As a librarian, how can you support young people with SEN to examine their own feelings and recognise those feelings in others?

Learning to read how other people feel and how to react is difficult for all young people. And, of course, it’s even more challenging for those with learning difficulties.

Which is why we have produced the Relationship Activity Pack – to help young people with special needs examine their own feelings – anger, frustration, embarrassment, happiness – and recognise those feelings in others.

The Relationship Activity Pack consists of:

  • Six story books, which support the ASDAN Transition Challenge and Towards Independence Life Skills courses, each exploring a different situation where it is important that young people identify their emotions, as well as the emotions of others.Titles include, “The Date: Rachel’s Story” and “The Date: Mike’s Story” (differing opinions and sides to a story), “Mum’s New Boyfriend” (accepting a parent’s new partner), “My Teacher” (understanding teacher/pupil relationships), “Sisters at War” (managing sibling tension) and “Staying Out Late” (the issues it raises with parents).
  • A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text. It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.
  • An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include: Missing Words, Quizzes, Drag and Drop, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference, and How Well Did You Read?.
  • Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT (saving 10% on the price of individual elements).

Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

For further information, please click here.  Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.

Janie Nicholas

The simple solution to ensuring a hassle free start to lessons and exams……..

Every now and again I get to chat with current or former teachers and one of the topics that often crops up is why many students don’t seem to be able (or willing) to bring a pen, pencil, ruler etc to their lessons.

Apparently this causes a fair bit of disruption while some students try to beg, steal or borrow the basic kit they need to benefit from their lesson.

In an attempt to solve this problem there’s a product called the Student Essentials set,” which, as the name suggests, contains all the basics that students need for most lessons.

Consisting of three quality black ink ballpens, two full length HB pencils, eraser, 15 cm ruler and a metal sharpener, all packed in a A5 size, clear PVC “exam friendly” wallet with a zip slider.

From just 75p each (ex vat) the “Student Essentials set” is a convenient and cost effective solution to the problem of students who don’t have the correct kit for lessons. It’s particularly useful at exam time……

Full details at: www.signposteducational.co.uk

You can order by email: signpost@talk21.com, phone, fax or post

Tel: 020 7515 1797 or fax: 020 7515 4420

Signpost Educational Ltd., PO Box 999, London, E14 6SH

Is there a solution to the problem of wasted time and disruption at the start of lessons or exams…..?

There’s probably more than one reason why lessons or exams don’t always begin as smoothly as teaching staff might like……

It could be that students have just come from a PE or games lesson and they haven’t all managed to change quickly enough.

It might be that the lesson in question occurs just after break time when there’s a handful of students still kicking a football around in the playground.

But it’s more likely that some of them may not have brought essential equipment like a pen, pencil, ruler etc to the lesson. Several minutes can then be wasted while those students try to beg, borrow or steal what they need for the lesson.

Thankfully there’s a simple and helpful solution to this problem.

It’s the “Student Essentials set.” 

The Student Essentials set is ideal to hand out at the start of a school day or before exams. Apart from some specialist subjects like maths it contains all a student is likely to need for their lessons. From just 75p each, ex vat it’s a cost effective solution to the problem of wasted time and disruption at the start of lessons or exams.

The Student Essentials set comprises three quality black ink ballpens, two full length HB pencils, a 15cm ruler, metal sharpener and eraser, all packed in a clear “exam friendly” PVC zip-up wallet.

More details can be found at: www.signposteducational.co.uk/student-packs or you can order directly from signpost@talk21.com or fax: 020 7515 4420.

PS. If you need further information please call 020 7515 1797 and ask for Martin Evans.  He’ll be pleased to answer your questions or take your order on the spot.

Why inviting a professional storyteller into your school has never been easier – and why you should do it.

If you have ever been fortunate enough to have a professional storyteller come into your school, you will know that the engagement and participation levels among your pupils are greater than you could have ever imagined.

But this is not all professional storytellers are capable of.

Indeed, they have the ability to inspire a passion for books, reading, or a particular topic area, and teachers frequently report pupils’ memory to be enhanced, their concentration to be improved, and their communication skills to be enriched.

But there is a problem.

Because professional storytellers are so beneficial to children’s learning and development, and because professional storytellers are somewhat rare, their availability is often limited.

Not to mention that professional storytellers can be costly due to travelling expenses (as very few schools are fortunate enough to have a professional storyteller on their doorstep).

Recently, however, Snail Tales have made it possible for children in all schools in the UK to reap the benefits of professional storytelling with Storytelling at a Distance.

You may have already seen our work with the Oxford Reading Tree on engaging children through recorded storytelling performances. Now we have built upon this method to achieve even greater engagement and participation with your children.

How? Through Skype-style interaction.

For more information about Storytelling at a Distance, including the benefits, how it works, available dates, and how much it costs, please visit our website. Alternatively, you can call us on 020 328 6245 or email us at stories@snailtales.org

We’d appreciate your help in completing the Special Needs Week Survey of the work of SENCos in schools throughout the UK.

Special Needs Week takes place between 13 and 17 June, and as part of this event we are conducting research into what special needs SENCos have to deal with, which special needs cause particular difficulty, whether colleagues in the school have a full grasp of what SENCos like you do, and whether demands on your time are expanding.

To help us gather this information – the results of which will be published on the Special Needs Week website – we are asking all SENCos to complete a very short questionnaire. It will only take two or three minutes at most to complete.

So if you would like to participate in this questionnaire, which is of course completely anonymous, please click here.

Once we have gathered in the results of the survey we’ll be writing again with details of the results and also putting these results on line on the Special Needs Week website.

Special Needs Week is being sponsored by Aspire GB, Clicker 7, Dysgraphia Help, Dyscalculia Centre, Multi-Sensory Learning, PTUK, Robinswood Press, SEN Press, and Turnabout Programme.

If you have any enquiries about this research, please do write to HQ@specialneedsweek.co.uk or call 01536 509822.

Tony Attwood

How to get Top Marks in Edexcel French IGCSE Writing Questions

The essay writing questions might seem daunting at first but this is one section of the paper where you, as the candidate, are in control. As long as you answer the questions and cover all the bullet points, you can decide what to write.

This is an easy way to score marks, and the writing sections of the paper count for 30 marks (10 for the shorter writing task and 20 for the longer writing task) which is 25% of the total marks. If you do well in this part of the paper it can make all the difference in being able to move up the grade boundaries.

This pack will explain what is required for the two writing questions for the Edexcel French IGCSE specification. Sample questions will be looked at, with tips for essay techniques, followed by sample essays, with examiners’ comments. Writing tasks from each of the topic areas will be looked at, for both the shorter and longer writing tasks.

