Birstall Primary Academy receives Spiritual Moral Social Cultural Development (SMSC) Award

Batley based Birstall Primary Academy has received the Silver SMSC Quality Mark for their work that focuses on recognising and developing its pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.

A national accreditation, the award was given in recognition of the schools quality of relationships, its caring and passionate ethos, as well as its use of alternative sessions such as therapeutic learning which is aimed at encouraging the children to be the best they can be.

SMSC is an important part of the curriculum outlined by Ofsted which is awarded to schools that go above and beyond its requirements, being assessed on its effectiveness of leadership management; the overall teaching, learning and curriculum implemented across the school; the provision for extracurricular activities; and, the whole schools approach.

Other initiatives in place at Birstall Primary Academy include the implementation of Junior Leadership teams and Welcome Monitors in classrooms that give the children the chance to express themselves in various ways and feel part of an inclusive environment.

Principal Nadia Sweryt-Hannam commented: “Birstall is a small school that sits right at the heart of our local community, and we place a huge amount of importance on equipping our learners for the world around them.

“We pride ourselves on our caring ethos and are incredibly proud to have received this award in recognition of our commitment to ensuring our children have a huge offering to suit them as individuals, and to encourage them to develop and grow.”

Christopher Green, a teacher at the school who led on the application for the SMSC Quality Mark, said: “This is the first time we have put the school forward for the award and we originally expected to be awarded the bronze recognition, so this is a real achievement for everyone involved.

“Although the audit was daunting with its 90 pages followed by a verification visit, the pupils, staff and governors were able to showcase the school in all its fullness. We are now working to make sure we can be on track to receive the Gold award in due course.

“The work we have covered is vital for our children and their parents in the coming weeks and months and will continue to ensure our pupils receive this development through the activities we are sharing with parents which are both paper-based and online throughout Covid-19.

“This ensures that all of our families get the support that they need, including those who may not have internet or computer devices.”

Birstall Primary Academy operates as part of Focus Trust – a charitable multi-academy trust which is based in the North West of England with a vision of providing an engaging and challenging learning environment where the children are happy.

Find out more about the National SMSC Quality Mark at https://www.smscqualitymark.org.uk/.

• 47% of young people have learned a new skill or rediscovered an old one during lockdown and 44% have become closer to friends and family
• 71% are concerned about their academic knowledge and skills worsening and 46% worry about their mental health
• The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award launches #DofEWithADifference to support young people and encourage participants to continue with their DofE safely

Across the globe, people are adjusting to social distancing and lockdown as a result of Covid-19. Young people at school and those in further and higher education are significantly impacted by cancelled exams and closures.

However, a new survey of 9,913 Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) participants aged 14-25 reveals that, despite the restrictions in place, many young people across the UK are using the time productively to create positive change. The majority (57%) of respondents report to be coping fine or quite well with the loss of their usual routine, with almost half (48%) spending more time than usual being active, 47% using the time to learn a new skill or rediscover an old one, and 44% have become closer to friends and family.

In addition, 25% have felt inspired during lockdown, with many spending the time sharing positive wishes with friends, family and their community. 43% of respondents have sent an encouraging message to someone, almost a quarter (23%) have made a video to make someone smile and a further 25% are more open to speaking with their neighbours.

Ruth Marvel, CEO of the DofE, said: “It’s difficult not to worry about exams and the future, but it’s great to see that young people are using this time to support their community and nurture new or existing skills. We are living through challenging times but it’s inspiring to see young people’s resilience and character shine through.”

The results also show, while 83% are spending more time in front of a screen since lockdown, 34% say social media has a positive impact on their mental health and 44% find the impact neutral.

Despite restrictions in place, additional flexibility added to DofE programmes has seen young people start or continue activities whilst adhering to Government guidelines, during the lockdown. One example of a DofE participant going above and beyond is Philip, aged 22, from Preston, Lancashire. As part of his Gold DofE, Philip volunteers with St John Ambulance, where he has learnt lifesaving first aid and is part of a vital support team at events. He is now using these skills to join the frontline, and has done extra training to be able to support the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.

Philip commented, “The intent is for us to be able to take easier tasks off the hands of the doctors and nurses, so their skills can be used where they are needed more. I started volunteering for St John Ambulance so that I had the skills to help people in their time of need, and volunteering for the NHS at this time is the best way for me to do that. Even if I only manage to help one person, then it will have been worth the effort.”

The DofE’s research also highlights the struggles some young people are facing. 46% of respondents are concerned about how lockdown and social distancing may impact their mental health, 53% worry about the effect on their physical health and fitness, and 71% are concerned it will impact their academic knowledge and skills. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a further 89% report feeling bored.

Since lockdown, the DofE has enhanced its existing flexibility of programmes to ensure the 490,000+ young people actively doing their DofE can safely continue to do so. #DofEWithADifference has been launched to help young people adjust their programmes, provide inspiration for alternative activities, and offer practical advice for participants to continue with, and celebrate, their achievements. The DofE is also working in collaboration with other youth organisations under the #iwill umbrella on a campaign designed to harness young people’s energy, talent and ideas to make a positive difference during this crisis.

