s so intuitive to use that you’ll find that they won’t need instructions to use the software … Just set them a task and watch them fly!
www.foodinfocus2.co.uk

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

What is the most effective way of ensuring that the students’ work rate and behaviour is maintained when a cover teacher steps in?

When a subject teacher is absent there can sometimes be some concern as to whether the established standards of the students’ work rate and behaviour will remain under the cover teacher’s supervision.

In a small number of cases, students’ behaviour and work rate may slip as they test the boundaries, but for most, their lesson performance is decreased due to the often disruptive change to their work and lesson structure and routine.

Absent Teacher has created a worksheets series that cover teachers can use to maintain lesson structure. Thus maintaining the students’ work rate and behaviour.

The Absent Teacher worksheets series includes subjects as PSHE, Science, Maths, English, Resistant Materials, RE, ICT, Food Technology, History, Geography, German, Spanish, and French.

Worksheet activities have close links to the National Curriculum, making it possible to identify the worksheets that relate to the topic area the students are currently studying- further limiting disruption to their learning.

The activities in the worksheets series range from reading comprehension questions and ‘fill in the gaps’, to word searches and poster design.

The worksheets in the Absent Teacher books series are photocopiable, making it quick and easy to organise work for the students, which is particularly important when the subject teacher is absent at short notice.

What’s more is the worksheet activities have been designed so that it is not necessary for the cover teacher to have any knowledge of the subject they are covering.

Sample pages are available on request by emailing jane@hamilton-house.com – just let her know which subject book you would like to see sample pages from.

The Absent Teacher Worksheets series are available from Hamilton House and are priced at £30 each plus £2.95 delivery.

You can order the Absent Teacher worksheets series by filling in the order form and sending it by fax, email, or post (see contact details below). Alternatively, if you have a school order number, you can order by phone.

First and Best in Education, Earlstrees Court, Earlstrees Road, Corby, Northants, NN17 4HH

Telephone: 01536 399 011 Fax: 01536 399 012 Email: sales@firstandbest.co.uk

From pronouns to syntactical parallelism: the complete grammar for AS Language and Literature students

From the student who enters year 12 with very little formal grammatical knowledge to the student at the end of AS or A2 in English Language or English Language and Literature who needs a top up, everyone has a need for support with grammar at one time or another.

Of course, there are many such volumes around – but the complex detailed tomes can be daunting and difficult for many students.

What they often need is a volume that covers the basics and is there so that they can look up (or be directed to) any specific point that is seen to be causing a problem.

And so this is what we have aimed to provide here.

When the issue of the “noun phrase” comes up, and the student needs to understand how they are different from nouns and what they look like, there’s a page answering that exact point.

The same goes for the apostrophe. There’s the possession apostrophe, not to be confused with the elliptical apostrophe and the inevitable question, “Where’s the apostrophe?”

Or to focus on another area we next have the issue of modal verbs.

But that is nothing compared with adverbs which can (fairly obviously) modify verbs. However they can also modify adjectives – which can seem slightly odd to some students who recognise that the adjective has been used to modify the noun in the first place.

In fact, when we come to think of adverbs, we can see what an extraordinarily complicated grammar we are talking about.

Which is why we’ve published this book to cover the fundamentals of grammar for AS students.

“An AS Language and Literature Grammar Booklet” is published as a photocopiable volume or on CD Rom, and individual sections can thus be readily copied and distributed to students as required. The copies can also be shared with colleagues or given to supply teachers, without any fear of the original book being misplaced.

You can see a full list of the topics and some sample pages at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/english/T1831.pdf

Publisher’s reference: T1831EMN ISBN: 978 1 86083 896 5

Prices

• Photocopiable report in a ring binder, £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• CD with school-wide rights: £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• Both the Ring Binder and the CD £31.94 plus £3.95 delivery

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report… please quote the order ref: T1831EMN

• 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 or school order number to 01536 399011
• By email to sales@firstandbest.co.uk
• On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=806

It is a fact that students who are interested in pursuing a career as a doctor, nurse, midwife or dentist need to ensure that they have something in their university application that makes them stand out from the rest.

Of course they can talk about their interest in medicine, their desire to help humanity, and the rest. But most applicants do this. There needs to be something more.

And the best “something more”, the ideal way to make an application stand out, is to include as much work experience as possible and to show a commitment to learning as much as possible about their desired future career as a doctor, nurse, midwife or dentist.

Furthermore, this then naturally generates extra talking points for the interview.

It is with this in mind that we have built our work experience placements for students aged between 16-25 and interested in a medical career. The destinations for the placements include Tanzania, Croatia, Poland and Thailand.

Students are assigned their own mentor and will attend three global health tutorials a week run by local doctors and healthcare professionals. These tutorials will help them to have a deeper understanding of healthcare, including socio-economic factors that affect treatment within the country.

If you have students this year who are interested in a career in medicine, please ask them to take a look at our website at www.gapmedics.com.

Alternatively they can call us on 0044 191 603 1111 or email us at info@gapmedics.com and we’ll send them a brochure in the post.

Regards

Mark Hinksman

Playtime is that time of the day that most children look forward to (and also those staff not on duty)

It gives the children an opportunity to release pent up energy, catch up with friends and embark on adventures that only young people can create.

During this intense period of activity there are on occasions issues of over enthusiasm which can lead to danger.

Upsons Downs have created a simple and efficient solution to help in preventing this over exuberance in the form of ‘Our Safer School’ set of playground rules.

These signs come in a selection of colours, 5mm thick, 100% waterproof and UV resistant, each sign can be personalised to reflect the playground rules you apply in your school.

In addition these signs are a real help for playground supervisors in enforcing sensible behaviour in the playground.

To see more in the ‘Our Safer School’ range of safety signs see http://www.upsondowns.co.uk/safer-school-c-239.html

Orders placed before the end of January 2015 will get a 10% discount if you Quote code OSCHH1.

To order call 01423 521654 or fax us 0844 443 2455
Email info@upsondowns.co.uk

Upson Downs Ltd
13 Claro Court Business Centre
Claro Road, Harrogate
North Yorkshire, HG1 4BA

How the demand for school expansion is leading to a new generation of school building designs

We’re all influenced by the buildings in which we work. We know the benefits and the disadvantages, and by and large we work within the confines of what we have.

However, this familiarity can lead us to a situation in which we find it harder to imagine exactly what is possible for the one spot of playground or playing field we have available on which to build an add-on to the existing school.

Which is why we’ve put together an on-line portfolio of some of the school buildings we’ve constructed during the last couple of years.

These new school buildings 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 at a much lower price than a traditional building would cost.

And, as if that were not enough, there is one more bonus. Our eco-friendly buildings are full of natural light and encourage free flow play and outdoor learning with floor to ceiling doors and covered walkways.

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 just 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 the website at www.thelearningescape.co.uk

Medical work experience during half term

One of the most invaluable experiences for an aspiring medic is to gain genuine insight into the day-to-day life of a medical professional in a busy hospital environment.

This is where Gap Medics can help.

We organise placements where students will be given the opportunity to shadow experienced doctors who will explain cases in detail and provide the opportunity for students to ask questions about diagnoses, treatments and medical practices.

