Is this the most beautiful classroom in the country?

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

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

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

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

In short, if they can both look wonderful and meet the needs of today’s teaching requirements, they will of themselves inspire teaching and learning among all KS1 and KS2 students.

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

So what does such a fantastic classroom look like?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is the most cost effective way of developing the ultimate sports facility in your school?

Inviting members of the local sporting community to use the sports facilities in your school is an ideal way to create a greater sense of community cohesion.

Clearly the facilities need to respond to the practicalities of a whole array of sports and need to withstand constant use all year round, no matter what the weather may be.

And, as important as everything else, they need to be accessible for all ages and abilities and to offer pupils the opportunity to develop their sporting abilities above and beyond.

And, of course, there needs to be immediate finance available.

All Notts Sport sports facility installations aim to achieve exactly this: the ultimate sports facility, which can be financed for your school.

This is what England Rugby Union Head Coach, Stuart Lancaster, said about one of our latest installations…

“This covers all the bases for the school, and the community can use it as well in the evenings and weekends. I think it has transformed the school and I think it could be the key for the school and community linking together.”

This was made possible with the installation of a multi-use sports pitch using our 60mm 3G and NottsPad XC surfacing systems to meet FIFA and IRB standards.

Such surfaces can withstand constant use without affecting the quality of the facility and thus the sporting performance and safety of pupils.

To find out more about the various pitch surfacing systems designed and developed by Notts Sport, click here. And for more information about this installation, or to see other installations of its kind, please visit our blog.

We work closely with schools to make the installation of multi-use sport facilities an affordable option, providing advice on funding where it is needed.

There is further information on our website at http://nottssport.co.uk/, or if you would like to arrange a free review of your sports facilities, please call us on 01455 883 730 or email us at info@nottssport.com

Safety v cost? A practical example that mathematicians, engineers and businesses face when trying to find a solution to a problem.

So that students can see just how important maths is in the world of work, we have put together a practical problem solving exercise called Bridging The Gap. It is designed to simulate the workings of a small team of engineers who are trying to find a solution to a problem by building a bridge between two points.

The students are divided into small teams and challenged to build the Bridge from newspaper and then work out how much it costs to build. It must be suspended 60cm above the ground and money is awarded for each completed piece. Beware though there are costs and time penalties apply.

Teams must forecast how much ‘profit’ they think they can make and then work out how much they actually make. Will your students design it so cheaply that it collapses or will they spend more money to make it strong and sturdy?

The exercise is suitable for both KS3 and KS4 students and runs over one lesson. Each team is given the student brief and finance sheet, a set of resources and a deadline. The winning team is the one who can build the longest bridge and accurately forecast their profit.

A great learning experience and good fun for everyone.

What’s more – we have made it really easy for the teacher to deliver too!

This resource contains: clear teachers’ briefing notes that explain how to run the exercise, resources needed and the assessment criteria. The students exercise brief and costing sheet, resources checklist and the assessment criteria.

How much does this all cost? Only £25.00 and can be re-used over and over again!

There are more details at… http://c-l-e.co.uk/buy-teaching-resources-online/bridging-the-gap-exercise/

You can pay and download the exercise immediately direct from our website using PayPal or you may wish to pay with either a cheque or a purchase order number. Simply e-mail your purchase order number to us and we will send the exercise to you along with the invoice for payment within 24 hours.

Julie O’Brien
Creative Learning Events
0113 3909814
07977 489779
http://c-l-e.co.uk/