The five topic areas are:

1. Home and Abroad
2. Education and Employment
3. House, home and daily routine
4. The modern world and the environment
5. Social activities, fitness and health

56 pages – Price £39.99 (excluding VAT)

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

To see sample pages please email info@classroom-resources.co.uk quoting the order code H9231

You can order the Edexcel French IGCSE – Essay Writing Skills CD-ROM in any of these ways: 

  • On our website
  • By phone on 0117 940 6409
  • By fax on 0117 940 6408
  • By email (quoting a school order number) to info@classroom-resources.co.uk
  • By post to: Classroom Resources, 9 Logan Road, Bristol, BS7 8DU

Classroom Resources Ltd
9 Logan Road,
Bristol,
BS7 8DU

www.classroom-resources.co.uk
info@classroom-resources.co.uk

Tel: 0117 940 6409

Student trips to Germany 2016 and 2017 – planning tools for teachers

Organizing students trips is among the most exciting and stressful activities in your school year.   The information in this newsletter about trips to Germany will help you to bring success to every step of the process – and make your next trip the most enjoyable and rewarding ever for you and your students!

In this Issue:

–       Creating student trip with the new module system by Go2City
–       Germany’s Rhineland – 4 of the best cities for student travel
–       Christmas Market 2016 special – DJH City Hostels in Bonn and Düsseldorf
–       Free overnight stays for teachers and chaperones

Creating the perfect Germany travel program  – the new module system by Go2City

You know how much work goes into building the best program for your group travel: Finding the right accommodations, then securing all activities and events – many phone calls and emails and weeks of work, or working with expensive tour operators.

New one-stop shopping for UK teachers – the catalog of options for affordable group travel to Germany’s Rhineland at go2city.travel

You’ll find all the information you need in one place:

  • Information about 4 of the best cities in Germany for student travel:  Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Duisburg
  • Top quality accommodations that comply with the highest UK standards for student groups – at low prices starting at Euro 24,90 per person per night including all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and all taxes!
  • Ideas and options for tours, activities, educational programs, day trips, and more.  We have hundreds of options for programs in all four cities and beyond. Find descriptions, prices, photos and videos and choose the best options for your program needs.
  • Booking online or with your dedicated Go2Citiy team.  Our online booking options include packages and individual modules.  Or call our team with your specific needs and we’ll create a customized program for you.

Organizing the perfect student trip to Germany has never been easier.

Complete list of all hostels in the DJH City-Hostel Group:

Bonn – DJH Hostel Bonn
Cologne – DJH City-Hostel Cologne Deutz
Cologne – DJH City-Hostel Cologne-Riehl
Duisburg – DJH Hostel Landschaftspark
Duisburg  – DJH Hostel Sportpark
Düsseldorf – DJH City-Hostel Düsseldorf

Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr Region – 4 Great Cities – 7 City Hostels – Hundreds of Options

Introducing four amazing city destinations in the Rhineland for your next trip:
Cologne – 2,000 years old yet young and vibrant
Bonn – the site of fascinating German post-war history
Düsseldorf – state capital known for world-class art and culture scene
Duisburg – amazing example of the beauty of German industrial culture.

We invite you and your group to explore and enjoy these cities and all they offer!

Introducing: Go2City, the travel and service agency of the youth hostels in Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Bonn

We hope to see you in Germany’s Rhineland in 2016, and please feel free to contact our office in NYC at any time with your questions and ideas. We’ll be happy to send you a personalized proposal for room reservations, programs, and all your city activities.

Christmas Market 2016 special – DJH City Hostels in Bonn and Düsseldorf

Now’s the time to secure the best spots for one of the most beautiful seasonal Germany experiences – a trip to the wonderful Christmas Markets.  Bonn and Düsseldorf are not only among the best cities in Germany for student travel, but they also have two of Germany’s most beautiful Christmas Markets — and our specials there make a trip during the holiday season this year even more affordable and easy.

Details (valid for bookings for stays between November 1 and December 24, 2016):

DJH City-Hostel Bonn Special

3 nights:  59.90 Euro per person per night in multi-bed room (regular price: Euro 83.90)!

Includes:

– 3 nights in multi-bed room
– All-you-can-eat breakfast buffet
– Admission and guided tour of famous Chocolate Museum in Cologne (tour in English)
– All taxes

DJH City-Hostel Düsseldorf Special

Overnight stay:   30.90 Euro per person per night in multi-bed room (regular price:  Euro 37.40)

Includes :

– 2 meals: all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet and lunch or dinner
– All taxes

Free overnight stays for teachers and chaperones

Don’t forget: Teachers stay for free!

With any booking of 10 students or more, teachers stay for free during the stay.  That’s one single room per 10 students, plus breakfast (2 rooms for 20 students, etc.).

For more information about DJH, to request a customised proposal or to book your group reservations, please contact:

Rainer Perry

Marketing & Sales Manager North America UK & Ireland

DJH Go2City
934 8th Avenue 2b; New York, NY 10019; USA
phone: +1 646 207 6406
email: rainer@go2city.travel
www.go2city.travel
www.city-hostel.de

Check out our free online resources:
In-house agency Go2City
http://www.djh-rheinland.de/docs/city-hostels/ebooks/go2city_en/index.html

What is an effective strategy for ensuring progression in French throughout KS2?

For your pupils to make swift progress in French, it’s important that they are not only learning topic vocabulary, but also grammar. Better still, it is important that there is an effective strategy for combining both French vocabulary and French grammar to enable them to create their own sentences.

Which is why Brilliant Publications has developed Learn French with Luc et Sophie – a two-part series of engaging French storybooks suitable for children learning French at KS2.

Each series includes 14 units, 14 songs to reinforce vocabulary and 14 storybooks which feature a young brother (Luc) and sister (Sophie) and their friends and family. The stories provide an enjoyable, stress-free way to learn the rhythm of the language, intonation, and pronunciation.

The stories use simple sentence and language structures and offer the opportunity for your pupils to learn key vocabulary in context and to phrase things as a native speaker would.

Furthermore, the storybooks in each series are available both as mini 8-page books and as IWB files which enables them to be read individually, in small groups, or as a whole class. This makes it easy to present written and spoken language together so that children can see the links between them.

We have also devised a number of accompanying activities and games which will encourage your pupils to use the language naturally and without going through lengthy and complex thought processes.

The resource can be used by a teacher with limited knowledge of the language, made possible by translations of the text in the teacher’s book and audio files of all vocabulary and texts as well as the stories and songs. There are also self-assessment sheets so you can easily monitor progress and ensure full coverage of the Foreign Language Programmes of Study.

You can order Learn French with Luc et Sophie 1ère Partie for Years 3-4 and Learn French with Luc et Sophie 2ème Partie for Years 5-6 in a variety of ways, including:

  • By visiting the website
  • By phone on 01449 766629
  • By fax on 01449 768047
  • By email to orders@tradecounter.co.uk
  • Or by post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.

Brilliant Publications,
Mendlesham Industrial Estate,
Norwich Road,
Mendlesham,
Suffolk,
IP14 5ND.

website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
email: orders@tradecounter.co.uk

phone: 01449 766629
fax: 01449 768047

Every noticeboard says two things to those who see it. The key task is to make sure that both messages are the same.

Imagine a noticeboard that contains up-to-date information on all the exciting, different, new, and indeed exhilarating things that are going on in your school.

On such a board there are two overall messages. One is the information that a certain event takes place on a particular day in a particular place.

The other is the sub-consciously sent message that this school is lively, engaging, and up-to-date.