As a result they come away with a deep understanding of the disparities in global healthcare.

To coincide with the February half term we are offering placements to our partner hospitals in Poland (for students under the age of 18), Croatia (for students over the age of 18) and Tanzania (for all students over the age of 16).

Here are the dates we have available:

Poland & Croatia

• 8th – 14th February 2015
• 15th – 21st February 2015
• 22nd – 28th February 2015

Click here for more information on our Poland and Croatia placements.

Tanzania

• 8th – 14th February 2015
• 15th – 21st February 2015
• 22nd – 29th February 2015

Click here for more information on our Tanzania placement.

If you know of any students who are interested in a career in medicine and who would like the change to gain valuable work experience, travel to a new country, and ultimately have the time of their lives, then we would very much appreciate if you could forward this email to them.

For more information please call us on 0191 603 1111.

Alternatively you can send any email enquiries to info@gapmedics.com and we’ll be happy to help.

Mark Hinksman

This second edition of this core text covers the practical options common to all the current examination boards at GCSE level. Guided by the teacher, pupils can work their way through improvised and scripted work that will allow clear opportunities for assessment and monitoring progress throughout the course. Activities are all clearly described and are supported by guidelines for successful performance.

There is a section which helps students find the right approach to the different written elements included in the current GCSE courses. The book provides guidance on the use of terminology in written work and a glossary of theatrical words and phrases. There are extracts from scripts with comments on language, character and technical considerations. Each section is self-contained and students are given guidance on how to achieve their true potential.

Cat No: 978 1 86083 835 4 Order code: T1785emn – please quote with order.

Sample pages can be viewed at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/drama/T1785.pdf

• Photocopiable book, £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• CD with school-wide rights: £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• Both the book and the CD £31.94 plus £3.95 delivery
• Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report…

• By post to First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Way, Corby, NN17 4HH
• On the phone with a school order number at 01536 399 011
• By fax to 01536 399 012
• On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=392

What is the most effective way of developing creativity within the KS2 music curriculum?

Creativity is a problem.

It is a problem when we seek to define creativity, and it is a problem when we seek to encourage and develop it in children.

Is making a sequence of sounds that has not been made before a creative event? In one sense perhaps it is, but from a musical perspective it doesn’t seem to be particularly interesting unless there is some musical understanding of what is going on.

Which is perhaps why creativity is something that all of us can sometimes approach with extra caution. And it is why David Stoll’s KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING was produced.

This volume is designed to reference, use and fulfil the requirements of the curriculum in a way which allows everyone teaching in a primary school (not just music specialists) to encourage and develop creativity in their pupils.

The lessons and projects are fully described with practical notes and explanations, thus aiming to offer a rewarding and enjoyable experience for everyone taking part.

Based on listening and analysing sounds and then making patterns and stories out of them, they are, in fact, an excellent back-up for lessons in all subjects, as the book covers every aspect of primary school creative music making.

Each lesson in the book is broken down into five and ten minute blocks, with each step fully detailed and accompanied by explanatory notes for the teacher. As well as a complete set of lessons there are several short- and long-term composing projects for the pupils to work on.

Though full of strategies and tips for teachers with a music background, KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING is specifically written for teachers who have no knowledge of music theory at all and little confidence in teaching music.

The book is copiable throughout which means it can be shared by KS2 teachers throughout the school.

David Stoll is the well-known composer of SEALSONGS as well as concert, theatre and television music. He was commissioned by the DfES to run a project investigating how composers may work with teachers in primary schools, and to write a handbook for schools and composers: Building music (DfES 2005). David regularly runs composing workshops and delivers INSETs in schools and for LEAs around the country.

Sample pages of the book may be downloaded from http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/primary/T1752.pdf

Publisher’s catalogue number T1752emn; ISBN: 978 1 86083 714 2

Prices

• Book or CD: £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• Book plus CD: £31.94 plus £3.95 delivery
• Download from the on-line shop: £16.95

Methods of ordering – please quote catalogue number T1752emn

• 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
• On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=48_98&products_id=666

David Stoll’s KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING is designed to reference, use and fulfil the requirements of the curriculum in a new way which allows all primary school teachers – not just music specialists – to encourage and develop creativity in their pupils. The lessons and projects, carefully described and with full practical notes and explanations, are fun and rewarding. Based on listening and analysing sounds, and then making patterns and stories out of them, they are, in fact, an excellent back-up for lessons in all subjects.

KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING covers every aspect of primary school creative music making. Each lesson in the book is broken down into five and ten minute blocks, with each step fully detailed and accompanied by explanatory notes for the teacher. As well as a complete set of lessons there are several short- and long-term composing projects for the pupils to work.

Though full of strategies and tips for teachers with a music background, KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING is specifically written for teachers who have no knowledge of music theory at all and little confidence in teaching music. The book is copiable throughout which means it can be shared by KS2 teachers throughout the school.

David Stoll is the well-known composer of SEALSONGS as well as concert, theatre and television music. He was commissioned by the DfES to run a project investigating how composers may work with teachers in primary schools, and to write a handbook for schools and composers: Building music (DfES 2005). David regularly runs composing workshops and delivers INSETs in schools and for LEAs around the country.

Sample pages of the book may be downloaded from http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/primary/T1752.pdf

Publisher’s catalogue number T1752emn; ISBN: 978 1 86083 714 2

Prices

• Book or CD: £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• Book plus CD: £31.94 plus £3.95 delivery
• Download from the on-line shop: £16.95

Methods of ordering – please quote catalogue number T1752emn

• 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
• On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=48_98&products_id=666

Over a million young men voluntarily enlisted
in the first six months of the First World War.
What made them do it?

Of course we all know of Lord Kitchener’s “Your Country Needs You” poster. But did that poster, on its own, really make one million young men sign up, even as the stories of the casualties and the horrors started to filter back home?

Certainly the first 18 months of the war was fought by volunteers, with conscription not introduced until 1916. By then well over two million men had signed up of their own free will.

Amazingly, one of the largest single recruiting devices that took all these young men to France was Football League matches.

Before each game, at half time, and as the crowd drifted away, recruiting officers did their work, persuading any man who looked over 18 (and many who didn’t) to sign up.

This process was in the hands of the local town councillors, some of whom (as a reward for their efforts) were knighted and indeed a few of whom were even given the rank of Lt Colonel later in the war. These men never fought – they just recruited.

This is just one of the many realities of the First World War that is sometimes forgotten, and it shows just how our concept of history can be adjusted by tales told on TV and in the cinema.

Indeed, to get to the very heart of what the First World War was truly about for young men who, having left their home to watch the local club play on a Saturday afternoon, found themselves in France just a few weeks later, one has to see where they went. One has to visit the battlefields, trenches, museums and cemeteries.

Our services are run by history graduates utterly committed to the study of the period by schools, and, as Outside the Classroom quality badge holders, we offer a robust safety management system.

We vet transport, accommodation and excursion suppliers before each tour and carry out random spot checks to ensure standards are maintained.

You will also find that, among other benefits, we don’t charge for late changes to bookings, while all tours are, of course, designed in line with the current curriculum requirements.

You can find out more about our unique World War 1 Centenary Tours for school groups on our website at www.key-stage.co.uk.

