Mon Ami Children’s Nurseries to Stage LIVES Fundraiser

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The staff and children at Mon Ami’s new nursery in Wragby are doing their bit for charity by organising a fundraising event to raise money for LIVES.

The fundraiser will take place on Wednesday 21st September in aid of the Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service (LIVES).

Children will be dressing up as ‘people who help us’ such as firemen, policemen and doctors, and a sponsored walk will take place with walkers wearing their outfits.

There will be fun-filled activities for the children taking place throughout the day, such as building police cars, hospital role plays and craft activities, as well as a bake sale.

The event will take place at Mon Ami’s brand new Wragby nursery, which opened in October 2015, and at Mon Ami’s three other outstanding nurseries in Boston, Swineshead and Alford.

Vanessa Hall, Manager of Mon Ami in Wragby, said: “As well as raising money for a fantastic cause, this fundraiser will also be a great way to raise the sense of community spirit within the village.

“We’re still very new to Wragby and we’re keen to get more involved with the local community and village life.”

All money raised on the day will go to LIVES, which works alongside the East Midlands Ambulance Service in order to provide an immediate medical response in the form of first responders who are trained in first-on-scene life-saving skills.

Mon Ami chose to support LIVES as it has close connections with this charity: staff past and present have done a lot of voluntary fundraising for LIVES and some parents at the nursery support and volunteer for LIVES as fundraisers or as first responders.

Vanessa Hall added: “LIVES is an important local charity and we feel it’s important to support our local charities by doing fundraisers like this.”

The sponsored walk will take place in the morning; other activities will take place throughout the day. If you would like to attend for photographs please contact Jez at Shooting Star on 01522 528540 to confirm timings.

Kajima completes first of seven new secondary schools in £135 million project

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As part of the Priority Schools Building Programme, the project will provide over 8,000 pupils                

with new purpose-built school facilities

 

14 September 2016 – Award-winning developer and investor, Kajima is pleased to announce the completion of the Kings Langley School, the first of seven facilities being built across Hertfordshire, Luton and Reading, as part of a £135 million joint project by Kajima and Interserve.

 

As part of the  Government’s Priority School Building Programme, the project will provide more than 8,000 pupils with seven new modern, purpose-built Secondary Schools, and will create a further 900 additional places for 11-18 years olds. The project is one of the first batches of schools to be funded using the Government’s PF2 private finance model and the 19th privately financed education project in which Kajima has invested.

 

Together with Kings Langley School, there are six other schools under the project all due for completion in the second half of this year, they are; Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School, Hertfordshire, Goffs School, Hertfordshire, Longdean School, Hertfordshire, Reading Girls’ School, Reading, Stopsley High School, Bedfordshire and Westfield Academy, Hertfordshire.

 

Kajima and investment partner Interserve began construction work on the project in March 2015, assuming primary responsibility for the design and construction, as well as the hard facilities management and lifecycle services for the seven facilities over a 25-year concession period.  Go-ahead for the redevelopment of the Kings Langley School was initially approved in 2013, to allow for an increase in student capacity and to improve the quality of the school’s facilities.

 

Acting as the sample scheme, the design undertaken at the Kings Langley School has served as the template for the further six schools within the project, using a host of standard design principles to ensure that the building is both functional and flexible. Responding to tighter budgetary constraints by optimising passive environmental solutions, such as maximising the orientation of the site to enhance natural daylight and ventilation, have been central considerations which will ultimately lead to reduced operational running costs in the long term.

 

The Priority School Building Programme was established in 2011 in an effort to address schools that were in the most urgent need of repair, managed by the EFA and sponsored by the Department for Education. Through the first wave of the programme, 261 schools will be fully rebuilt, or have their most urgent condition needs addressed.

 

Craig Smailes, Development Manager of Kajima Partnerships, said:

“Kajima has long-standing experience in designing and building schools, as well as an enduring commitment to public sector projects in the UK. The redevelopment of Kings Langley School, as well as the further six facilities where our work is ongoing, are an important step in support of the Government’s efforts to address schools where the need for repairs and re-development is most urgent.

 

The project will provide nearly 9,000 pupils with first-rate, modern welcoming facilities that truly enhance the learning experience. The Kings Langley School is an excellent example of Kajima’s strong experience in not only delivering quality educational facilities but also responding to a strict facilities output specification and tight budget demanded by the EFA.”

