School run safeguarding a ‘key concern’ for parents but only two fifths of schools have a policy in place

/in /by

  • Kura announces free safeguarding software to schools in response to research 
  • With 22% of schools not having a policy in place, Kura has also developed a set of transport safeguarding guidelines that all schools can implement to instantly improve the safety of pupils

 

 

Nearly half (49%) of parents are concerned about their child’s safety and welfare on their journey to and from school, reveals new research. 

 

As a result, school transport specialist Kura is giving away free transport safeguarding software to all schools, forever.

 

The nationally representative survey of over 1,000 parents with children of school age, commissioned by Kura, found that 22% of schools do not have a school run safeguarding policy in place. Just 40% of parents are aware if their child’s school has a policy to deal with safeguarding incidents on the school journey and 38% didn’t know. 

 

Danger caused by traffic and busy roads (71%) and the behaviour of other children on the school journey (68%) were the most cited safeguarding concerns. Additionally, parents expressed concern about the potential behaviour of members of the public (58%), the unreliable nature of public transport (44%) and children disembarking at the wrong stop on the homeward journey (34%). 

 

High traffic levels around the school gates also pose a risk to students, exposing them to damaging levels of pollution. According to UNICEF, one in three children in the UK are growing up in areas with toxic air, most of which is coming from vehicle emissions. 

 

Encouragingly, it seems that alternative transport methods are increasing in popularity. Only 15% of parents say their child travels to school via car or taxi, with 52% of parents saying that their child walks to school. Home to school transport services are now used by 16% of students. 

 

Only 37% of parents surveyed felt that their child’s school or transport operator already does enough to safeguard students on the journey to and from school. To ease concerns, parents would like to see more school staff or chaperones on board buses to monitor behaviour (28%), better CCTV on school transport (24%) and more school staff at public transport hubs (21%) – a potentially expensive solution for schools to arrange.

 

Further to this, a fifth (20%) of parents believe that schools need to introduce passenger tracking software to confirm when their child has boarded and disembarked from the bus on the school run to give parents peace of mind. 

 

As a result of these findings, Kura has announced the launch of its free software offering at the annual ISBA conference. This will enable school staff and drivers to see which students are on board and on which route, track school vehicles, manage capacity and access the driver app. Students will also be able to tap on and off the vehicle to enable confirmation of where they boarded and disembarked the service. 

 

Along with the free software, Kura has developed a set of transport safeguarding guidelines that all schools can easily follow and implement to instantly improve the safety of its pupils on the school run.

 

Godfrey Ryan, CEO of Kura, said: “In previous research, we found that 39% of school leadersbelieve that student safeguarding will pose a significant challenge over the next 12 months and it’s clear from our current research that these concerns are also shared by parents. 

 

“Clearly more needs to be done to ensure that the school journey is a key part of a school’s overall safeguarding strategy. 

 

“To reduce the impact of congestion and pollution, as well as enhance safeguarding on the school journey, schools should consider introducing cycling and walking schemes, and the provision of shared transport and home to school (H2S) coach and minibus services. 

 

“School transport technology also has a vital role to play in enhancing safeguarding on the school run, which is why we have made our industry leading transport safeguarding software available free to all schools, forever. We’re passionate about drawing attention to this safeguarding blind spot and ensuring that solutions are accessible to all schools. 

 

“Currently, only 13% of those surveyed said their school uses a home to school service with tracking software. However, schools may well find this allays the fears of parents calling for more chaperones or school staff at public transport hubs, which is extremely difficult to resource.” 

 

David Smellie of Farrer & Co, who is rated as one of the top safeguarding lawyers in the UK, said; “I welcome Kura’s parent survey highlighting the areas of risk of most concern to families today, and also their attempt to mitigate these risks through their free transport safeguarding software and new guidelines.”

 

Schools can sign up for Kura’s new free transport safeguarding software at www.ridekura.com/for-schools

 

Flying the flag for British higher education

/in /by

By Iain Sloan, senior solutions consultant at Ellucian

In education, as the well-known saying goes, change is the only constant. I’ve been working in the higher education sector for two decades and this has never been more apparent than in the last few years.   

Uncertainty continues to reign in international student recruitment, for example, with the combined impact of shifting government policy and increasing global competition at risk of reducing the UK’s draw as a destination of choice for higher education.

The challenge is that a fall in international student fees income would come at a time when the sector is already carrying considerable losses from the shift of learning online during the pandemic. The fees from international students could be key to helping many universities fill this financial void.