Alternatively please do call us on 0845 130 6070 or email us at enquiries@key-stage.co.uk

The best solution for your SRE?

Teaching SRE can be at times challenging even for the most experienced PSHE practitioner, students in year 8 will have different issues than those faced in year 10, and those in year 12 different still.

With this mind the charity Health Behaviour Group have developed Apause , a straightforward and engaging way for schools to implement an effective SRE curriculum.

The programme is enjoyable, welcomed by pupils, teachers, school managers, governors and parents.

It offers a wide range of materials to enable straightforward training and delivery by tutors or specialist teachers, safe in the classroom from hijacking by ‘testing’ pupils.

Priced at just £120 the ‘School Set’ bundle (co-ordinator file and laminated resources) provides materials for one class. Additional class packs can be supplied at just £75 each.

Endorsed by the PSHE Association, the DfE Teenage Pregnancy Unit and the Sex Education Forum.

Evaluated positively by the National Foundation for Educational Research, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, Public Health in Ireland and a US based International Review of programmes that work.

This resource Increases satisfaction with SRE, knowledge, healthy attitudes and beliefs and has the added benefit of decreasing early and unprotected intercourse.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? NO! All True and evidence based, please see http://www.sreproject.org/apause-resources-available for details of the full content of the pack and resources.

‘Please be aware that due to the content of SRE resources we find that some school filters to not allow access to our website, please do add us to your safe site list’

Ordering is simple – order on-line or email enquiries@sreprojects.org or call 01392 829450.

Furthermore, If you quote code HH1 on your order we will give you a 5% discount.

Health Behaviour Group, 2b Manaton Court, Manaton Close, Exeter, EX2 8PF.

The School Protective Aprons protect student clothing against spilled items. They are tough but comfortable with an elasticated waistband. Over 100,000 have been supplied to schools since we launched the range.The aprons are available in heavy-duty cotton drill, in navy or white, and can be supplied with or without pockets.

Sample apron: If you have not previously seen one of the School Protective Aprons you can order a sample for £5.99 including delivery and VAT. Payment must accompany the order for a single sample. You can place the order by phone, fax or post.

Bulk order prices: Bulk orders can be invoiced – please see details below.

Cream Aprons: price per apron (prices inc VAT)

No pocket With pocket
1 – 9 aprons: £5.86 £6.22
10 – 24 aprons: £5.28 £5.63
25 – 99 aprons: £4.69 £5.04
100+ aprons: £4.10 £4.45

Navy Aprons: price per apron

No pocket With pocket
1 – 9 aprons: £7.28 £7.60
10 – 24 aprons: £6.70 £7.05
25 – 99 aprons: £6.25 £6.58
100+ aprons: £5.99 £6.35

A standard delivery charge of £3.95 will be added to all orders, except for the single sample apron for £5.99 where the despatch price is included in the order.

You can place bulk orders in any of these ways

• Phone 01536 399 011 with a credit card or school official order number
• By fax on 01536 399 012
• By post to Hamilton House Mailings plc, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Rd., Corby, Northants NN17 4HH

An order form: can be printed out and posted. www.aprons.org.uk/order form.pdf

What is the single most effective way of developing an early understanding and grasp of French?

The answer for most KS3 students to the question above is simple: immersion. Seeing and hearing people speaking French right in front of them, in realistic but highly engaging and often amusing situations.

Interestingly, the “right in front of them” part of the above sentence, is a key element. For it reflects the way in which actors in a play can draw in students far more rapidly and more deeply than a film or TV production.

It is there, it is real, it is in front of them, it is engaging, and really is the next best thing to being in France.

This is why we have created BON VOYAGE – a theatrical performance that includes key vocabulary from Key Stage 2 and 3 including : holidays, travel, directions, the weather, family, food, numbers, hobbies and interests.

At one level, it entertains. But simultaneously it gives students confidence in their ability to understand and to speak French

Bon Voyage includes comedy, music and slick physical theatre to ensure the students are focused and interested throughout. The play makes French friendly and accessible and has been designed to engage today’s young people.

It reinforces student learning at KS3 and gives a truly memorable and positive experience of the French language.

As for the storyline, we find that Pierre flies into the sunny south of France for a surfing holiday with his cousin, Lola. All Pierre wants to do is surf but getting there seems to be a struggle for our simple soul!

Lola tries to keep Pierre on track as they try out local transport and follow directions to the beach. Finally they arrive at Surfers’ Cove – but…

To read more about the production and to make a booking please click here.

If you scroll down the page you can also see what French teachers say about this performance.

For more information please call 01287 669156 or for any other enquiries please email info@flyingtheatre.com

Just Listen – Race and Religion

DVD2004 12 Minutes

A tragic story of a refugee, and attitudes to Islam.

Interviews with people who come from groups which are prejudiced against. They talk frankly about their experiences and the problems they encounter.

Race and Religion: Ibrahim and Clair: Tragic story of a refugee; a British Muslim describes her religion. Ibrahim’s story of personal tragedy dispels many of the myths that exist about refugees and asylum seekers. Clair is a Muslim and tells how lack of understanding leads to prejudice towards other religions, particularly Islam.
Made in co-operation with West Suffolk College and The Learning Skills Council for Suffolk

This programme is now available to rent or buy via our new Video on Demand service which uses the website (Vimeo).
The 48-hour rental price on Vimeo is 10% of our DVD price, making viewing more accessible to people or organisations with limited budgets. The buying price on Vimeo is the same as the DVD price on our website but includes VAT which is an ‘add on’ for DVD
To learn more about this new facility go to our ‘Home’ page and click in the Video on Demand box. To buy or rent this film on Video on Demand just click the ‘Video on Demand’ button below.
Prices on Vimeo are quoted in US Dollars but it comes to approximately the same as in Pounds.

GBP23.00 plus postage, http://www.concordmedia.org.uk/products/just-listen-race-and-religion-3081/

Young, British and Muslim

DVD1989 25 Minutes

Western values versus tradition for Muslim children in Britain

Muslims make up the largest religious and cultural minority in Britain. Workers started coming to Britain in the ‘60s, and soon communities were established. We meet the children of the first generation of Asian Muslim immigrants, including the pupils of the Leicester Muslim Girls’ High School, and find out how far they have accepted western values, and examine the deep-rooted strength of their faith and their acceptance of the moral and cultural values embodied in it. Even as far back as 1989 resentment is clearly beginning to build up as the children see what they perceive as slights to their religion and blasphemy against its founder Mohammed such as the book by Salman Rushdie and other attacks. Slights such as these may have helped in the development of today’s terrorists.

This programme is now available to rent or buy via our new Video on Demand service which uses the website (Vimeo).
The 48-hour rental price on Vimeo is 10% of our DVD price, making viewing more accessible to people or organisations with limited budgets. The buying price on Vimeo is the same as the DVD price on our website but includes VAT which is an ‘add on’ for DVD
To learn more about this new facility go to our ‘Home’ page and click in the Video on Demand box. To buy or rent this film on Video on Demand just click the ‘Video on Demand’ button below.
Prices on Vimeo are quoted in US Dollars but it comes to approximately the same as in Pounds.