But supposing the noticeboard itself looks a bit worn down and uncared for.  Suddenly all the overt information on the noticeboard is less appealing.  It is the sub-conscious message that now becomes the main focus.

It may be regrettable, but it is a fact of modern living that appearances mean a lot. That’s why we take the trouble to ensure that pupils and students attend in uniform, so that there is a sense of order and well-being within the school.

Noticeboards do have a key part to play in this; the modern, well-organised, engaging noticeboard announces that this is a school that puts things in order and make things happen.

In short, it proclaims what sort of school this is.

Greenbarnes Ltd is probably best known in the education sector as the supplier of high quality honours boards. We offer a range second to none, backed up by an efficient service so that you can update your noticeboards simply and economically.

We have a range of styles of outdoor noticeboards which you can see on our website.

Alternatively, please do call us on 01280 701093 and we’ll be pleased to discuss our boards, send you a brochure, and give any advice and guidance that you may require.

Our mission to relieve the pressure from teachers that illness exerts

Theoretically, as a teacher you are more likely to be off work for illness than employees of most other professions due to the high number of children that you encounter on a daily basis.

Yet the DfE reports that teachers take an average of just 7.9 days off each year – similar to the average number of days taken by employees from across all sectors, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

It is thought that the presence of a culture of fear in schools often prevents teachers from taking the time off that they need when they are ill, but perhaps greater than this is the pressure that teachers put on themselves to get back to teaching before they’re ready.

With this in mind we’ve produced The Absent Resistant Materials Teacher Worksheet Series.

So if you are ill, at least you know that your students will always have work to do – which will hopefully relieve the pressure a little bit.

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

Activities range from a discussion on how to replace, reuse and recycle plastics to limit pollution, to comprehension questions on alloys.

Each topic area is followed by a wide range of questions, an extension task through which (for example) the students are required to explain how a shortage of chromium, nickel and zinc will affect our lifestyle, and a homework task in which the students have to create a poster explaining the difference between thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics.

The volume covers such topics as metal, plastic, wood, destruction of the forests, plastic pollution, safety in the workshop, etc. etc.

You can order The Absent Resistant Materials Teacher Worksheet Series online as a download for £10 by visiting http://www.absent-teacher.com/eworkbooks.html

If you quote HH10% into the message box when you make your purchase on PayPal, you will receive a 10% refund on your order.

How can schools create a manageable computing journey at Key Stage 2 when there are so many free tools to use?

In the run up to the launch of the new computing curriculum, as well as after it was phased in, there was a collective intake of breath from teachers up and down the country as they absorbed what it all meant.

For many teachers the notion of writing and debugging programs or explaining simple algorithms was well beyond their every-day experience and certainly not in their training.

Fortunately at the time there was already a string of free web based tools out there to use and a couple of these have proved really successful like Scratch from MIT & Daisy the Dinosaur.

Thankfully, it also seems sometimes that many children tend to be a little more fearless with technology – a strength when it comes to Computing!

With all the free tools that some school enthusiasts started to champion it soon became apparent that while they were free there was little if any support or influence on how products developed – how could there be if the tool was free?

The result for some schools has been a bird’s nest of logins for different tools, varying user interfaces, unreliable work saving and patchy levels of school service. Factors like these undermine teacher confidence who just want it to work. Schools love saving money but when the cost is not having a reliable learning environment then its surely too high.

The mission at Blippit has been to get key elements of the computing curriculum under one roof and to help develop curious learners through authentic learning – even to the point of publishing apps (with the teacher’s approval) on our free app store, Planet Blippit.

Blippit IO, through its powerfully simple tools, opens the door to computational thinking, logical reasoning and unexpectedly – writing.  You can use our templates or just create your own.

To try Blippit IO for your school just visit us here and if you decide that Blippit IO would serve your schools needs you can upgrade here.

If you have any questions or queries about Blippit IO please do call 01772 657 100 or email support@blippit.co.uk  John Bidder

SRE – It’s essential we get it right.

Recent research now suggests that more and more the responsibility for delivering good and correct sex and relationship education is falling to schools and teachers as opposed to parents or families. But with budgets and curriculum hours for PSHE being cut how is it possible to deliver involving, informative and relevant sex and relationship education?

It is hard for schools to compete in an age where technology, the media and the pornography industry target young people in an exciting and provocative way as it promotes to them an image of beauty, sexuality, love and relationships that undermines their self esteem and promotes an unrealistic image of who they should be and what they should be doing.

Now it is more important than ever to create sex and relationship education that can be as compelling, as exciting, as influential as the media campaigns it is battling.

Tip of the Iceberg Theatre Company has been delivering SRE projects in schools across the country for the past 15 years. ‘The Sex Factor’ project uses a mix of performances, workshops and up-front honestly to tackle the difficult and vast topic of sex and relationships education.

For the participants involved you can forget disturbing diagrams and awkward talks; this is Sex Ed with a difference. Our experience has shown that to affectively reach and address the attitudes of a young audience it is not enough to deal with the ‘nuts and bolts’ of these personal issues, but rather the heart and soul.

The work of the theatre company does not give simple answers, or tell audiences what to do, however, encourages them to ask questions, consider themselves and others and to be aware of the many influences affecting them, giving them options for positive solutions and an understanding of the importance of life changing choices.  Our projects are constantly being adapted as the needs of pupils and schools change, however, we always aim to deliver relatable and thought provoking work.

“PSHE is a crucial part of preparing young people for life. It can provide them with the knowledge and confidence to make decisions which will affect their health, wellbeing and relationships, now and in the future.” (Stroud News and Journal, 11.1.16)

Read about how our projects support OFFSTED findings on PSHE education

“Together we can be outstanding” Click here

The Sex Factor project is suitable for years 9-11 and consists of 2 plays and a range of workshop options for a half or full day.  The project can be delivered for up to 300 pupils (depending on performance space). Working with your school we adapt workshop options (timings/sizes) to suit your requirements and endeavor to provide the most effective PSHE solutions for your budget.

Prices start at:

£675 + VAT for a half day

£950 + VAT for full day

View a video and read more about “The Sex Factor” here

We have a range of other shows with different topics for years 7-13 and work with many schools on a complete PSHE programme so please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.

Email: admin@tipoftheiceberg.biz Tel: 07519593711 or 0845 4747907

www.tipoftheiceberg.biz

Do we have enough exam desks for all our students?

GCSE exams are just around the corner but sometimes it’s only at the last moment that someone realises there’s not enough exam desks. If this happens it’s panic all round and a desperate search to find a supplier who can deliver more exam desks at short notice.

If you need exam desks in a hurry then Central Educational Supplies can help. With prices from £13.75 (ex vat) for folding desks plus quick delivery (often next working day) you can see the range on their website.

www.centraleducational.co.uk

For exam desks, folding chairs plus a wide range of classroom tables and chairs you can check out the options on their website or give them a call on 020 7515 1797 or email your requirements.

Central Educational Supplies Ltd., PO Box 999,  London E14 6SH

www.centraleducational.co.uk      signpost@talk21.com

Tel: 020 7515 1797   Fax: 020 7515 4420

PS. Whatever else you do, don’t throw your old furniture in the skip until the new stock arrives!