Ruth commented:

“At a time when the familiar routines of school and day to day life have been stripped away, the DofE has a crucial role to play in providing young people with continued structure, positive focus and, ways of connecting with their peers and wider communities.

“But it’s increasingly clear that the impact of this crisis on young people is going to last long beyond the immediate lockdown. The DofE will continue to champion young people all across the UK, supporting them to develop the adaptability, resilience and human skills they will need to thrive in the uncertain world that waits for us beyond Covid-19. We will also continue to collaborate with other youth organisations to advocate for the needs of young people and to celebrate the energy, positivity and skills that they have to offer.”

Global display manufacturer, BenQ has launched its latest interactive whiteboard solution, EZWrite Live, a free web-based platform. In light of the global shift to working and learning from home, EZWrite Live allows collaboration between multiple users from a web browser anywhere in the world, facilitating distance learning. 

Fully accessible from any device with access to a web browser, BenQ is enabling more people than ever before to engage with its cutting-edge whiteboarding solution built for education. EZWrite Live allows users to create, share and begin collaborating on a virtual whiteboard within seconds, all via the cloud.

With two modes: broadcast and co-create, teachers can switch between visual lectures or interactive lessons which encourage students to use the annotation and use sticky note features on the content in real time. Built-in VC enhances one-to-one sessions, with live discussion alongside the collaborative canvas.

Additional tools such as lesson record and file share allow teachers to save the lesson for future reference, or incorporate different assets and imagery into the lesson. It also encourages students to bring in documents, imagery or ideas for participants to discuss and annotate. Built-in templates give teachers easy access to different scenarios and ways to use the board, or upload their own templates, keeping things lively.

Being web-based, EZWrite Live allows teachers to host and record lessons as if they were in the classroom, with students participating from anywhere in the world. By scanning a QR code or clicking the link, students can fully engage and participate in lessons safely from wherever they are.

Try the whiteboard here: https://ezwrite.benq.com/live#/ or visit the website for more information: https://business-display.benq.com/en/findproduct/ifp/software/ezwrite-5.html

Latest data from the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology, has revealed a 45% week-on-week increase in education and training vacancies for the week ending 26^th April as educational establishments seek to replace critical staff on sick leave and ensure facilities remain open for children of key workers. Job postings numbered 8,723 as of 19^th April and by 26^th April had risen to 12,650.

This is in keeping with education unions’ warnings that up to a fifth of teaching professionals were already self-isolating in the days before school closures were announced, and up to a third were off sick, suggesting that ongoing shortages of talent continue to impact the sector.

Broadbean Technology’s data also indicates that while a large proportion of hiring in the education is being driven by current short term teacher shortages, the ‘recruitment process is still very much happening’ for other roles to ensure talent is in place for the new academic year in September.

Beyond educational establishments, the growth in demand for training professionals could, in part, be attributed to the increasing number of businesses investing in staff development – particularly for those who have been furloughed. And the recent announcement that the Department for Education has launched a collection of online courses will likely lead to an on-going uptick in demand over the coming weeks.

Alex Fourlis, Managing Director at Broadbean Technology, commented on the results:

“This leap in vacancies for education and training experts not only indicates a short supply of teachers currently, but also that despite the uncertain times we are operating in, talent pipelining and future planning is continuing to ensure that establishments have the talent they require for the new academic year.  And as training for furloughed staff becomes widely championed by not only employers themselves, but also the Government, we expect to see a steady stream of opportunities in this sector over the coming weeks.”

“While the future still looks uncertain for the employment market as a whole, our data suggests that for the moment at least the education and training arenas are showing promising signs. However, with shortages within the teaching profession widely reported even before COVID-19, engaging with talent and pipelining will remain important for establishments as they navigate the current climate and beyond.”

Simon Carter, Marketing and Propositions Director, RM Education explains why it’s important to ‘maintain momentum’ when it comes to education during lockdown.

“As schools continue to face extraordinary challenges as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the launch of a “virtual cybersecurity school” for teenagers is testament to the successes of newly established home-schools across the country. Schools are doing all they can to ensure learning resources are available online but, in order to maintain that momentum, summer schools and holiday clubs must do the same by offering digital alternatives during lockdown.

“It’s only through access to the technology many of us take for granted day-to-day that pupils and their parents and carers have been able to adapt to home learning in such a short time. It’s not only highlighted the importance of an effective digital strategy for schools, but also the importance of digital skills for young people. Digital literacy has become vital to our economy and – as has been demonstrated in recent works – underpins our ability to stay organized, educated and in touch with our loved ones wherever we are.

“Online initiatives are a lifeline for teachers and parents at a time like this, and one of the few ways to keep pupils engaged indoors while social distancing restrictions are still in place. By providing courses such as this one for teenagers, it helps to improve young people’s employability, the standard of their education during lockdown and – more importantly – their confidence and mental health while they’re at home. Institutions that do so for free will be remembered fondly by parents and schools long after restrictions have been lifted and rightly so.”