GBP19.50 plus postage, http://www.concordmedia.org.uk/products/young-british-and-muslim-3075/

A Class Divided

DVD1985 60 Minutes

Jane Elliott’s unique experiment in discrimination through eye colour.

Jane Elliott, the teacher who conducted the unique experiment in “The Eye of the Storm” (q.v.), where a class of children take turns at being underdogs because of their eye colour, repeats the experiment with adults 15 years later, with a very similar effect.

Also included is a reunion of the original class, who let us know that they gained valuable insights into race discrimination through the exercise, and how it altered their outlook permanently.

Jane also repeats the experiment in a prison with staff and prisoners reversing their normal roles.

This film is of historical interest but the issues raised are still current. The film quality may not be to modern standards but the content is unique.

GBP69.00 plus postage, http://www.concordmedia.org.uk/products/a-class-divided-41/

Made in Britain

1982 90 Minutes

Disturbing play about unemployment and racism.

David Leland’s disturbing play about unemployment and racism. The central character, Trevor, is a teenage skinhead, who is determined to reject other people before they reject him. The play traces his increasing confrontation with the authorities through racist attacks, glue sniffing, and stealing. He eventually presents himself to his exasperated social worker after an orgy of violence and vandalism and inevitably ends up in a police cell. Convincingly acted by Tim Roth.
Made in 1982 this film reflects the cultural attitudes and language of the time it was made. The issues raised are timeless.

GBP 34.50 plus postage, http://www.concordmedia.org.uk/products/made-in-britain-172/

Looking for bright, green teaching space?

Conport was chosen as one of eight companies to exhibit on the UK stand at the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.

Our Northlights were developed in the UK in collaboration with the University of the Arts. In addition to being green by design, large studies prove that daylighting improves learning dramatically.

Northlights can be as quick and economical as portable cabin systems, although they are far superior in every way. Depending on budget they can also be clad with innovative architectural finishes to make a contemporary visual statement.

If you need more teaching space next year, this is a great time to talk to us.

Please visit our website www.conport.com or call us on 020 7730 9105.

Francis Cotterill

PS We can erect Northlights during the summer holidays to minimize disruption.

Higher grades are linked to Mindset.
Develop a Mindset of success in your students as they prepare for exams.

It is easy to feel that people are born good at certain things. Lots of students still believe this because they see others around them learn things quickly and succeed effortlessly. What they don’t know is what that person is thinking that makes them so effective.

Mindset is crucial to success. There is so much research today on the importance of a Growth Mindset, but so many people have not developed it yet. Do some of your students have a Fixed Mindset? Do they believe they can’t do things? Are they set in their beliefs, that things are simply too hard for them to do?

Every school has students with Fixed Mindsets. The question is how do you develop a Growth Mindset – one that believes that with hard work and effort, anything is possible?

Raising awareness of this idea can be the first step to sow the seed for change. Next you need a structured programme to use in the weeks leading up to the exams to get them to think differently.

Our solution comes in the form of eight worksheets in a ready-made booklet – ‘Greatest Strength Workbook for Students’. It comes with a free teacher’s guide and is available as an instant download. The teacher’s guide and a sample can be downloaded for free to get you started. The full license to print for use with your whole school is only £49.99.

Helping students learn to overcome stress, teaching them to motivate themselves, encouraging them to plan for the future and develop confidence to try new things are essential skills. They help to build mental resilience and enhance overall mental well-being; together they develop a Growth Mindset.

To develop these skills, students must explore them. Finding time in the school day to focus on these areas can be challenging and you may not have the resources or ideas to hand to achieve the desired result. But could you find ten minutes to introduce an activity that was already prepared?

The full details are available at: http://newset-training.com/students.html

Thanks and I wish your students the best for their up-coming exams.

Clare Martin

Newset Training

What is the single most effective way of raising student exam grades?

There is little more frustrating than a student who you know has plenty of ability within a subject, but who simply does not seem to be able to study and reveal his/her aptitude in exams.

Fortunately, however, there is a fairly simple way of helping such students overcome this situation so that they make far more of their study time, learn more rapidly, and develop an ability to use the knowledge that they have gained within examinations.

This approach breaks learning into two simple parts: learning how to study, and then applying this knowledge to the subject matter being studied.

Self-evidently, once the student can study in a more effective and efficient manner the student also becomes more adept at reproducing this knowledge in a meaningful way when required. Then, inevitably, the student’s grades will go up.

This is where Raising Grades through Study Skills comes in. The volume, which is available either as a photocopiable master or on CD (so that it can be placed on the school’s learning platform), focuses on the ways in which students can both be helped and can help themselves by learning more quickly and more effectively.

Since the first edition of this work was published it has been adopted in several thousand schools, in some cases being used within an individual department, sometimes across the whole school.

22 separate methods of learning are detailed in the volume, plus details of 10 teaching methods which can be used to help develop the learning approaches.

There is also a series of active learning assignments and a further 15 sections on memory and how students may enhance their own memory abilities and increase their ability to utilise the knowledge that they have gained.

Results from the use of this approach have shown that once students have been shown how to study and how to ensure that they can remember and use the material they have studied, the motivation gained from the rapid success that results becomes a factor in motivating them to ever further achievements.

The activities developed in this volume can either be set up as separate lessons or can be integrated into the existing timetable.

Raising Grades through Study Skills is available as a photocopiable book or on CD Rom which can itself be copied or loaded onto the school’s learning platform or intranet.

Cat No: 978 1 86083 845 3. Order code: T1787emn – please quote with order.

Sample pages can be viewed at http://pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/education/T1787.pdf

Formats, prices and delivery cost…

• Photocopiable report in a ring binder, £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• CD with school-wide rights: £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• Both the Ring Binder and the CD £31.94 plus £3.95 delivery
• Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report…

• By post to First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Way, Corby, NN17 4HH
• On the phone with a school order number at 01536 399 011
• By fax to 01536 399 012
• On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=54&products_id=267

Whatever the job, there has to be organisation. Organisation not just of the task in hand, but also of the workload as a whole.

There needs to be a balance of input and output, a control of the level of interruptions, and a certainty that the level of work is manageable by the staff available.

Unfortunately, within school administrations these issues are not always considered, largely because some negative factors in relation to the work (interruptions are a perfect example) become thought of as an inevitable part of the job.

However, just as there are a hundred ways of teaching a lesson in the classroom, so there are a hundred ways of organising a school office.

But if one believes that overload is inevitable, then it will be inevitable. Only if one believes that there are alternative ways of doing things does one look for these alternatives. And even then the habit of the past means that the alternatives are not always easy to find.

Yet the fact is that different schools do organise their administrations in different ways and that some approaches can make a significant difference to the effectiveness and efficiency of the school’s work.

At the heart of this volume is the notion that there are many ways of administering a school and that some of these ways of organising school administration are much more effective and efficient than other approaches.

The report “Increasing Efficiency in School Administration” gives examples of efficiencies that can be made within school administration and how one can change long-established approaches to leadership, change management, time management, facilities management, budgeting and the organisations’ behaviour.

The approaches outlined here do not require higher budgets; they simply put in place processes that inevitably lead to a smoother throughput of information and activity, which means there are fewer disruptions, fewer errors, and ultimately more time for everything to be done.