Department heads and instructors in our universities are becoming increasingly concerned that less diversity could have a negative impact on the world-class education that has historically attracted overseas students to our shores too.

So, what can higher education institutions across the UK do to help them remain an attractive destination for international students?

A positive experience from the start

Institution that are globally renowned for managing UK visas and documentation such as the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) efficiently will be an appealing prospect for overseas students. One way to achieve this is to automate as much of the admissions process as possible.

Automation drives efficiency and saves time for international student recruitment teams, speeding up the whole process and improving the student experience. Putting key information such as student details, workflows and the status of required documentation into the hands of staff and allowing this data to be shared easily and securely can make a real difference.

Rather than searching for the information they need, staff have more time to focus on helping students and responding to enquiries. This human touch can go a long way towards pushing a university further up the rankings to become the first choice for a student wanting to study in the UK.

A holistic approach to education

All students rightly expect the quality of education being delivered in our universities to be world-class, and the UK has always been right up there among the best. But in these challenging times, institutions are doing more to ensure students’ needs re met.

Everyday costs for accommodation and household bills are considerably higher than they have been in the past, for example, and the vast majority of students who come from overseas are not eligible for the same levels of government support as their UK-based peers. 

With budgets being squeezed there will be fewer opportunities for overseas students to interact socially with their peers too, which could dilute the whole experience of studying abroad for some.

There is also the ongoing investment universities are making to strengthen the student wellbeing and support services they provide in response to growing demand.  

Those universities that continue to recruit from overseas will need to consider what additional spending commitments they need to factor into their short and long-term budget planning to address students’ economic, social and emotional needs.

As the cost of living drives more UK students into cheaper accommodation further away, or the relatively inexpensive option of remaining in the family home, the ability to continue to attract and retain overseas students could, to some extent, provide a counterbalance to these spending commitments.

Firm financial foundations

The higher education sector may need to invest more, and work much harder, to attract the best students and keep them engaged from the beginning of their studies through to graduation. 

Putting the financial foundations in place for success is vital to maintain the UK’s reputation as a world-leader in delivering a quality higher education experience for students from across the globe.

Iain Sloan is a senior solutions consultant at Ellucian. He was formerly student systems development manager at Oxford Brookes University.

Institutions Around the World Improve Digital Accessibility for as many as 1.2 Million Learners in 24 hours

/in /by

Changing mindsets and lives, one-day accessibility competition generated more than 89,000 files fixed

 

– Anthology, a leading provider of education solutions that support the entire learner lifecycle, today announced the results from its fourth annual Fix Your Content Day challenge. More than 85 colleges and universities around the world participated, impacting as many as 1,289,495 students currently studying at those institutions with 89,937 fixes made to improve the accessibility of digital content.

 

“The 24-hour competition that began four years ago has grown into a global movement that is now led by institutional accessibility leaders who understand the imperative of making content more accessible,” said Anthology Chairman and CEO Jim Milton. “More inclusive learning environments empower all students to access material and learn in a way that works for them, ultimately driving student success.”

 

More than 1,500 institutions around the world use Anthology Ally to enhance digital content on their learning management systems (LMS). The result is better learning outcomes for students by improving the usability, readability, and quality of the digital materials in their courses.

 

Anthology Ally empowers learners with the flexibility of choosing the most effective way to interact with digital content. By dynamically enhancing learning materials for student preferences and needs, it automatically provides alternative formats for course content, like audio files, translations, PDFs better formatted for mobile devices and more, all without manual intervention from the institution or instructor. Anthology Ally also provides feedback and direction for instructors, streamlining the process to improve current content and helping to ensure future content decisions consider accessibility.  Institution-wide reporting built into Ally gives administrators a broad understanding of progress being made toward more inclusive learning environments and the ability to quickly identify areas for improvement.

 

By participating in the competition, higher ed institutions and instructors are doing their part to improve the accessibility of course materials and demonstrate their commitment to inclusivity. Winners were determined by the number of files fixed per number of students enrolled on campus, and by region. Each campus had 24 hours to fix as many files as possible. Fix Your Content Day is hosted in support of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD).