 

British Red Cross launches free earthquake teaching resource for geography teachers

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The British Red Cross, supported by the Geographical Association, has launched a new, free educational resource for geography teachers. Natural disasters: earthquakes is a curriculum-led geography teaching resource that draws on the recent experience of the Red Cross during the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

 

Using case studies, maps and eyewitness accounts, this latest British Red Cross teaching resource provides a unique perspective on how individuals and communities prepare for, respond to and recover from earthquakes.

 

The British Red Cross, which provides a range of educational resources for teachers to download online, created this resource in response to research that showed geography teachers were looking for case study content that brought human stories into the classroom.

 

With the unique perspective of the Red Cross, the humanitarian impact of a natural disaster is explored alongside understanding how earthquakes happen. Resources start with activities for all students and then differentiate into activities for Key Stage 3, GCSE and A level. A curriculum mapping document shows how the resource can contribute to the curricula of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  Natural disaster: earthquakes can be downloaded for free from the British Red Cross website.

 

The resource will help students:

  • Learn about the physical geography, hazards and risks which can cause a natural disaster such as an earthquake.
  • Explain and analyse the varied impacts an earthquake may have on individuals and communities.
  • Gain insight into the role of the Red Cross in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
  • Explore the concept of resilience and what might make a community more able to cope in a crisis.

 

Helen Davis, Education Resource Commissioning Editor at the British Red Cross, said:

 

“Every year the Red Cross helps thousands of people around the world who have been affected by natural disasters. Drawing on our experience in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, and using Nepal as a case study, we’re helping geography teachers embed real scenarios and case studies within their lessons. Working closely with teachers, the Nepal Red Cross and the Geographical Association, we’ve created an engaging resource which brings the geography curriculum to life.”

 

Rebecca Kitchen, Secondary Curriculum Leader of the Geographical Association, said:

 

“We urge all geography teachers to download this free resource and encourage young people to think about the humanitarian impact of natural disasters. This invaluable resource pack has been created with the technical input from the British Red Cross combined with the expertise of GA teacher consultants.”

PPL and PRS for Music announce joint music licence for nurseries

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  • UK music licensing bodies PPL and PRS for Music are committed to providing simple and efficient music licensing for nurseries

 

As part of their commitment to simplify music licensing for customers, music licensing organisations PPL and PRS for Music have announced a new joint licence for nurseries, playgroups, pre-schools and crèches – creating an easy one-stop shop for nurseries across the UK.

The use of music in nurseries can contribute to a fun, interesting environment for children and staff. To date, PRS for Music and PPL have licensed the nurseries sector separately, which required customers to obtain two licences in order to play recorded music. The joint licence, which will be administered by PPL, will allow customers to obtain both a PPL and PRS for Music licence via a single contact point in a single transaction.

The joint Nurseries licence is now available for a fee of £80 per annum. The licence will enable nurseries to benefit from a broad range of uses of music including dance and movement classes, fetes and fairs, child minding services, television and cartoon showings and general background music.

Paul Clements, Commercial Director, PRS for Music, said:  “Music plays a vital part in a child’s early-learning, providing a valuable channel for children to express themselves. PRS for Music and PPL want to ensure the licence to play music is accessible and simply attained so that all premises have the opportunity to incorporate music into their daily offering.”

Christine Geissmar, Operations Director, PPL, said: “Creating a single point of contact for our UK public performance nurseries customers allows us to significantly simplify music licensing for these UK businesses. It is in our members’ and customers’ interests to ensure that our licensing is ever more accessible and efficient.”

Independent Schools Show 2016 Launches with Stellar Speaker Line-up

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  • Patrick Derham (Headmaster, Westminster School) among “who’s who” list of speakers
  • Country’s largest school open day – over 200 independent schools set to attend
  • Free ‘early bird’ tickets available until 30 September

The Independent Schools Show 2016, launches today by unveiling its strongest ever line-up of schools and speakers. Taking place on 12 & 13 November at Battersea Park, London the Show will give parents access to over 200 leading independent schools as well as education experts from around the UK.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Show, which has hosted over 20,000 parents to help them efficiently research and find the right school for their children.

With parents facing an increasingly complex set of education options for their children and with competition greater than ever, the Show gives parents the opportunity to meet the largest gathering of the UK’s leading independent schools in one day, all under one roof.