One of the fundamental issues within the report is that changes only work to the benefit of the organisation when everyone understands what is going on and why the changes are being implemented.

For this reason Increasing the Efficiency of School Administration is available as a photocopiable report, which allows you to give sections of the report to your colleagues. There is no restriction on the number of copies that can be made for use within your school. An edition of the book is also available on CD Rom for printing out via Word.

Additionally, all orders that quote the publisher’s reference below will also receive a free copy of two reports by the School of Educational Administration and Management: Reducing Overload in the School Office, and Eliminating Interruptions in the School Office.

There are sample pages from the photocopiable book at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/bursar/T1744.pdf

Publisher’s reference: T1744EMX ISBN: 978 1 86083 798 2

Prices

• Photocopiable book: £29.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• CD with school-wide rights: £29.95 plus £3.95 delivery
• Both the book and the CD: £36.94 plus £3.95 delivery

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report… please quote the order ref: T1744EMX

• 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=26&products_id=568

Business Studies Multimedia Workpacks Issues 1-5

Business Studies Multimedia Workpacks, from Holdsworth Associates, are effective, easy-to-use resources for teachers of GCSE and A level. They use films and case-studies to explain the meaning and advantages/ disadvantages of each type of business organisation, together with worksheets and PowerPoint templates to consolidate and test understanding. These flexible and lively resources are easy to adapt to suit your teaching style.

Each Workpack has been developed to provide a self-contained unit of work. They contain short explanations of the key points, questions to test understanding, notes for guidance and suggestions for extension work.

The materials can be used in the classroom but are also appropriate for homework, cover lessons, revision, and to help students who have missed lessons. Worksheets can be given to students electronically (and completed on-screen), printed or photocopied as needed.

Titles

Issue 1: Sole Traders – Garden Designer and Kitchen Fitter

Issue 2: Partnerships – Antonio Couture – wedding dresses

Issue 3: Private Limited Company – Paperfeel – manufacturers of plastic products

Issue 4: A Public Limited Company – Anglian Water plc.

Issue 5: Franchises – River Nene Vegetables

Great value at £35.50 each (plus VAT). P&P is included in the price. If you wish to put the resources on a school-wide network, you will need a site licence for each product priced at £30.50 (plus VAT).

Visit http://www.istudypacks.co.uk/for-teachers, telephone 01954 202789 or email info@istudypacks.co.uk for further information and to order.

www.istudypacks

Holdsworth Associates
Century House
Market Street
Swavesey
Cambs
CB24 4QG

Outstanding Leadership with Lindy Barclay

Having overseen 4 outstanding Ofsteds at her challenging comprehensive, Lindy Barclay knows something about great leadership.

This practical, inspiring day provides sound coping strategies and ‘top tips’ to help school leaders survive and prosper.

• What sort of leadership makes a school ‘outstanding’?
• How can you balance your operational duties with the need for strategic leadership?
• Building winning teams and the role of leadership in developing staff
• Sustaining outstanding: analysing past success and understanding how to build on it
• Manage relationships with confidence to maximise outcomes

…….and lots more

“Lindy really is inspirational and her no jargon approach to education makes everything seem ‘doable’ and possible.”

More information

Ask us about our other highly acclaimed courses including:

Effective Assessment and differentiation
Outstanding Maths
Developing Stretch and Challenge for the More Able Student
Inspirational Teaching and Learning

For more details please email office@smartees-learning.com, call 0118 9797 551 or visit our website

Bursaries: we do not want schools to miss out for financial reasons. A limited number of bursaries are available for schools whose financial status may otherwise preclude them from attending. Please contact us to find out more.

We work hard to ensure that you only receive emails that are relevant to you delivered to your email address. If you would prefer to receive emails at a different or additional address or if you have any other comments please let us know by replying to this email. If you do not wish to receive further emails from us please click on this link If you choose not to do this we will take it that you are willing to receive emails from us until such time as you indicate that your preferences have changed.

Serious independent study is the key to grade enhancement. The only issue is how best to get the students to adopt it.

It has been widely observed for many years that students who achieve the highest grades are those who engage in productive independent study.

Because of this it is fair to say that virtually all questions relating to raising students’ grades at GCSE are in fact questions that relate to how one can get students to focus on serious work beyond the classroom.

Such independent study has two preliminary requirements for it to be truly effective. First, the student obviously has to be studying items in the syllabus. Second, the student must learn in the right order, always building on existing knowledge.

With focussed and directed work of this type students can work independently both at home and at school. The issue then is not, “will the student go up one grade?”, but rather, “how many grades in how many subjects?”

This approach has been developed over the past 15 years, with the results measured in research across over 400,000 students who have used the approach.

The results show that 60% of all work done via our approach is completed outside of school hours. When asked if they enjoyed working in this way, 83% of students said, yes they did.

In essence, the findings show that a student who works on the program for 10 hours during a school year will go up on average 3.5 grades. Those who really apply themselves can go up much more than this.

You can read more about this remarkable approach to raising grades at GCSE on our website at www.samlearning.com/independent

Alternatively you can call us on 0845 130 4160 for more information.

What every student needs to know…

36 Cyberspace Issues Discussion Cards

Cyberspace Issues will help to engage young people in meaningful discussions and debate about the use and misuse of the Internet, social media and mobile phones, in a range of contexts in and out of the school environment.

The 36 discussion cards cover a wide range of topics which can be used in a number of ways with whole classes, small groups, paired discussion or individual use for research activities.

Topics for discussion include: · Texting in lessons · Cyber bullying · Sexting · Taking pictures then posting them on social media · Online dating · Texting or talking · Misuse of social networking sites · Social chat rooms · Banning electronic devices · Online gambling · Texting in company · Online shopping · Job interviews · Phubbing · Grooming · Plagiarism · Cyber blackmail · Gaming · Cyber evidence in court.

The cards also provide an opportunity to establish a considered and agreed set of ground rules to ensure appropriate behaviour is adopted in a consensual way throughout the school.

36 cards All ages

Cyberspace Issues Discussion Cards Ref: 2-265-HH £27.50 + VAT
TO ORDER CLICK HERE

TO ORDER:

By phone: (01604) 870 828
By fax: (01604) 870 986
By email: orders@loggerheadpublishing.co.uk
By post: Loggerhead Publishing,P O Box 928, Northampton, NN7 9AP
By the website: www.loggerheadpublishing.net

This new resource has been written to cover the new AQA Entry Level Certificate Maths.

It follows the format of the previous editions but has the following key changes.

A more varied questioning style within the resource is used which will help to familiarise students with the style of questioning used in the ‘Externally Set Tests’ provided by AQA. Some questions now require a simple ‘justification’ of an answer suggesting a need for evidence of ‘working’ which has not been necessary in the previous specifications.

Elements of Functional Maths and Problem solving, all at an appropriate level, are included to match the changes in the specification and again this will help to prepare students for the ‘Externally Set Tests’.

The Level 3 sheets have been written and clearly annotated to match the new syllabus which no longer requires extensive evidence of Level 1 and Level 2 work for a student working at this level. A student may benefit from working through all of the worksheets in a given unit but when time is short, successful completion of the Level 3 sheets will ensure coverage of the necessary outcomes.