If you would like more information or discuss a possible order, call 020 7515 1797 and ask to speak to Martin Evans who will be pleased to assist.

Discover the 9 good reasons why 5,000 UK schools are already using Mathletics … …

…. AND WE WILL GIVE YOU A 10th …

FREE ACCESS THIS SUMMER TERM FOR YOUR SCHOOL
NOW THAT’S AN OFFER THAT REALLY ADDS UP!

Hi Maths Subject Leader

3P Learning recently surveyed the schools using its Mathletics digital resource to ask them to share with us the reasons why they use it and the impact and benefits they have seen as a result.

They told us that there are 9 very good reasons!

Read on to learn what they are, to register for your free trial and to take advantage of this fantastic summer term offer…

The 9 reasons your school should subscribe to Mathletics…

1) Mathletics is proven to significantly improve levels of attainment and progress (independently validated by the University of Oxford)

2) Mathletics creates hugely increased levels of pupil engagement, confidence and motivation in maths

3) Mathletics contains fully aligned curriculum content, supporting a mastery approach, developing the core skills of mathematical fluency, problem solving and reasoning

4) Mathletics comprehensively supports SATs preparation

5) Mathletics provides powerful diagnostic reporting and assessment tools to assist with “life after levels”

6) Mathletics can help close the attainment gap for FSM (Pupil Premium) pupils

7) Mathletics can play a key role in encouraging a “Growth Mindset” in maths

8) Mathletics is shown to assist in building parental engagement

9) Mathletics effectively supports personalised learning

For full information on the 9 reasons why Jenny School should subscribe to Mathletics, please click here

About Mathletics

Mathletics is a multi-award-winning digital resource used by more than 5,000 schools across the UK. It is proven to significantly improve results and pupil engagement in maths.

Mathletics contains fully aligned curriculum content, supporting a mastery approach, developing the core skills of mathematical fluency, problem solving and reasoning.

For teachers it offers powerful differentiation, assessment and diagnostic reporting tools.

Mathletics can be accessed on PCs and tablet devices both at school and at home, making it great as a classroom resource for teaching and learning and for setting homework.

Get in touch now by emailing info@mathletics.co.uk and enjoy your free access this summer term if you subscribe.

If you have any questions whatsoever, please contact us using our details below and we will be very happy to help.

We would love to welcome your school into the Mathletics community, so get in touch now to enjoy your summer term free access!

Kind regards,

3P Learning
0117 370 1578
info@mathletics.co.uk

Take a world that is completely different from ours – and those creatures completely different from ordinary people like us

David Stoll  (SEALSONGS, DICK OTTINGTON) has a new song collection for Primary Schools available for download from First & Best. The package also contains a specially written story script for a narrator which weaves all the songs together.

Thus THE CUCKOO ROCK SONGBOOK can be used as a basis for individual songs to be sung in assembly or simply within the class, or it can be a complete production for presentation to parents and the rest of the school – without any need for complex staging, special lighting or any other effects that may or may not be available.

The collection includes twelve settings of poems by Phil Bowen. These magical poems are full of unusual characters, colourful scenes and surprising wordplay; the original book was short-listed for the CLPE prize.

The music has echoes of 60’s rock as well as various contemporary styles. The SONGBOOK includes both printed piano accompaniment and pre-recorded full backing tracks with permissions for use.

You can see an extract from the songbook here http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/primary/CUCKOOROCKsample.pdf and you can hear the backing track here http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/primary/01 cuckoo rock.mp3

A copy of the complete collection of songs and the narrator’s script is available as a download from http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=820

The price is £16.95 plus VAT (the VAT can be reclaimed in most cases by the school).

THE CUCKOO ROCK SONGBOOK is distributed by First and Best in Education, part of the Hamilton House group. If you have any enquiries you can call 01536 399 011, or email sales@firstandbest.co.uk or write to us at First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct, Earlstrees Rd, Corby, Northants NN17 4HH.

The full range of First and Best books can be seen at www.shop.firstandbest.co.uk

EDpaX Primary French, Spanish and German

Remove the stress … No preparation or expertise is needed
when using EDpaX Primary Language products.

What are they? – Each language is a fun, sound enhanced product which provides 28 visual and colourful interactive whiteboard topics enabling and supporting the teacher when delivering a Primary language.

Lessons at your fingertips! No preparation is needed. The versatile lessons provide a wide variety of teaching pages with associated games and activities for the pupils. Each product introduces and reinforces initial language, spelling, vital verbs, simple sentence structure and small paragraphs.

Teachers’ Note – Whew! No need for you to have any experience of teaching a foreign language – a Teacher’s Help button is provided on every page offering detailed guidance and support.

Photocopy Workbooks each containing 56 differentiated photocopy pages which reinforce and consolidate every topic are included as a SPECIAL OFFER. Planning grids detailing the language used in each topic are there too.

Here are the titles of each topic …

Disk 1

Disk 2

All About Me Numbers 0 – 12 Classroom Language Shopping
Alphabet Numbers 13 – 39 Classroom Objects Shops
Colours Numbers 40 – 69 Free Time The House
Days of the Week Pets Jobs Time
Family The Seasons Countries The Body
How We Look The Weather Nationality The Town
Months Zoo Animals Numbers 70 – 1000 The Village

Check out the product at  http://www.edpax.com/languages-mfl/

Want to try before you buy? Please download a full FREE teaching topic from Free Resources at http://www.edpax.com/free-resources/languages/

One language plus workbook only £350 (excl. VAT and p&p)

One-off purchase and full site licence. Offer valid until 31st March, 2016.

www.edpax.com

Putting LOtC to the test to obtain tangible evidence of its benefits.

There is no doubt that Learning Outside the Classroom is beneficial to students’ emotional, social, (sometimes physical), and academic development; yet there is little tangible evidence to prove this – and tangible evidence is something that Ofsted is rather keen on.

However. an article in TES has reported that two schools have signed up to be part of a King’s College project in which they will relocate their lessons from the typical classroom setting to a museum.

The King’s College project aims to test the theory that LOtC is beneficial to students’ development and also to find out exactly what the long-term benefits of LOtC are, as well as the extent to which LOtC is beneficial to students’ development.

Director of the Cultural Institute at King’s College London, Katherine Bond, commented: “It seems such an obvious thing to do.

“There is a long tradition of school trips to museums, but we’ve never come across anyone taking the entire curriculum and moving it all into a museum.”

Nonetheless, until the results of this study materialise, theory and human observation is all we have to go on, which is better than nothing at all.

And, of course, if you are planning to take your students on a school trip to experience how real-life businesses operate and need a cost-effective transport solution, Benchmark Leasing can certainly help.

Benchmark Leasing specialises in leasing minibuses to schools and, as part of the leasing arrangement, we will also take care of the maintenance of the vehicle and thus assume responsibility for keeping it fully operational at all times.

A minibus which is leased is simply paid for on a monthly basis through a small monthly deduction from the school’s income. Thus schools are finding that it is possible to fund a minibus without taking anything from the school’s capital account.