Global Fix Your Content Day Winners:

First: Coastal Pines Technical College – Waycross, GA – 9.5 fixes per student and 15,539 total fixes

Second: Georgia Piedmont Technical College – Clarkston, GA – 4.1 fixes per student and 10,749 total fixes

Third: Ogeechee Technical College – Statesboro, GA – 2.8 fixes per student and 1,953 total fixes

REGIONAL WINNERS

North America: Lanier Technical College – Gainesville, GA – 2.6 fixes per student and 6,084 total fixes

Europe and the Middle East: North East Scotland College – Aberdeen, Scotland – 0.25 fixes per student and 2,492 total fixes

Asia Pacific: Charles Darwin University – Darwin, Australia – 0.25 fixes per student and 2,752 total fixes

First Time Participant Winner: Maryville University – Town and Country, MO – 0.39 fixes per student and 1,549 total fixes

 

School run safeguarding a ‘key concern’ for parents but only two fifths of schools have a policy in place

/in /by

Kura announces free safeguarding software to schools in response to research 

  • With 22% of schools not having a policy in place, Kura has also developed a set of transport safeguarding guidelines that all schools can implement to instantly improve the safety of pupils

 

 

Nearly half (49%) of parents are concerned about their child’s safety and welfare on their journey to and from school, reveals new research. 

 

As a result, school transport specialist Kura is giving away free transport safeguarding software to all schools, forever.

 

The nationally representative survey of over 1,000 parents with children of school age, commissioned by Kura, found that 22% of schools do not have a school run safeguarding policy in place. Just 40% of parents are aware if their child’s school has a policy to deal with safeguarding incidents on the school journey and 38% didn’t know. 

 

Danger caused by traffic and busy roads (71%) and the behaviour of other children on the school journey (68%) were the most cited safeguarding concerns. Additionally, parents expressed concern about the potential behaviour of members of the public (58%), the unreliable nature of public transport (44%) and children disembarking at the wrong stop on the homeward journey (34%). 

 

High traffic levels around the school gates also pose a risk to students, exposing them to damaging levels of pollution. According to UNICEF, one in three children in the UK are growing up in areas with toxic air, most of which is coming from vehicle emissions. 

 

Encouragingly, it seems that alternative transport methods are increasing in popularity. Only 15% of parents say their child travels to school via car or taxi, with 52% of parents saying that their child walks to school. Home to school transport services are now used by 16% of students. 

 

Only 37% of parents surveyed felt that their child’s school or transport operator already does enough to safeguard students on the journey to and from school. To ease concerns, parents would like to see more school staff or chaperones on board buses to monitor behaviour (28%), better CCTV on school transport (24%) and more school staff at public transport hubs (21%) – a potentially expensive solution for schools to arrange.

 

Further to this, a fifth (20%) of parents believe that schools need to introduce passenger tracking software to confirm when their child has boarded and disembarked from the bus on the school run to give parents peace of mind. 

 

As a result of these findings, Kura has announced the launch of its free software offering at the annual ISBA conference. This will enable school staff and drivers to see which students are on board and on which route, track school vehicles, manage capacity and access the driver app. Students will also be able to tap on and off the vehicle to enable confirmation of where they boarded and disembarked the service. 

 

Along with the free software, Kura has developed a set of transport safeguarding guidelines that all schools can easily follow and implement to instantly improve the safety of its pupils on the school run.

 

Godfrey Ryan, CEO of Kura, said: “In previous research, we found that 39% of school leadersbelieve that student safeguarding will pose a significant challenge over the next 12 months and it’s clear from our current research that these concerns are also shared by parents. 

 

“Clearly more needs to be done to ensure that the school journey is a key part of a school’s overall safeguarding strategy. 

 

“To reduce the impact of congestion and pollution, as well as enhance safeguarding on the school journey, schools should consider introducing cycling and walking schemes, and the provision of shared transport and home to school (H2S) coach and minibus services. 

 

“School transport technology also has a vital role to play in enhancing safeguarding on the school run, which is why we have made our industry leading transport safeguarding software available free to all schools, forever. We’re passionate about drawing attention to this safeguarding blind spot and ensuring that solutions are accessible to all schools. 

 

“Currently, only 13% of those surveyed said their school uses a home to school service with tracking software. However, schools may well find this allays the fears of parents calling for more chaperones or school staff at public transport hubs, which is extremely difficult to resource.” 

 

David Smellie of Farrer & Co, who is rated as one of the top safeguarding lawyers in the UK, said; “I welcome Kura’s parent survey highlighting the areas of risk of most concern to families today, and also their attempt to mitigate these risks through their free transport safeguarding software and new guidelines.”