The resource has been written based on the new assessment outcomes listed in the syllabus and all worksheets are clearly annotated to indicate the unit and outcome(2) covered.

The volume covers all 8 of the units in the new specification. Materials included for Unit 8 are merely for additional practice for students and may not be submitted as part of the Entry Level Certificate Portfolio.

The collection has been developed so that it can be used in a very flexible manner, catering for the needs of individuals and groups. The task sheets can be used singly, grouped together in booklets or bound as a whole resource depending on your need and preferred way of working.

Answer sheets and a student record (which may be submitted with the portfolio as a checklist of outcomes achieved) are included to support teacher assessment, recording and reporting.

The resource is being widely used by schools and has received considerable feedback for its clear, easy to use structure.

The sheets has been written by a practicing teacher and examiner and are structured to develop pupils’ skills and test pupils on all areas of the new specification.

170 copiable masters on a CD – £59.99 (£71.99 inc VAT) – Order code H10128

http://tinyurl.com/ont8no9

To request free sample pages please email info@classroom-resources.co.uk quoting the order code H10128.

To order:

On our website – www.classroom-resources.co.uk
By phone – 0117 9406409
By fax – 0117 9406408
By email – info@classroom-resources.co.uk
By post – Classroom Resources Ltd, P.O. Box 1489, Bristol, BS99 3QJ

This material offers a user friendly resource which provides lively teaching and assessment material for AQA’s Entry Level Certificate English 4970 for Specification 2013 onwards.

Ample work sheets have been developed for all eighteen units to allow teachers maximum flexibility in structuring the course as well as providing many teaching opportunities. The worksheets are designed to support students of low ability or bilingual students with limited English acquisition to gain greater English language skills as they progress from NC Level 1 to Level 3. What the students are expected to achieve at each level is also included in student friendly positive statements allowing both teachers and students to effectively track progress.

Units have been written to enable teachers to use the resources is a mixed ability GCSE classroom using texts specified by the GCSE Syllabi and allowing some students to enter the GCSE as well as the Entry Level at the same time. Alternatively, they can be used equally effectively with a select group of students using texts which may suit them better.

Teachers who have used the 2007 material will find many of the favourite worksheets still present with the necessary modifications to reflect changes to the syllabus. They will also find some new worksheets to give them even more material.

Each unit also comes with Teacher’s Notes to give the teacher helpful teaching hints as well as to remind the teacher of the Board requirements for that particular Unit. This resource also contains a useful set of answer sheets to support peer assessment.

130 copiable masters on one CD-ROM – £59.99 (£71.99 inc. VAT) – Order code H5326

http://tinyurl.com/nztnnae

To request free sample pages please email info@classroom-resources.co.uk quoting the order code H5326.

To order:

On our website – www.classroom-resources.co.uk
By phone – 0117 9406409
By fax – 0117 9406408
By email – info@classroom-resources.co.uk
By post – Classroom Resources Ltd, P.O. Box 1489, Bristol, BS99 3QJ

‘Calm Kids’ Relaxation Exercise Posters

NEW: Our new range of bright and attractive posters are designed to help teachers to create a calm environment for children in the classroom.

The four posters introduce children to abdominal breathing, guided meditation and muscle relaxation; they are simple, fun and informative.

Have a classroom of ‘Calm Kids’ in minutes!

• Bright, Fun and Totally Unique Range of Posters
• Meet Bendy Ben and Stretchy Sam in This Set of Four A2 Posters
• Four Simple to Follow Steps for Each Exercise
• Comprehensive Teachers Guidance Notes
• USB Stick With PowerPoint Version for Use on Whiteboards etc

Introductory Offer – 30% Discount

We are also offering a fantastic 30% discount (for a limited period) from our ‘Calm Kids Package’ which includes all four posters, comprehensive teachers guidance notes and a USB stick with electronic version of the exercises.

RRP £87.00
Special Offer Price £60.00

Follow this link Calm Kids to take advantage of this great limited period offer.

NEW: We have just introduced a new ‘purchase order’ process which allows you to buy products online with a purchase order (no need for a credit card). Simply follow the normal steps to buy online and add your purchase order number at ‘Step 5 Payment Information’.

Dan Carter
Stress Check Ltd
Tel: +44 (1904) 413560
Email: dan@stresscheck.co.uk
Web: www.stresscheck.co.uk

Support material for the written questions in units 2 & 4 prepared by teachers and examiners of Music Technology

This revised and updated resource will provide you with helpful information for teaching the history of popular music and jazz, as well as the development of music technology.

The CD-ROM contains several PowerPoint’s and revision material including:

AS:

1 – Nine PowerPoint’s giving a brief outline of the development of popular music and Jazz (Including interactive video links illustrating key artists and styles)

2 – Two detailed PowerPoint’s for this year’s special focus styles (Soul & Indie)

Homework sheets and revision material

A2:

1 – Eleven PowerPoint’s giving detailed information on various topics including effects and processors; digital and analogue recording; synthesis and microphones

2 – Revision material associated with each of the topics above

This resource is only available from Tempo Publishing at a cost of £55, and once purchased may be used throughout the purchasing establishment.

To view sample pages and to order online please visit www.tempopublishing.co.uk. Alternatively purchase orders can be emailed to sales@tempopublishing.co.uk.

If you have any questions or want to order over the phone then by all means give me a ring on 07564 291815.

Kind regards

Jason Boyd – Tempo Publishing

Having a stock of games that can be played indoors is obviously an essential part of nursery school life, not just for the cold winter months but also for the times of unexpected downpours during the rest of the year.

And there is a secondary benefit: parents love to know about games that can be played indoors so that they can entertain their children when they can’t go out.

For this reason we have put together a range of games that really do work in the nursery and which you can, if you wish, show to parents and suggest that they might invest in one or two for use at home.

Here are five such games taken from our catalogue…

• Teddy’s Colouring Book – simple pictures for younger children. 64 x A4 pages. 4 titles in pack of 12.
• Popular Card Games Pack – includes Happy Families, Farmyard Donkey, Pairs on Wheels and Jungle Snap.
• Colour and Shape Game – designed to practise colour and shape matching.
• Foam Can Alley – stack the foam cans and knock them down with the balls.
• Horseshoes – traditional game to help with hand eye coordination.

A collection of these games means that they can be programmed into the normal events of the nursery and can also be on stand-by for other occasions.

Free Delivery

If you quote HH0314 when you place your order you will receive free delivery. Otherwise the carriage charge is £3.95 if ordered online or £7.50 if ordered by fax, phone or post.

You can order the games in the following ways:

• On our website at the web links above
• By fax to: 01323 50 10 41
• By post to: Edventure Ltd, Hargreaves Business Park, Hargreaves Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6QW.
• By phone between 9am and 5pm: 01323 50 10 40

Edventure Ltd
Hargreaves Business Park
Hargreaves Road
Eastbourne
East Sussex
BN23 6QW

Tel: 01323 50 10 40

Website: www.edventure.co.uk
Email: sales@edventure.co.uk

Serious independent study is the key to grade enhancement. The only issue is how best to get the students to adopt it.