In cases where trips are paid for by contributions from parents, it is possible to allocate a part of those payments towards the cost of the minibus.

And in other cases, the PTA has agreed to make a monthly contribution, particularly if it means that students will have more opportunities to undertake Learning Outside the Classroom and will enhance the breadth and scope of the school’s vision.

If you are interested in leasing a school minibus with us, please do call us on 01753 859944 or click here to see what we can offer.

If you are looking for LOtC ideas, please take a look at our Facebook & Twitter pages.

Link to article – https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/why-moving-lessons-museums-could-have-long-term-benefits-younger

How Important Is Your Student Healthcare?

There are quite a few school management information and database systems available which can record students’ health records.

Many of them are, of course, excellent.  But hidden within some of these systems is a potential risk, for they are part of a broader system which holds a wide range of information.

By its nature, such systems need to be accessible to a wide range of staff, and this can of course lead to sensitive information being shared outside of those who, for the purpose of their job, do need to have access to this information.

Given this potential problem, and the complication that health records should be stored until the student reaches the age of 25, we have worked with a number of school health professionals to develop a stand-alone product that is able to import data from a variety of MIS systems.

The result is Patient Tracker.  Because it is independent of any MIS system changes you might make, and as there is no annual licensing charge (only an optional maintenance and support charge), you can continue using the system for as long as required with no budget impact.

Training on Patient Tracker is given by practising school nurses, meaning practical advice related to the school situation is available and implementation becomes very easy.

Patient Tracker produces a selection of reports, including a number of statistical reports which are anonymous and so can be circulated.  In addition, the system includes a module that allows teaching staff to see who is booked into the medical facility and also who has an “off games” slip.

Vaccination records, BMI Calculation, Care Plans, medicine and consumable stock management, appointment management and document links are all included, as is a reminder system for adrenaline and asthma device expiry.

Many schools also store staff and visitor medical records on Patient Tracker, meaning that details of illness or injury to visitors and staff can be stored and reported on (separately if desired).

Key Points

  • Data securely stored on your network – not on the web.
  • Easy to use.
  • Continuity of care.
  • Care plans.
  • Inoculation tracking.
  • Statistical reports (e.g. how many sports injuries).
  • Training and assistance from registered school nurses.
  • Can link to external documents on your network.
  • Established UK wide user base.
  • Locally executed – no dependency on external parties.

Functionality / Features

MANAGE INDIVIDUALS LOGINS
Control which users can access which forms and year groups.  For example, junior school nurses can’t see senior school students unless allowed.  These permissions can be easily altered by the nurse designated as the system manager or “Super User”.

COMPREHENSIVE REPORTING
Patient Tracker offers a variety of reports – summarised, detailed and anonymous for Governors and your SLT. Reports are delivered using the included Crystal Reports module, which in addition to a great presentation format also allows you to export report data to PDF, Word, Excel and various other formats making reports easy to store and email.

SYSTEM SECURITY
Patient Tracker uses Microsoft recommended encryption techniques. In addition, data can only be accessed from machines with the application loaded and configured, and with the user’s login credentials. More importantly, your data is stored within your own network so is not accessible from the internet, and you are not dependent on any third parties to store and deliver your information.

COMMUNICATE EASILY
With built in email support, consultations and incidents can be directly reported to parents, as well as any other required party. The email module also allows you to add a note to the recipients and to attach any other relevant electronic documentation.

ATTENDANCE VIEWER
Included in the standard package is a separate module that will allow selected users on your network to view basic details on who has been booked in to the Medical Centre as well as who has been booked off games by the nurses. This module reflects attendance, discharge, discharge notes and who the student was discharged to.

REDUCE PAPERWORK
Many of Patient Tracker’s users have reported back to us that they have shredded all paper records. With the comprehensive level of data stored, as well as the ability to link to documents on your network, most written requirements fall away.

MEDICINE AND STOCK MANAGEMENT
Patient Tracker includes a simple stock system to manage medicines and materials such as bandages. Stock can be booked in, and reports can be generated for stock take and also to view where stock is being used.

REMINDERS
Inhaler and adrenaline pen expiry dates are recorded and reminder reports run to prompt renewal.

HEIGHT/WEIGHT AND BMI
The height to weight graphs give an excellent indication of the child’s development, and BMI is calculated and shown based on the latest measurements.

What do we need to run Patient Tracker?

A Windows PC is all that’s required, however in larger installations (we have some schools with over a dozen licenses) you would probably store the data on a central (MS-SQL) server.

If you would like to learn more about Patient Tracker we would be delighted to answer your questions – please email sales@patienttracker.co.uk, or call us on 01438 241085/07876 241263.  Or you can visit http://www.patienttracker.co.uk.

Please mention code HAM2016 when responding to this correspondence.

A fully functional demonstration (limited to 45 days) is available if you would like to try Patient Tracker live in your school.

Our nurses tell us that they have had great reviews from Ofsted when their Medical Facility has been visited.

Best wishes,

Dave Fox
Patient Tracker

How can you help transform children’s lives through positive play?

The claims made for positive play are enormous – and the phrase “transforms lives” is one that can often be heard in relation to positive play.

But how does positive play weave such an extraordinary influence on people’s lives?

It works because positive play can take place in groups of any size, can take place indoors or outside, at home and at nursery.

Positive play can be a game of draughts or an outdoor game of catch-a-cup. It can involve a giant parachute held by a dozen children and used to flip an enormous ball or the recently developed Make a Move playground game where teams of four co-operate to keep a ball on a pad while walking from point A to point B.

In fact there are hundreds of different activities that promote positive play – and as many have already found, once children get the idea of positive play they will develop and explore the concept themselves, simply because positive play is more fulfilling than any other type of play.

To find out more about how positive play is different to other types of play, how you can actively promote positive play, and indeed, how you can get the nursery involved with Positive Play Week (9 to 13 May 2016), visit www.positiveplayweek.co.uk.

!cid_7c24166d356af5cd638fa899ccd01743

On the Positive Play Week website you will find a wealth of information about positive play, including policies and briefing documents, ideas for activities, and a detailed review of why positive play is so beneficial for children.

Furthermore, you can request a catalogue from Edventure, sponsors of Positive Play Week, by clicking here and entering your details. In the catalogue you will find everything you need to create positive playtimes, not just during Positive Play Week, but forevermore.

And if your nursery already actively promotes positive play and you would like to share what you do, please do email the details, including any pictures (ideally as jpegs) you wish to show, to HQ@positiveplayweek.co.ukAs always, you can place an order with Edventure in a variety of ways, including:

  • on the website www.edventure.co.uk
  • by faxing us to 01323 50 10 41
  • by calling us on 01323 50 10 40
  • by emailing us at sales@edventure.co.uk       
  • by post to Edventure Ltd, Hargreaves Business Park, Hargreaves Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6QW.

Payment, either by credit card or cheque, is required with your order.

Murder at Masons Hotel

A Key Stage 3 play for lessons, production, and learning about the intricacies of drama

There are plays and there are plays, but sometimes it is particularly helpful to have a play that can not only be developed towards a final production but can also be worked on, in classroom in segments, with each segment making a coherent lesson.