 

Schools can sign up for Kura’s new free transport safeguarding software at www.ridekura.com/for-schools

 

 

Global EdTech Company Discovery Education Opens New HQ in Bath

/in /by

Discovery Education – the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place –  has unveiled its new UK and International headquarters in Bath, Somerset. The new offices in Palace Yard Mews were officially opened by Jeremy Cowdrey, CEO and Howard Lewis, UK and International Managing Director at a special ceremony yesterday, 23rd May 2023.

 

Discovery Education’s relocation from London to Bath follows the company’s acquisition of Bath-based Doodle Learning in August 2022. The new Bath HQ houses more than 50 members  of Discovery Education’s UK and International teams focused on delivering the company’s award-winning digital learning services, including Espresso, Coding Health and Relationships and DoodleLearning to millions of students worldwide.

 

Jeremy Cowdrey, Discovery Education’s CEO said:

 

“Discovery Education’s UK and International office plays a pivotal role in our global business. We’re excited to open this new HQ in Bath, a thriving city and growing centre for technology and innovation here in the UK.”

 

Howard Lewis, Discovery Education’s UK and International Managing Director said:

 

“Discovery Education is proud to expand our presence here in Bath. The city’s vibrant tech scene makes it feel like a natural home for us and we’re excited about the opportunities it creates. We’re committed to working with the local community to promote the tech industry, develop future talent and encourage positive change for young people.”

 

Earlier this year, Discovery Education committed to a two-year partnership with Bath-based charity Mentoring Plus, to raise funds to support young people experiencing challenging situations. Discovery Education has also taken part in a number of local community initiatives, such as the Bath Digital Festival, and recruits interns and placement students from The University of Bath – University of the Year in the 2023 Times Good University Guide.

 

Attending yesterday’s opening ceremony in Bath were: CEO Jeremy Cowdrey, UK and International Managing Director Howard Lewis, CFO and COO Brian Shaw, CPO Pete Weir and Product Development Director Tom Minor – who founded DoodleLearning in 2011.

 

The new HQ is just 80 minutes by train from London and a short drive from Bristol Airport, making it easily accessible for partners from across the UK and beyond.

 

Explore Discovery Education’s award-winning digital learning services at www.discoveryeducation.co.uk.

 

Find out more about DoodleLearning’s award winning apps at www.doodlelearning.com.

 

Legionella Risk – Contractor Competency for Schools. – words by Roy Sullivan

/in /by

 

 

To seek reassurance that a contractor is competent to carry out the work they have been requested to undertake; background checks are essential. Assessing competence is far from easy. Most of the time the Local Authority or school must make judgements based on information provided in the form of a contractor’s response, for example, from a questionnaire.

The following are examples of checks that could be made:

  • Evidence of experience of the type of work required to be done;
  • Health and safety policies and practices are all in place and documented;
  • Recent health and safety performance (accidents and/or prosecutions);
  • Health and safety or job-specific qualifications and skills;
  • Selection procedures for sub-contractors;
  • Health and safety training and supervision provided;
  • Any independent assessment of their competence (e.g., UKAS, CHAS);
  • Membership of a relevant trade or professional body (e.g., Legionella Control Association (LCA), WaterSafe);
  • The Contractor is on the Council’s ‘approved list’.

Other Considerations

Before the commencement of work, a ‘pre-contract’ meeting should be held at which, all arrangements are finalised, and each party allowed to raise any last-minute queries and to introduce key members of staff.

It may be worthwhile to reinforce all the health and safety issues, including site rules that have been addressed in the earlier stages. Such a meeting may provide an opportunity to review the method statements and risk assessments prepared for the works or project in hand.

When contractors are working on-site, several practical arrangements may have to be given due consideration. This may include: 

 

  • The use of Permit-to-Work systems (working on domestic hot & cold-water systems);
  • Site rules that are required to be adhered to (e.g., identification, sign-in etc);
  • Site access and security (including vehicle movement and parking);
  • Material/equipment storage (including waste materials);
  • Emergency procedures including evacuation and first aid arrangements;
  • Enhanced DBS checks – This is a must-have in schools!

 

A member of staff should be nominated as the person responsible for Contractors (for example, the admin’ Officer or Site Manager). It is to this person to whom a contractor will report both before work commences on site and once it is completed. 

They should also review the standard of the works being delivered regularly to ensure any problems or omissions identified are rectified at the earliest opportunity.