The 2016 Show will welcome schools from as far south as the Isle of Wight (Ryde School) and as far north as Gordonstoun School in Scotland. The full list of exhibiting schools can be viewed here.

In addition to the huge array of schools at the Show, parents will be able to unlock the answers to their key questions and concerns via the Show’s panel of expert speakers and education leaders. A packed two-day schedule at the Show’s renowned Education Theatre will provide invaluable insights on education’s hottest and most relevant topics.

Speakers include:  Patrick Derham – Headmaster of Westminster School, who will comment on why children from independent schools perform better in their careers; Chairman of the Independent Schools Council, Barnaby Lenon, who will advise how to choose the right school; and Professor Mark Bailey – High Master of St Paul’s School, who will talk about increasing access to independent schools.

Further talks and debates, include:

  • State Till 8? Alternative Routes – Ralph Lucas (Editor, The Good Schools Guide), Keith Budge (Head of Bedales)
  • Deciphering Senior School Entrance – Ben Thomas, Headmaster of Thomas’s Battersea
  • Scholarships & Bursaries Answered – Susan Hamlyn (Director of the Good Schools Guide Educational Consultants)
  • Starting Out in London – Nick Baker, Head of Wetherby Prep & Senior and Jane Richie, Alpha Plus

This year’s Show is free for those who register online for tickets before September 30th. Premium ticket packages are available from £25 (Early Bird Premium) offering benefits such as free car parking, VIP area access and reserved seats in the Education Theatre.

Independent Schools Show Founder, David Wellesley Wesley said: “After health, it is education that parents cite as being their biggest concern and consideration for their children. Today’s education options are more complex than ever and continually changing.  

“By bringing together the highest calibre of schools and speakers available, the Show offers parents a one-stop open day and forum on independent schooling, so they can make informed and confident decisions about their child’s education.”

Parents can register now for free early bird tickets at www.schoolsshow.co.uk.

The website also provides a useful School Finder tool, helping parents shortlist which exhibiting schools are relevant for their children based on school type and location.

ROALD DAHL GOES DIGITAL: DISCOVERY EDUCATION LAUNCHES NEW RESOURCES AND PUPIL COMPETITION

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ROALD DAHL GOES DIGITAL: DISCOVERY EDUCATION LAUNCHES NEW RESOURCES AND PUPIL COMPETITION

Primary school pupils are being invited to take part in a Wonka-inspired competition, and use new digital resources, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Roald Dahl this week.

Discovery Education is challenging pupils to step into the shoes of Willy Wonka by designing their very own ‘frothbuggling’ sweet or chocolate, taking inspiration from the fantastical creations of the fictional chocolatier.

Open to pupils aged 4-11, the ‘Sweet Inventions Competition’ is being launched alongside new resources in Discovery Education Espresso’s award-winning digital learning service. Created in partnership with the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Buckinghamshire, the new multi-media content includes e-books, interactive games and videos, bringing Dahl’s work to life for a new generation of learners.

Pupils at Hampsthwaite CE Primary School in Harrogate have been using the new Roald Dahl module in preparation for the centenary celebrations. Head Teacher Andrew Phoenix said:

“We’ve got lots of fun activities planned to mark the anniversary of Roald Dahl’s birth, and it’s great to be able to add a digital aspect to our celebrations. Our younger children are reading The BFG this term, and have really enjoyed using the new resources alongside the printed text. They’re also excited about entering the Discovery Education competition and designing their own sweets. We’ve already received some entries which would be worthy of a mention in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!”

Lewis Bronze MBE, Founder and Director of Content at Discovery Education Espresso said:

“We’re delighted to offer schools new digital resources to celebrate the life and work of one of our greatest children’s authors. The Roald Dahl module is an exciting addition to the Discovery Education Espresso service. We hope that the new content will inspire pupils to display their own creativity by entering our competition, and we’re very much looking forward to seeing their sweet inventions.”

 

The Discovery Education Espresso ‘Sweet Inventions Competition’ runs between 13th September and 21st October 2016, and is open to primary schools everywhere. Pupils are asked to design an eye-catching poster promoting their sweet or chocolate, with a winner being chosen from each Key Stage. The winning entrants will receive a set of 15 Roald Dahl books for themselves and their school, and have their designs made into printed posters. Full details of how to enter and terms and conditions can be found online here.