And a play which as well being an event that can be staged in front of an audience can be used in class to examine how the central character (a detective) works and where she is going, as well as how she is characterised, how character motivation is explored, what costumes could be used, etc, etc.

In short, what we have here is a play that can be performed, dissected, re-worked, analysed, considered in terms of its structure, turned into a game, have a different ending (it is a murder mystery, so the outcome is a key element), have audience interaction, become a radio play, and be the basis for research of the genre.

All of these alternatives are available with “Murder at Masons Hotel” a play script complete with associated activities. It is supplied in copiable format so that each student can have his/her own copy of the script, or part of the script, to work on at all times.

The play is set in the 1960s and revolves round the murder of a New York crime boss who is visiting London with his family.  He is shot in his room the night before the announcement of changes to his will, and the play centres around the attempts by two characters to solve the mystery of his death.

An initial investigation by Harriet Hemmings of Scotland Yard fails to make progress until Veronica Holmes (rumoured to be the great great granddaughter of Sherlock) is called in.

The play retains a real sense of drama while also including numerous comic moments.  Many of the characters can be played by either male or female actors.

Murder at Masons Hotel is available as a copiable book, or on CD or as a download.  Each edition comes with unlimited reproduction rights for use within the school. Sample pages can be viewed here http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/drama/T1838.pdf

ISBN 978 1 86083 827 9; order code T1838EMN

Prices

  • Photocopiable spiral bound book, £16.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • CD with school-wide rights: £16.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Both the book and the CD: £23.94 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report…

When ordering the book please quote the reference T1838EMN.

Raise loads of money for your school this Christmas!

Spring is most definitely in the air, the sun is shining and the Creme Egg supplies are finally dwindling… so what better time to announce that our 2016 School Christmas Card Project Registration is now open!

Raise money for your school with schoolchristmascardproject.org.uk

Our School Christmas Card Project allows your pupils to create fantastic, professionally printed Christmas Cards with children’s artwork and raise loads of money for the school. And with absolutely no upfront costs whatsoever, it’s a fantastic, easy and very popular way for schools to raise money for the PTA or other charity.

You can order our free info pack from our website – click here.

Children create their own artwork which is printed on professionally produced cards and other products, which the school sells at a profit to the parents. It is a rewarding and fun project for the children and the whole school to be involved in – and an average school of 250 pupils can easily raise £500 or more! The children will love getting directly involved with school fundraising and parents will love seeing their children’s artwork on professionally printed cards!

We offer packs of Christmas cards, gift labels, thank you postcards and wrapping paper so there’s plenty to choose from!

How much does it cost?

Absolutely nothing! The project is completely free to the school – you just keep the profit! Parents place their orders and pay the school before we ask for any payment at all. We offer very competitive prices and our products are very high quality which means you can maximise the earning potential for your school with accessible and great value cards, labels, thank you cards and wrapping paper. You can view our price table on our website.

If you feel your school would benefit from raising money with the School Christmas Card Project – please visit our website for more information. Alternatively, please forward this email to your school’s art teacher or suitable coordinator for the project.

Thank you for your attention – we know we still have the summer to look forward to, so let’s not wish away the months just yet…if you order your free info pack now, we’ll keep the reindeer in hibernation for a little longer 🙂

Kind regards
Steve

Please visit our website for more information:

schoolchristmascardproject.org.uk

School Christmas Card Project
Start your 2016 School Christmas Card Project now!
Tel: 0114 453 9562
Ecclesall Print, 237A Ringinglow Road, Sheffield S11 7PU.

Complete Issues 2016 out now! Get your free trial.

!cid_07f2f6a1b772b172844ec7c56df1d970Complete Issues is the best place to discover and understand the challenges of the world around us.

The digital world can be a confusing place where conflicting opinions, hidden bias and irrational arguments all try to grab our attention.

Complete Issues is a safe place where young people can easily find interesting articles, reliable statistics, amazing personal accounts and great websites that help them to quickly understand the world around them.

Find out more and take a free trial:
https://www.completeissues.co.uk?rf=hh

Ann Batey
Office Manager
Carel Press
(01228 538928)
www.carelpress.co.uk

What is the most effective way to ensure that your pupils really understand key economic principles?

This resource contains a selection of around 200 questions on microeconomics which will force your students to think, consider and then think again, the kind of mental exercise that helps to ensure that knowledge and understanding are retained for exam purposes and beyond.

There are 13 sets of explained true/ false questions which are designed to secure and strengthen an excellent understanding of key principles in economics. In doing so, many of the questions asked have been set with a clear aim of stretching and challenging students to deliver A and A* grades in their final examinations. A further objective is also to develop the skills needed to tackle multiple choice question papers set by the AQA and Edexcel examining boards. This is achieved by prompting students to interrogate every word in the question. Many of these questions turn on a single phrase or word.

Model answers are provided, which allows students to mark their own papers, if required, again making best use of teachers’ time. They also provide students with a permanent feedback record, which will prove invaluable during their final examination preparation period.

Each of the test papers covers an area of the syllabus which may be set on a weekly basis as a topic test. They can also be used very effectively as a researched homework activity.

However, these materials will work equally well as a revision tool in the second term by helping keep students’ knowledge of micro-economics fresh once the teacher has moved on to macro-economics. This will be particularly important to many teachers now that January modular exams at A level have ended. Indeed, teachers will notice that some questions contain a synoptic element for precisely this reason.

Microeconomics Assessment Tests for AS, A2, and IB provides an invaluable resource for busy teachers of AS, A2, IB and even first year university students of economics.

Sample pages can be viewed at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/economics/T1824

ISBN: 978 1 86083 871 2; Order code: T1824emn

The volume is available as…

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

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the book or CD…

 

Answering six common questions asked about getting a synthetic sports pitch installed in the grounds of a school.

Installation of a synthetic sports pitch in the grounds of your school will always raise questions for the very simple reason that it will be viewed as a big project.

We have therefore put together a list of the six common questions asked about the installation of a synthetic sports pitch and answered them accordingly, so you can pitch the idea to your colleagues and reassure those who may be sceptical about the idea.

Question one: How fast can a new synthetic pitch be installed?

Question two: What is the lowest cost method of installing a synthetic sports pitch?

Question three: Is it environmentally friendly?

Question four: Are they safe?

Question five: Is it suitable to hire out to sports clubs in the community?

Question six: How long will a synthetic sports pitch last?

To answer all of this, and more, we install the very latest development in synthetic sports pitches which means we can now offer a huge reduction in construction time, so installation during the summer break (or any other time of year) is now perfectly possible.

ShockWave pitches cost no more than other pitches to install because of the use of modern techniques and materials and the reduced need for aggregate – and they bring with them both environmental and reduced injury benefits.

In a unique approach to shock absorption the amount of aggregate which has to be laid underneath a Shockwave pitch is halved, thereby not only cutting costs but also offering significant environmental savings and benefits.

ShockWave naturally meets the performance criteria of the FA, RFU, Gaelic Football and Rugby League Football and is seen as a cost effective solution for facility providers looking to hire out their pitches to as many users as possible.