Conclusion

The duty to ensure cooperation between all parties involved in working with schools is absolute, if a contractor is working on the school, you must ensure they are working safely and you must liaise with them through all stages of the work. 

Ensuring the competency of a contractor to carry out water hygiene duties and preventative maintenance in your school is your responsibility. All local authorities will have a Policy or Safety Code for contractors working on education sites, to assist you, which must be followed. Following the guidance as discussed above will ensure you have done everything “reasonable, foreseeable and practical“ when selecting a contractor to work within your school. If you are still unsure or not comfortable in assessing a contractor’s competency to carry out works in your school, the Water Hygiene Centre will be more than happy to assist. If in doubt, please ask!

Words by Roy Sullivan – Senior Consultant – Water Hygiene Centre

For more, visit; https://www.waterhygienecentre.com

/in /by

Findings explore impact of technology on social-emotional learning, the future role of educators, and student preferences

 

(Blackburn, 19th May 2023) Promethean, a leading global education technology company, has released its seventh annual State of Technology in Education report. The survey of UK educators and, for the first time, pupils, offers insights into the use of technology in schools and its impact on the well-being factors that make up the staff and student experience.

 

According to the research, educators believe social-emotional learning (SEL) has become less of a priority in schools – with 6% fewer respondents saying it’s a key part of their school’s strategy compared to last year’s report. However, most are largely confident in technology’s ability to support SEL (57%), noting how it improves student engagement (71%) and strengthens collaborative or community-based learning (69%). However, the findings showed that almost a third (29%) of schools are yet to implement any SEL-dedicated measures at all.

 

The report also shed light on the benefits technology provides to educators, with improved student engagement (71%) and behaviour (63%), and its ability to support experiential and immersive learning (67%), cited as the key plus points. Many pointed to the advantage that more novel edtech innovations, like AI, provide to schools, with 98% saying they welcome these types of technology.

 

Revealing insights into pupils’ approaches to technology for the first time, the report found that students are resoundingly confident in the technology and its benefits, with 88% saying they enjoy using it in class. Reasons range from helping them connect with peers (83%), making topics more interesting (83%), helping them to focus (83%), and helping them to better understand different subjects (92%). Of the technologies available to students, tablets (59%) outweigh smartphones (30%) in terms of preference. Meanwhile, robotics and coding (25%), and virtual and augmented reality (17%) are growing in popularity, but the results show that many young people are yet to feel entirely confident in their use.

 

“After the turbulence of 2020 and 2021, educators had an opportunity to rebuild a consistent and structured school experience without the risk of sudden closure,” said Jennifer Foreman, chief marketing officer at Promethean. “As part of our seventh annual report, we wanted to see how educators redefined learning, taking forward what had worked well when it came to the use of technology during the lockdown era, and how pupils have responded to that.

 

“What we’ve learnt is that both educators and their pupils are embracing technology – not only how it supports lessons, but also interactivity between peers and students’ emotional needs. Educators are becoming more adept at selecting technologies that complement the curriculum and as a result, digital learning is becoming much more fluid. While there is always room for improvement, it’s clear that technology continues to add value to the learning experience and support student achievement, and we anticipate next year’s findings will continue to support that theory.”

 

Promethean’s UK State of Technology in Education report can be downloaded at prometheanworld.com/gb/stateoftech.

 

 

New Subject Development Resources launched by NASBTT for trainees and Early Career Teachers

/in /by

A new suite of Subject Development Resources, including an on-demand bank of engaging videos, curated supporting resources and information and live sessions on key topics, has been launched by the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT).

 

These high-quality resources, which will be hosted on NASBTT’s dedicated Trainee and Early Career Teacher Hub, will be fully available to subscribing teacher training providers, trainees/ECTs and their mentors from September.

 

An evolution of their successful predecessor, NASBTT Networks Live, every curriculum area across primary and secondary will have five pre-recorded subject development sessions, led by experts from subject associations or institutions.

 

The sessions will focus on the following five areas, all taken from the Core Content Framework:

 

  • An introduction to the Subject.
  • Adaptive Teaching.
  • Anticipating Common Misconceptions in the Subject Area.
  • Memory and Metacognition.
  • Ongoing Subject Knowledge Development and Self-Efficacy.

 

By having this consistency across each subject area, trainees and ECTs will start to understand what some of the key concepts and principles of effective teaching and learning look like but through the lens of a subject, giving them a vital understanding of the nuances and specific knowledge often only built through experience and time.