The Roald Dahl module is available now to schools with a Discovery Education Espresso subscription. With content closely aligned to the National Curriculum, the module supports the teaching and learning of Key Stage 2 English Objectives. Schools interested in a free trial of the Discovery Education Espresso service can request one here.

Don’t forget to remember….

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The Junior Memory Championship is now open for entries

Now in its ninth year, The Junior Memory Championship™, a hugely popular nationwide memory championship for primary school children, is officially open for entries for 2017.

Following on from the success of last year’s championship, which saw over 300 schools take part, the competition aims to find Britain’s rising memory stars. Schools from all over the UK are invited to register their Year 6 pupils to take part. Once registered, schools receive a full range of simple yet effective learning materials, lesson plans and online training, making them better equipped to support their pupils and teachers to develop powerful memory skills and embed them in the curriculum.

The initial stages of the championship are conducted online, with the top 20 performing pupils invited to compete in the grand final in London in June, where one will be named the national ‘Junior Memory Champion’.

Championship founder, former World Memory Champion, two-time Guinness World Record holder, author and deputy headteacher, Jonathan Hancock, is encouraging all schools to get involved. “Memory techniques can have a really powerful impact on learning. To achieve their full potential in school, children need to be equipped with the best strategies to absorb information in an efficient, coherent and creative way. They need to feel confident in their ability to learn a wide range of material in a form that’s useful and lasting – so The Junior Memory Championship™ is a great first step towards increasing success in tests and exams, but it’s also about building lifelong memory skills.”

To register your school, visit http://www.juniormemorychampionship.com. There is a one-off registration fee of £60 inc. VAT for each school

Careers Week is Coming to KidZania London

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“Children can only be what they know exists.” Dr Ger Graus OBE

19th-23rd September 2016

 

Careers Week

From 19th –23rd September 2016 KidZania London will be hosting its first ever Careers Week.

 

Land a plane with a pilot and cabin crew, join the police on patrol, keep up with the pace of a hospital ward or host your own radio show, KidZania London offers unique experiences to awaken every child’s curiosity.

Partners including British Airways, AlderHey Children’s Hospital, Dorsett Hotels, Global Radio, Hamptons International and Water Aid, are among others at KidZania London’s Career Week giving children the opportunity to try out, listen and ask career experts about their chosen field.

 

Further Information

To support the educational development of KidZania, the city’s ‘THINK TANK,’ including Dr Ger Graus OBE, KidZania’s ‘Director of Education,’ Throughout the week guest speakers from the city’s partners will be hosting talks, which includes Al Jazeera Media Network, British Airways and Global Radio.

For more information on careers week please contact leila.abbaszadeh@halpernpr.com

 

About KidZania

KidZania is the UK’s first educational entertainment experience where children aged four to fourteen can learn real-life skills in a 75,000sq ft. child-size City built just for children. There are over 60 unique and exciting professions to choose from including the Aviation Academy, Radio Station, Police Department, and Hospital. Crucially, adults are not allowed to decide which activities their children take part in – meaning children are given autonomy to make sense of the world and make decisions for themselves.

 

  • Opened in London, Westfield 25th June 2015
  • More than 60 real life role-play activities which are adult free zones
  • Each role-play experience is crafted to teach kids essential life skills including financial literacy, team work and independence
  • A dedicated kidZ-only shop

 

For more information please visit the KidZania London website:

www.kidzania.co.uk @KidZaniaLondon    #KidZaniaLondon

Codelocks introduces new ‘smart’ lock range

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Advanced technology in a standalone lock enables easier access control

 

Newbury, Berkshire, 5 September 2016 – Codelocks announces availability of its first smart lock range, offering flexibility and convenience by providing a range of entry methods. The new CL5500 range utilises wireless technology giving users the ability to connect remotely and choose between pushbutton code, smart card or smartphone access.

 

The keyless entry reduces the need for onsite staff to manage access and the hassle of managing or replacing lost keys. Self-service entry offers accessibility outside normal working hours helping businesses operate more efficiently. Monitoring all access and lock usage is straightforward with comprehensive audit trail data reporting.