Plus, a ShockWave pitch is guaranteed for 20 years.

There is more information on Shockwave at www.shockwave.nottssport.com.

To find out more about the various pitch surfacing systems designed and developed by Notts Sport, click here. 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 do please call us on 01455 883 730 or email us at info@nottssport.com

 

In 20 years ADHD has moved from an American myth to a recognised issue but the debate still rages as to what to do.

According to the Care Quality Commission last year, there has been a 50% rise in England in the use of drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in six years. The watchdog warned health workers to “carefully monitor” their use as they have the potential to be “abused”.

As the consultant psychiatrist Professor Tim Kendall, said, “I think it’s a real trend. I think it’s too big to be ignored.”

Tim Kendall is certainly someone whose comments are worth considering since he compiled the national guidelines on treating ADHD, and he was one of the first people who pointed out that that there are real dangers to people who take ADHD drugs over a long period.

As he said, “I think there’s also increasing evidence that it precipitates self-harming behaviour in children and in the long term we have absolutely no evidence that the use of of Ritalin reduces the long-term problems associated with ADHD.”

Helping ADHD pupils and students through school is a volume that sets out in great detail exactly how ADHD students can be helped and supported in their day to day activities within the school without the use of drugs.

A fundamental view of the book is that the best approach for any ADHD child is one in which the parents and school can work together with a common purpose to help the young person – and with this in mind there is a substantial section of material at the end of the book that can be copied and passed on to parents.

This parental section contains both explanations and practical approaches to dealing with the ADHD child at home.

Of course, we all recognise that not every ADHD child’s parents will be able to work in the organised and controlled manner that will help ADHD students, and therefore we work within the school-based sections from the basis that although parental support is ideal it doesn’t always happen.

The book looks at individual behaviour, plus issues such as rewards, punishments, handling special days when behaviour may be exacerbated, overcoming impulsiveness, homework, where ADHD people can succeed and do well, ADHD and responsibility, and sport, the arts and other activities.

Helping ADHD pupils and students through school by Tony Attwood is available as a photocopiable book or on CD Rom which can itself be copied or loaded onto the school’s learning platform or intranet.

ISBN: 978 1 86083 855 2 Order code: T1789emn – please quote with order.

Sample pages can be viewed at http://pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/attentiondeficit/T1789.pdf

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

You can purchase the report…

An effective approach to enhancing engagement and encouraging participation in lessons and whole-school assemblies

One thing that has proven to be highly effective in enhancing engagement and encouraging participation in lessons and whole-school assemblies is professional storytelling. But there is a problem…

There are not masses of professional storytellers and they are always in high demand due to the many benefits that professional storytelling offers (improved memory, improved concentration, greater skills in communication, etc.). So they often aren’t available for visits at the time required by the school.

Which is why we now offer Storytelling at a Distance – a solution that increases the availability of professional storytellers for times when schools need them the most.

So what is Storytelling at a Distance?

Our work with the Oxford Reading Tree proved that children can engage with recorded storytelling performances. However, these online videos can only ever be one-way and, of course, are limited in their range.

Which is why Storytelling at a Distance has been designed in a slightly different way, using skype-style communication to achieve higher levels of interaction and thus enhanced engagement and participation from pupils with the story and topic area.

You are effectively inviting a professional storyteller into the classroom or assembly hall via electronic means, which also has the additional benefit of no travel costs.

Of course, for this to work the storytellers do not only have to be highly trained in a specialised form of storytelling (i.e. telling stories via camera), but they also need to be fairly technical to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Therefore, we have handpicked two storytellers who are highly competent to undertake Storytelling at a Distance – Chip and Amy!

The Oxford Reading Tree’s Chip and Amy will interact with your children and the chosen story, joining in actions, providing sound effects, and even responding to the storyteller’s questions. You’ll be your storyteller’s eyes, hands, and ears, and an easy-to-follow set of instructions will be sent to you well in advance of your storytelling session.

Storytelling at a Distance costs only £50 for up to 45 minutes with a class or year group, or £90 for a whole-school assembly, making it a highly cost-effective option.

For more information about our Storytelling at a Distance, including available dates and costs, please visit our website. Alternatively, you can call us on 020 328 6245 or email us at stories@snailtales.org.

Mathematics Summer School 2016

On this five-day Maths Summer School students will be introduced to undergraduate topics in pure and applied maths, examining challenging mathematical problems using both calculus and algebra. The course content includes material that students are unlikely to encounter in detail while at school but that is frequently covered as part of first year university programs. As well as looking at maths in theory, we will also be covering key applications of mathematical tools in computing, economics, statistics and engineering.

The 2016 course will include:

Linear Algebra * Hierachies and the Google algorithm * Differential Equations * Financial Markets and the Black-Scholes Model * Integration and 3D Spaces * Vector Calculus * Vectors & Matrices * Proofs and Algorithms * Sets and Infinities * Cryptography

Feedback from previous attendees:

“The Mathematics Summer School is a great introduction to maths at university. During the five days I was presented with a variety of new topics in mathematics which had not been covered in the A level course. I would highly recommend attending the Debate Chamber Summer School, as it gives you a great opportunity to look at other areas of maths.”

“I had a great experience on the Summer School. It took me beyond the confines of the syllabus, giving me a flavour of what undergraduate study would be like. It also led me to find out more about the concepts I’d learned in the sessions. The tutors were extremely engaging and helpful, and they made it a really fun week”

Classes are small, typically containing twelve to fifteen students, all of whom should have a passion for mathematics, a curiosity to build on their existing knowledge and be keen to embrace and exchange new ideas. An expert Tutor will lead each session in a seminar format, but learning will be largely student-led wherever practical. Classes will focus on discussion and on problem questions and exercises, creating a comfortable environment for students to share ideas amongst their peers and to progress from their existing knowledge toward more challenging material.

The Mathematics Summer School is only suitable for students who have completed AS-Level Mathematics (or the equivalent in another qualification structure) at the time of the course. We welcome any student aged between 15-18 who meets this requirement.

This Summer School is particularly appropriate for students who may be considering further study of mathematics at undergraduate level, or who are interested in related disciplines such as physics, computing or engineering.

Practical Details:

The cost of the five-day course is £465, and will be held at the University of London Union in Bloomsbury (please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required). The course will be held on the 11th-15th July and repeated 8th-12th August.

There will be a limited number of bursary spaces available for those who would otherwise have financial difficulty in attending – please see our website for details.

To book a place please visit http://www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/maths-summer-school/  call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Speakers to refresh and invigorate your students

!cid_72db857de6b436f0a2992dbff2fc6f02

Welcome back to the summer term. For many students the focus will be on external exams. Would you like one of our speakers to motivate – and refresh – your students?

We are offering all schools our ‘Summer Time Speaker Offer’ which is a speaker session (1 hour) for an introductory price £200*.

School Speakers is the UK’s no1 speaking agency working with schools (primary and secondary), colleges and universities to provide talks, workshops and full day activities. We have over 300 speakers available across a wide range of subjects.