 

“We originally introduced the NASBTT Networks Live project in the middle of the pandemic when, overnight, ITT providers were having to find a way of supporting trainee teachers to complete their training without the ability to be in school or centre-based training,” said James Coleman, Head of Operations and Training at NASBTT.

 

“The live sessions, hosted by subject experts, took place at 4pm each afternoon and would regularly have upwards of 500 trainees attending each session, which surpassed our expectations. As time moved on, and schools returned to more traditional timetables, trainees had less availability at that time and we have seen a gradual but significant move towards synchronous engagement. This has been coupled with provider curriculums being adapted and prioritising integration with the Core Content Framework.

 

“With these issues in mind, the new project is now a complete suite of Subject Development Resources for trainee teachers that are all linked back directly to the Core Content Framework. They are available to both trainees/ECTs and mentors, allowing the provider the ability to upskill and inform mentors of the key research and theory that trainees are engaging with. There is also the ability for the provider to use three 30-minute videos to support their subject delivery, either by directing trainees to engage with the material ahead of sessions, or by building videos into taught sessions at the centre. It is an exciting development, one we are really proud of.”

 

With a calendar of live sessions already planned covering Embedding Formative Assessment, Behaviour, SEND, Wellbeing, Phonics, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Creating Safe and Inclusive Classrooms and Introduction to Primary Foundation Subjects, delivered by the likes of Dylan William and Sue Cowley, feedback from providers and trainees has been overwhelmingly positive. “We have certainly seen how the NNLs complement and work alongside our SCITT provision and are looking forward to using the new Subject Development Resources,” said Fareham & Gosport Primary SCITT Director Clare Jeffrey.

 

“The on-demand recordings will support trainees’ personalised development at pertinent times for them during the year, and allow them to be more flexible with planning and managing their learning and workload. The NASBTT approach to focusing on key areas through the lens of a subject area mirrors our own curriculum design, so this will help to strengthen the trainees’ continuing development over the year. It is fantastic that trainees have the opportunity to attend live sessions from expert colleagues as part of the NNLs, and we are really pleased to see that these will continue as part of the Subject Development Resources.”

 

Clare highlighted how NASBTT’s provision has impacted on Fareham & Gosport Primary SCITT trainees to date. “We first introduced the NNLs to trainees when they were launched at the height of the pandemic and when they were unable to join us face-to-face for their taught curriculum sessions,” she recalled. “We signposted them on our SCITT weekly newsletter as an optional learning and development opportunity and quickly observed evidence of our trainees engagement with them. As part of our curriculum, we have a session focusing on subject development early on in the programme. We include an introduction and outline of the NNLs in this session and link it to our input on effective professional development and the personalised approaches trainees that will take to develop their own knowledge, understanding, skills and application. Our trainees have the opportunity to plan for the year ahead, incorporating the NNLs into their map. Over time, trainees have developed different ways in which they engage with the NNLs. Initially, lots attended the live sessions but more recently, more and more trainees are accessing recordings at a time when it will be most informative and helpful in their training year, making it a highly personalised approach.”

 

She added: “Since making the NNLs available to our trainees, we have seen clear evidence in their assessments, that they are engaging with and applying their learning from them to develop their own practice.”

 

On 13th June (9.30-11am), NASBTT is offering its members a Subject Development Resources taster session. Click here to register for this free online event, which will be delivered via Zoom.

 

INTERACTIVE INVESTOR IS ON A MISSION TO FIND BRITAIN’S BEST MONEY TEACHERS – WITH A £25,000 PRIZE POT FOR WINNING SCHOOLS

/in /by

  • To nominate a teacher, email teacher@ii.co.uk by 11 September
  • Teachers can nominate themselves: email teacher@ii.co.uk with lesson plan and supporting statement by 29 September
  • New category in 2023 to also celebrate Teaching Assistants

 

Interactive investor, the UK’s second largest investment platform for private investors, is once again on a mission to find Britain’s best money teachers for its Personal Finance Teacher of the Year Awards 2023. Awards are open to teachers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

This is one of the most prestigious awards to recognise creative money education, with a prize of £25,000 to be shared among the winning teachers’ schools across the UK.

 

Covering both primary and secondary schools, past winners have come from a diverse range of schools, including special educational needs schools. This is something ii is keen to point out, given young people with SEND are more at risk from escalating online financial scams, according to Young Enterprise.