 

Using advanced programming capabilities, building managers can control and operate CL5500 locks remotely via a smartphone, update basic settings and generate multiple, date- and time-sensitive codes. The lock can also be set in code-free mode at fixed times of the day when access is required for cleaning, maintenance or deliveries. Users can create up to 10 different code-free periods, which automatically enable when scheduled.

 

Grant Macdonald, Managing Director of Codelocks explains: “We recognise that smart digital locks are the latest IoT-based innovation that can help make building managers’ working lives easier. Our new smart wireless digital locks enable better access control within buildings, while significantly reducing the burden on time for on-going management tasks.

 

“By combining smart technology with wireless access, alongside traditional keypad and card access options, many types of users including building managers, home rental owners and home care service providers will benefit from increased levels of convenience and control.

 

“With so much choice available it’s difficult to know which access control product is best for each businesses’ building, staff, customers and budget, and will work alongside any current systems. Our new CL5500 smart locks offer flexibility, suiting a wide range of environments and varying needs. They are also supported by our team of experts offering application advice and after sales technical support.”

 

David Borrie, co-founder of rehearsal studios business, Pirate Studios, explains how the CL5500 has enabled his company to provide 24/7 access to its customers: “We were very lucky in finding Codelocks when we did.  We were looking for a way to manage customers entering the studio building and individual studio rooms at specific times.

 

“Codelocks fitted CL5510 smart locks on the front door and individual studio room doors, and KL1550 KitLock locker locks on the storage for music equipment. These locks allow codes to be created via an online portal and issued to our customers via email or text message. This eliminated the need for staff to be onsite.

 

“Musicians receive personalised codes for self-service access to the rehearsal space and storage lockers. Unique codes can be issued for different locks, if a musician needed to access their kit, but not a rehearsal space, they would be given two codes: one for the front door and one for storage. Or, for studio room hires, musicians would be given a code for the front door and one for an individual studio door.

 

“Codelocks’ smart locks increase convenience and helps us keep prices low for our customers.”

 

For more information visit http://www.codelocks.co.uk/cl5500.html

HIGH DEMAND FOR NEW BESPOKE ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE FOR SCHOOLS

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More than 120 schools and academies are set to introduce brand new accountancy software designed specifically for the education sector this month, after raising concerns that current systems are not fit for purpose.

 

The new software, HCSS Accounting, has been developed by Macclesfield-based HCSS Education, which worked closely with a group of experienced education finance practitioners and leading figures from academies, schools and local authorities to develop the product over the past two years.

 

The software has been piloted in more than 30 educational establishments in the UK since May, allowing school leaders and finance teams to provide feedback and help fine-tune the final version which launches on the 5 September. Over 90 per cent of the pilot schools have since signed up to use HCSS Accounting as their accountancy system.

 

HCSS Education’s founder, Howard Jackson, decided to develop the system after hearing from several customers that their current accounting software wasn’t fit for the specific needs of schools and academies.

 

He said; “I lost count of the amount of times our customers complained about the challenges they were facing with their off the shelf accounting packages. I knew there was a real demand for bespoke accounting software in the education sector and I was really keen to work closely with schools and academies to develop a product which truly meets their specific needs.

 

“It’s been two years in the making and we are delighted to see so many schools and academies taking up HCSS Accounting before it has even launched to market.

 

“We have built a fantastic team to support and deliver the software and we’re really proud of our associates programme too, which will provide additional training and assistance to our new customers whilst giving associates the opportunity to generate income by supporting other schools and academies with HCSS Accounting.”

 

HCSS Accounting is the first completely web-based accounting package designed solely for the education sector. The cloud-based software allows users access from anywhere, at any time and it’s been developed to be extremely easy to use, so no prior accounting training is needed.

 

Michaela Groves MBE, Academy Business Manager at Atwood Primary Academy, said: “We’ve been crying out for a finance solution which actually works for our school and provides us with the information we need. I’m not surprised to hear so many customers have already signed up. HCSS Accounting is really easy to navigate around and the fact it’s on a cloud-based system means our information is secure and in one place, offering us greater flexibility and convenience. You can really tell that people that do this job day in day out have helped to design it. I’m sure it’s going to make a huge difference for us over the coming years.”

 

HCSS Education is taking orders for the product and has launched an early adopter programme where those that purchase the software now will benefit from up to 50% off the commercial price of HCSS Accounting*. For more information, please visit www.hcsseducation.co.uk/software/hcss-accounting