It has been widely observed for many years that students who achieve the highest grades are those who engage in productive independent study.

Because of this it is fair to say that virtually all questions relating to raising students’ grades at GCSE are in fact questions that relate to how one can get students to focus on serious work beyond the classroom.

Such independent study has two preliminary requirements for it to be truly effective. First, the student obviously has to be studying items in the syllabus. Second, the student must learn in the right order, always building on existing knowledge.

With focussed and directed work of this type students can work independently both at home and at school. The issue then is not, “will the student go up one grade?”, but rather, “how many grades in how many subjects?”

This approach has been developed over the past 15 years, with the results measured in research across over 400,000 students who have used the approach.

The results show that 60% of all work done via our approach is completed outside of school hours. When asked if they enjoyed working in this way, 83% of students said, yes they did.

In essence, the findings show that a student who works on the program for 10 hours during a school year will go up on average 3.5 grades. Those who really apply themselves can go up much more than this.

You can read more about this remarkable approach to raising grades at GCSE on our website at www.samlearning.com/independent

Alternatively you can call us on 0845 130 4160 for more information.

Do you have dozens of trips going out every year? Do you have an activities week where everyone is doing something? Managing the money plus all the forms and other checks, can be a big administrative headache, but the Private Funds Manager software can really help.

Whether you manage trips through a central bank account and accounts system, or have it separate, PFM makes it easy to enter, manage and export information.

This easy to use software :

Synchronises with Sims.net (and other pupil records) to import student information

Allows unlimited trips/events/accounts to be set up and payment schedules allocated

Records not just financial information, but consent forms, passports etc

Processes cash, cheques, DD/SOs, bank transfers and chip and pin, and prints receipts

Links with all major online payment systems (Parentmail, Parentpay etc)

Generates invoices, statements, letters, lists and debtor letters

Produces trip lists, parent contact lists, medical lists and payment reports for chasing up.

Links with Word, Excel and smartphones, and provides a wealth of other reports.

The program comes with free of charge online training for all your staff for the first three months, as well as the option for onsite setup and training. We are really proud of our backup, support and training and go out of our way to know your setup personally so we can really help.

We run free online demonstration sessions, and would love you to take a look at our system. Click here for schedule and bookings.

The software costs £195 for primary schools, £395 for secondary school for a whole school, one off purchase option.

For further details please visit our website www.istekuk.com, call 01722 413255 or email info@istekuk.com

Students studying A Levels in Politics and Law at The Sixth Form College, Solihull recently had an opportunity to spot prominent politicians on a visit to Parliament and Downing Street.

A group of 60 students enjoyed a tour of Parliament, a talk at the Supreme Court and a visit to Downing Street. Among the famous politicians they saw on the visit were Lord Ashdown, Lord Prescott, Michael Gove and George Osborne.

Lorely Burt, the Liberal Democrat MP for Solihull, hosted the students in a committee room in the House of Commons. She talked about her work as a Member of Parliament and the forthcoming general election in May 2015.

Law and Politics student Euan Rowe (aged 16, from Knowle) said, “It was a superb opportunity to experience the workings of Parliament and the Supreme Court at first hand. I was particularly pleased to be able to walk along Downing Street and to stand at the famous door of Number 10.”

The trip was one of many designed to enhance the student experience of their studies in A Levels Politics and Law at the College.

For further information contact:
Bev Bishop, Marketing Co-ordinator, The Sixth Form College, Solihull
Tel: 0121 704 2581 (Ext. 2427)
Fax: 0121 711 1598
Email: BBishop@SolihullSFC.ac.uk

Can a white, male, public-school judiciary be neutral?

The ever-changing world of Government and Politics demands that your resources are up to date. The new 2014 editions of the UK Topic Updates – comprehensive resources each covering a common exam topic in detail – include analysis of all the latest key events. Ensure your students have the most up-to-date information available!

Each title will answer all of your students’ key questions about the topic:

• UK Judiciary: Independent and Neutral? “Can a white, male, public-school judiciary be neutral? Is the Supreme Court really much more independent?”
• The Reform of Parliament “Reform of the Commons and Lords has become piecemeal and messy…”
• The Effect of the EU on UK Politics “The EU is under major pressure, facing major challenges.”
• Is the Prime Minister Too Powerful? “Coalition government will now form a central part of any assessment of prime ministerial power.”
• UK Elections: Time for a Change? “The rise of the SNP and UKIP have caused the most significant changes in this debate since the AV referendum.”
• UK Political Parties: Are They Good for Democracy? “Coalition government changed the traditional party balance.”

All the new editions include exam relevance tables and a timeline of events as well as recap questions, ‘things to think about’ boxes and exam advice.

ZigZag resources are available as ‘copy masters’ or in editable format and come with a site licence, allowing you to pay once and copy as often as you need, or put on your server for multiple use.

View full inspection copies and prices right now at http://zzed.co.uk/TopicUpdates

Price for all 6 titles is £149 (WH62/– includes photocopiable master with site licence; electronic copies available. Orders are normally dispatched in 2-5 working days. Also available individually.

ZigZag Education, Unit 3, Greenway Business Centre, Doncaster Road, Bristol BS10 5PY
t: 0117 950 3199 | f: 0117 959 1695 | WH62@zigzageducation.co.uk

Give your promotional code WH62 to get free postage!

Levels have gone and the both government and Ofsted are saying clearly that internal assessment is a matter for the school.

In one sense, this offers freedom and opportunity to schools, but time is short and energies are focused on teaching the new curriculum.

Strangely, it is the secondary sector that has reacted most strongly to the withdrawal of levels. They now expect to receive assessments on several different scales from their feeder schools, so the loss of a system with agreed ‘going rates’ has been a blow. Parents too, may soon notice that a Chelmsford Grade 3 is not the same thing as a Chichester Level 3 or a Chelsea Primary 3 score.

One of the strengths of the old system was that ongoing assessments were anchored to the national test assessment in a single system so that progress towards expectations could be monitored.

How, then, do we keep an eye on pupil progress?

Sue Hackman, the DfE’s Chief Adviser on School Standards until 2013, has created Climbing Frames – an assessment tool specifically developed for the new national curriculum. The tool helps your school to track pupil progress across both core and foundation subjects.

It also includes five pre-levels to help you monitor progress for SEN pupils.

One of the standout benefits of the system is that, as well as being able to track pupils across Key Stages 1, 2 and 3, across the new national curriculum, your school can also monitor each child’s cognitive development.

Sue has included eight thinking and learning frames. These are arranged to cover all nine years of the National Curriculum plus the five pre-levels described above, and they are tied to the priorities of the new curriculum.

Other benefits of using Climbing include:

• Fair, manageable and reliable progress tracking
• Ample sensitivity to monitor half-termly or termly progress
• Easy to share progress with colour coded overviews – a hit with parents
• Can report at individual, class, cohort and school level
• Links to knowledgeable resources for CPD expertise
• Uses print and digital for fuller, more sophisticated monitoring and reporting
• Cost-effective with hard-copy kits from only £100
• Free access to the app for the first year

Schools that purchase the hard-copy Climbing Frames before January 2015 will receive the App free for the first year.