 

This year interactive investor is also supporting entries for a new category to honour the most inspirational support teacher/teaching assistant who has gone above and beyond to support pupils to become more confident in money management skills, perhaps to cement maths concepts. 

 

The challenge of encouraging confidence in mathematics was highlighted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement that pupils in England should study maths up to the age of 18 to better equip them for the modern workplace.

 

Whether learning Pythagoras up to 18 is useful for more than just engineers or budding snooker players is up for debate.  interactive investor believes that real world money skills to help the next generation build financial resilience could be far more appealing. And with a continuing cost-of-living crisis affecting so many families, learning to manage money and handle a budget is a vitally important skill young people will need.

Richard Wilson, Chief Executive, interactive investor says: “In a world of buy now pay later, increasingly sophisticated scams, and where young people are more aware of cryptocurrency than any other investment*, good money skills are essential.

“Young people are navigating a far more complex set of financial rules than their parents and grandparents ever did, but while the provision of money lessons in schools remains patchy, there is some fantastic work being done. Please help us find the best money teachers of 2023.

“We want to recognise the amazing, but all too often uncelebrated, contributions that our teachers and support staff make to help young people go out into the world with an understanding of how to manage their money.”

 

How to enter

 

To nominate a teacher or teaching assistant, parents, carers, or pupils should email teacher@ii.co.uk with the teacher’s name along with the name and address of the school, by 11 September 2023. We will then approach the teacher and ask them to submit their lesson plan and brief supporting statement by 29 September 2023.

 

Topics might include budgeting, investment, cash savings, interest rates, credit, and much more, from reception right the way up to sixth form.

 

Teachers can also nominate themselves, by emailing teacher@ii.co.uk with a lesson plan and supporting statement by 29 September 2023. Teaching assistants are also asked to submit evidence of how they have helped communicate money concepts to pupils, and they may also share lesson plans.

 

Personal finance is still a relatively small part of curriculums across the UK, but the skills taught are vital. Through this award, ii is on the lookout for teachers who are designing lessons with imagination and skill.

 

Poor housing is a major barrier to school attendance for young people in England

/in /by

New data shows a 73% increase in children’s concerns about where they live compared to last year

 

Highlights: 

 

  • Housing has now entered the top three presenting issues for young people when referred for attendance support, for the first time in the last two years 
  • Young people are currently seeing ‘where they live’ as one of the biggest barriers to school that they face with challenges including insecure and unsuitable housing
  • Charity campaign says school attendance crisis won’t improve without investment in family support 

 

New data released this week by School-Home Support, an education charity, highlights the significant impact poor housing has on school attendance for young people. The organisation which works with families to improve school attendance, found that poor housing is now one of the top three presenting issues for both young people and their parents. 

 

The data reveals a 73% increase in young people struggling with school attendance whose current housing situation is a major concern. One in five of the young people supported said ‘where they live’ is a major barrier to school. The data sheds light on how issues beyond the school gate affect school attendance if families don’t receive support to tackle the problems they face. 

 

Poor housing is a barrier to good school attendance

 

School-Home Support practitioners are helping more children and their families with housing issues so they can prioritise school.  Practitioners are helping to secure appropriate accommodation, writing to housing officers, signposting other services and making applications to the School-Home Support Welfare Fund to buy essential items like a mattress, a desk or a washing machine 

 

When Esther, School-Home Practitioner met Noah and his mum, her priority was to find out more about their situation. They were living in a refuge following a domestic-violence incident. The refuge was miles away from school and mum couldn’t afford the bus fare everyday. This affected Noah’s attendance at school and he was missing 1 in 5 classes per week.  His  attendance was just at 81% when the family  was referred to School-Home Support. 

 

Esther helped Noah’s mum to look at the property pool, explained the bidding process and encouraged her to call the council for updates on her housing status regularly. Mum and Noah were overjoyed to be awarded council housing in the area where they had a support network, giving the family the stability they needed.

 

Noah’s mum said: “The support from SHS has really kept me going. Esther is the first person who has reached out to me and made me feel like somebody actually cares. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You honestly made me feel so much better and supported even after our first call. You’re brilliant. I can’t remember the last time I felt this happy, thank you” 

 

Esther also encouraged Noah to join the school homework club to catch up on the missed lessons and attendance progressively improved. 

 

“Being able to support and help them through that difficult time has been very humbling and rewarding for me.”  School-Home Support practitioner Esther said. 

 

The data to understand challenges families face

 

This data is drawn from School- Home Support’s Outcome Star tool used by its family support practitioners to understand the nature and level of challenge families face. ‘Where you live’ in the  Outcome Star measures challenges around insecure and unsuitable housing and lack of space.  

Support areas explored by practitioners with the families of absentees are based on these questions:  

 

  • Do you worry about your family having to move house suddenly or having to move to a new place?
  • Do you have your own space or some privacy for playing and studying, even if there are lots of people living in your house?
  • Are there things that are broken and don’t get mended?

 

Full year data ( 2021/22) showed the top three presenting issues for young people as feelings and behaviour, confidence and self esteem and friends as the top absentee children had when they were referred to us.

 

Please see below the presenting issue data for young people (YP) supported by School- Home Support practitioners for two terms: Autumn2022/ Spring 2023.

 

Housing and  where you live has now surpassed ‘ Friends’ as the area of need for absentee YP this academic year to date.  

 

See table below for all four presenting issues together:

 

Presenting Issue No. of YPs with ‘Where you live’ as a presenting issue * % of total Total # YP *
Feelings & behaviour 105 27% 383
Confidence & self-esteem 94 25% 383
Where you live 72 19% 383

 

Friends                           62                                            16%                    383                     

* These numbers represent the number of YP who have completed at least two stars along their journey of support, therefore it excludes those who have only just started being supported.

 

The persistent absence crisis 

 

According to the most recent official statisticspersistent absenteeism has more than doubled, rising from 10.9 per cent in 2018-19 to 22.5 percent last year, equating to 1.6 million pupils. 

 

As part of a campaign launched earlier this year, the charity is calling for urgent practical support for families struggling with school attendance.

 

 The Dig a Little Deeper Campaign  says that despite growing need for the service,  family support is a postcode lottery and the system is failing schools and families. Freedom of Information research from the campaign found that nearly a quarter of referrals made by schools to councils for help with families they were concerned about were returned to schools without action. 

 

The organisation urges the government to prioritise communities with high needs and long-standing structural issues around education and  to ensure that funding is available for all aspects of catch up. It is concerned that the Government’s  Priority Education Investment Areas will be forced to choose between investing in teaching and learning and attendance when action is needed on both. 

 

School- Home Support CEO Jaine Stannard said:

 

‘Persistent absence is a red flag issue. By addressing underlying causes of poor attendance early on, we can prevent issues from escalating. The government’s work on attendance shouldn’t go unnoticed but schools need dedicated funding if they are going to provide pastoral as well as academic catch up’

 

‘Our remit is to improve attendance, but when practitioners start to work with a family, the priority is to find out what is going on for that family and dig a little deeper into barriers to school.  If you are living in temporary accommodation miles away from school or have spent the last night in a car  that  needs to be the priority conversation – there are no quick fixes.  Conversations about attendance can come later on’ 

 

 ‘where I live’ is also a key factor for children when they are in school. We expect children to study at home too (homework, revision etc) yet where they live does not support that (overcrowding, multiple occupancy…),

 

‘Our  data shows that the housing crisis is feeding the education crisis.  The attainment gap is widening and inadequate housing is accelerating it’

 

‘There’s an increasingly well documented crisis in education,  high levels of absence are becoming the norm which is widening the attainment gap.’

 

‘We are losing too many children and families from the education system, too many are already lost for good. That’s a national crisis that needs urgent action.  We need investment in housing and services to support families. Government action needs to go further and faster on both.’

 

“The missing piece in our education system is family support, we need to urgently invest in it or the school attendance crisis will get worse.  A national service of whole family support practitioners in schools designed to improve the bridge between home and school can make a real difference to attendance and attainment outcomes” 

 

About School-Home Support

 

School-Home Support is a national charity which supports families whose children are severely and persistently absent by addressing the root causes of high absence through whole family support. We are campaigning for an appropriately funded, reliable family support network around schools to support the growing number of vulnerable families who need help.

 

Since 1984, we have used early intervention and a whole family support approach to break intergenerational cycles of deprivation and low aspiration. Partnering with schools, local authorities and communities, our expert practitioners work one-to-one with families to establish long-term trusting relationships that build a bridge between home and school. 

 

We look beyond the classroom to tackle the underlying causes of school absence such as poverty, domestic violence or mental health challenges, using bespoke support strategies to overcome barriers to learning and ensure children can achieve their potential.