To find out more about using the Climbing Frames assessment tool, and to place an order, please visit: http://www.teachingtimes.com/articles/climbingframeshh, email us at enquiries@imaginativeminds.co.ukm, or call us on 0121 224 7599.

What is the simplest way of seeing which maths fundamentals each child hasn’t yet grasped?

There can be little doubt that one of the most important bits of knowledge that any of us can have in the classroom is the knowledge of what each child knows.

For given that most knowledge can only be acquired through building on the knowledge we already have, we have to adjust our teaching to accommodate what is known.

Put in its simplest of terms, a child can’t learn about multiplication until the child knows about addition. The same, of course, is true throughout all of mathematics.

Which is why we have created Alfiesoft, a tool which provides valuable feedback to teachers, parents and pupils on each child’s understanding of and resultant ability in maths.

Alfiesoft offers full curriculum coverage across years 1 to 6 with ready-to-use termly tests and a facility that allows you to build your own tests as required.

It then measures progress (with or without levels according to your needs) and offers a rich resource of past papers and on-screen tests that support current curricula and specifications.

Furthermore, not only is each test completed online, but the marking and feedback is immediate. Over time the children can then take the test again to see how their understanding and knowledge has developed, an approach which of itself can be highly motivational for the children.

Additionally parents can see how their child has progressed, giving them the whole picture and the ability to identify times when their child is working hard or is being distracted by outside events.

Likewise Ofsted inspectors can see each child’s progress as they can instantly access evidence to show where each student is now and what each child needs to study next. Ofsted will then count this approach as part of the student’s independent learning.

Better still, you don’t have to take our word for this as you can have a free assessment pass which allows you to use and experiment with Alfiesoft. The free assessment pass is available on our website.

If you have any enquiries or questions please do call 08456 171 500 or email us at info@alfiesoft.com

According to figures from the Dept for Education, the average secondary school teacher has about four working days off a year due to illness. Of course this incorporates teachers who have a long time out with a serious illness as well as the 44% of teachers who are fortunate enough to go a whole year not getting ill at all.

These numbers show why the need for ready-made materials for supply teachers who cover English classes is as vital as ever. For even when something has been left from the previous lesson, there are always going to be those who finish the work rapidly, and need something else to do.

Which is why the Absent English Teacher volume of worksheets was developed.

The worksheets within the volume cover a wide range of topics and range of ability – and are all designed so that they can be used as a one-off in an emergency, or as a series of highly varied tasks over a number of days, should the absence be unexpectedly protracted.

Activities range from a study of an advert for the Stakes R Us shop (specialising as it does in anti-vampire technology) to a speech modelling persuasive/argumentative language expounding the reasons why sport should be banned in school.

Each article is followed by a wide range of questions, an extension task through which (for example) the students create a speech in support of sport, and a homework (in the case of Stakes R Us, writing the tale of a student who discovers his/her headteacher is a vampire).

The volume covers not only advertising, as in the first example cited above, but also texts in the form of playscripts, a diary, lonely hearts, science fiction, letters, memos, alternative story beginnings, confidential reports, obituaries, references etc etc.

Each lesson in the volume is printed on a single page and is simple to photocopy instantly for any class that suddenly requires the lesson.

The Absent English Teacher Worksheets collection is available from Hamilton House priced at £30.00 plus £2.95 delivery.

You can order the Absent English Teacher worksheets collection by filling in the order form and sending it by fax, email, or post (see contact details below). Alternatively, if you have a school order number, you can order by phone.

First and Best in Education, Earlstrees Court, Earlstrees Road, Corby, Northants, NN17 4HH
Telephone: 01536 399 011 Fax: 01536 399 01 Email: sales@firstandbest.co.uk

David Stoll’s KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING is designed to reference, use and fulfil the requirements of the curriculum in a new way which allows all primary school teachers – not just music specialists – to encourage and develop creativity in their pupils. The lessons and projects, carefully described and with full practical notes and explanations, are fun and rewarding. Based on listening and analysing sounds, and then making patterns and stories out of them, they are, in fact, an excellent back-up for lessons in all subjects.

KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING covers every aspect of primary school creative music making. Each lesson in the book is broken down into five and ten minute blocks, with each step fully detailed and accompanied by explanatory notes for the teacher. As well as a complete set of lessons there are several short- and long-term composing projects for the pupils to work.

Though full of strategies and tips for teachers with a music background, KEY STAGE 2 COMPOSING is specifically written for teachers who have no knowledge of music theory at all and little confidence in teaching music. The book is copiable throughout which means it can be shared by KS2 teachers throughout the school.

David Stoll is the well-known composer of SEALSONGS as well as concert, theatre and television music. He was commissioned by the DfES to run a project investigating how composers may work with teachers in primary schools, and to write a handbook for schools and composers: Building music (DfES 2005). David regularly runs composing workshops and delivers INSETs in schools and for LEAs around the country.

Sample pages of the book may be downloaded from http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/primary/T1752.pdf

Publisher’s catalogue number T1752emn; ISBN: 978 1 86083 714 2

Prices

Book or CD: £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
Book plus CD: £31.94 plus £3.95 delivery
Download from the on-line shop: £16.95
Methods of ordering – please quote catalogue number T1752emn

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
On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=48_98&products_id=666

What is the most effective way of having my educational book published?

Twenty years ago the answer was simple: authors would just send their ideas for a book to a few publishers, and then wait to see if any of the books were published.

Digitalisation changed all that. Today fewer and fewer publishers are taking on new authors, and it can be a fruitless task to send out an idea to all the relevant publishers listed in a trade directory.

But there are still some publishing companies that are looking for books from writers. These tend to be specialist publishers, working with a specific audience in one specific field, and they tend to be publishers that are embracing the new media as well as publishing in printed form.

First and Best is one such publishing company, and we are indeed seeking authors who can produce volumes that will be purchased by teachers in secondary schools.

The books we publish often move across various media – they can be sold as printed copies, on CD with permission for the schools to put them on their learning platforms, and as downloads. But the one thing that all our books have in common is that they are copiable under licence by the school.

You can see exactly what we currently publish by going to www.shop.firstandbest.co.uk and look at the category headings down the left of the screen. From there you’ll be able to read some details about any of the books that are of interest. However I must stress that although we have some books for primary schools listed there, we are not currently looking to expand that range.

Our books are advertised through direct marketing – which means that we write to teachers who might be interested, telling them of the items on sale. We also advertise on www.ukeducationnews.co.uk and other websites of a similar type. Our authors receive a royalty of 10% on the price of each sale.

If you have a book that is ready to be published or if you have an idea for a book, we’d like to hear from you. Just email Anne@firstandbest.co.uk with the following information:

The proposed title of the book
The target audience (eg GCSE history teachers, senior managers, administrators…)
A contents list and outline of the book’s coverage
A short extract from the body of the book (ie not the introduction).
I’m sorry to say that it is very hard indeed for us to make a judgement about a book just by hearing about it on the phone, so if you have any questions please do email me at the above address. If you prefer you can submit your proposal by post, but please note we can’t return any materials unless you provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

You can write to me at Anne Cockburn, First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Rd., Corby, Northants NN17 4HH

I look forward to hearing from you.

Anne Cockburn