Find out more about School Speakers

We are providing speakers for the forthcoming events below:

  • World Fair Trade Day 14th May
  • World Environment Day 5th June
  • Music Day 21st June
  • World Social Media Day 30th June
  • Child Safety  Week 1st July

Current areas of interests are:

  • Exam preparation, motivation and study skills
  • Guest Speaker for Awards Events and Speech Days
  • Teacher CPD and INSET days, conference speakers
  • End of year activities
  • Summer camps and year 6 transition days

School Speakers can cover the following activities

  • Assembly or Year Talk across a range of different topics & general motivation, raising aspiration
  • Student Leadership day
  • Careers Sessions and ‘You’re Hired’ workshops
  • Enterprise Days
  • Anti-Bullying talks
  • Internet Safety talks
  • STEM talks and workshops

Speakers start from £250 plus travel and VAT per one hour session.

If you wish to arrange for one of our speakers to visit your school we would be delighted to assist. Please email office@schoolspeakers.co.uk or call 01924 277343. Office hours are 8am to 6pm every week day.

Many thanks,

Claire  Young

Owner and Founder www.schoolspeakers.co.uk

*speaker is selected by School Speakers and excludes travel & VAT.

We all make decisions all the time. And then, having made them, we defend them – no matter how awful they were.

No matter how bad that decision looks in retrospect, it takes a very confident and self-possessed individual to say, “yes I got that one wrong.”

Instead the blame is put elsewhere.  It was “not my fault”.  It “couldn’t be helped”.  “Events conspired against me.”  We blame the environment, the individuals around us, and society, but rarely do we blame ourselves and the decisions we took.

Yet the fact is that it is quite possible to improve our reaction to the society in which we live, and through that our decision making – if only we can practice.

Which is why the copiable volume, “Life Games” exists.

The volume contains 50 different decision-based games that can be played in the classroom with anything from eight to 40 players from Key Stage 3 to the sixth form.

Each game is presented in the form of a single page of copiable teaching notes – normally with a separate set of student notes also provided.  Each also focuses on a theme, ranging from the working of the media to lifestyle balances, from government decisions and consequences to healthy eating, from stress to addiction.

In short, there are enough activities in this volume to provide more than a year’s worth of citizenship and PSHE education, taught and explored in a way that the students will find refreshing, engaging and meaningful.

Life Games is available as a photocopiable book or on CD Rom, and individual activities can thus be readily copied and distributed to students as required. The copies can also be shared with colleagues or given to supply teachers, without any fear of the original book being misplaced.

An extract from Life Games, ISBN 978 1 86083 718 0, order code T1730EMN, is available at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/pshe/T1730.pdf

Prices

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

You can purchase the report…

When ordering the book please quote the reference T1730EMN.

What is the most effective advice you can give to a student on how to succeed at a university application?

You can correct in class and give hints and tips, such as:

  • Be prepared
  • Don’t waffle  
  • Be positive
  • Develop rapport
  • Remember your manners

But, unfortunately, you cannot be there to correct at the time.

We all know that when put on the spot and in nerve-racking circumstances all the advice we had stored in our heads of the ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ can quite easily vanish out of our minds, and we start doing all those forbidden ‘must nots’ like biting nails, tapping out drum beats, and generally making a fool of ourselves.

This is one instance where the old-fashioned way is best. IPads and interviews: the two don’t mix.  If you’re busily scrolling through an iPad, you are unable to make meaningful eye contact. A personal connection will never be made.

So, why not help students to build a file of their achievements (hard-copy evidence) which they can present professionally and which can be an extremely helpful back-up at the time of their application?

What is the most effective way of identifying whether or not a mathematical concept has been grasped by your pupils?

It is not always possible to know if a pupil has grasped a mathematical concept well enough for them to be able to recall it from memory a day from now, a week from now, or indeed, for their end of year tests.

Which is why it is so important to systematically track pupils’ progress in numeracy – so that you can instantly identify which pupils and which concepts require more revision in lessons.

But there is a problem, for the task of assessing whether your pupils are meeting their end of year expectations has been made more difficult due to recent changes to the Mathematics programmes of study and resultant changes to your year 6 pupils’ end of year SATs.

In order to support you with the task of identifying which pupils and which concepts require more revision, we have developed Assessing End of Year Expectations in Mathematics.

Assessing End of Year Expectations in Mathematics is a resource for Year 6 pupils that provides carefully organised assessments for every statutory statement of the 2014 Mathematics National Curriculum.

The questions within the volume are similar to the new 2016 Mathematics test and can either be used as part of a baseline assessment or at the end of term to measure progress made.

Furthermore, Assessing End of Year Expectations in Mathematics for Year 6 provides answers to the maths questions making it an ideal teaching resource for non-specialist maths teachers undertaking lessons in the maths teacher’s absence.

You can order Assessing End of Year Expectations in Mathematics, either by:

  • visiting our website
  • calling 01772 863158
  • faxing 01772 866153
  • emailing sales@topical-resources.co.uk           
  • Or by sending your order in the post to Topical Resources, P.O. Box329, Broughton, Preston, Lancashire PR3 5LT

 
www.topical-resources.co.uk
sales@topical-resources.co.uk

Free Spanish presentation on ordering food

Use our free presentation to walk your students through the terms they would need to order in a Spanish restaurant or café.

From understanding menus and calculating cost, to practising conversations and ordering food, this presentation will help your students become more familiar with la comida.

This presentation is also packed with activities to help your students identify key food groups, ingredients and recipes – including a ‘Who Wants to be an A* Student’ quiz, and an ‘Intercultural Understanding’ feature on a traditional Spanish dish.

Try out the presentation on our Doddle Spanish page!

Would you like to be able to set this presentation as home revision for your students?

Doddle presentations can be used outside the classroom! With Doddle you can assign your students presentations, activities, and self-marking quizzes to do in their own time.

For a free and flexible tour of all the Doddle features, book a free in-school visit with one of our Educational Consultants.

Alice
Doddle

Brilliant activities for stretching your More Able children in the typical classroom setting

Organising and preparing additional classroom activities for your More Able pupils, on top of those that have been organised for the whole class, can take up a considerable amount of time that you and your colleagues quite simply don’t have.

Which is why we have produced Brilliant Activities for Stretching Gifted and Talented Children – to support you in providing provisions for your More Able pupils in the typical classroom setting.

Brilliant Activities for Stretching Gifted and Talented Children contains refreshing, motivating activities, based on the latest theories and research, to stretch your More Able pupils’ analytical, creative, and evaluative skills.

The 100+ activities in the volume range from quick warm-ups and brainteasers to maths-focussed activities and entertaining, open-ended exercises for pupils to complete independently.

Activities can be easily photocopied and issued to your pupils when they require additional work. And whilst they’ve been created for More Able pupils up to the age of 11, the resource presents approaches and insights that can be applied to any pupil and teaching situation.

You can order Brilliant Activities for Stretching Gifted and Talented Children in a variety of ways, including:

  • By visiting the website
  • By phone on 01449 766629
  • By fax on 01449 768047
  • By email to orders@tradecounter.co.uk
  • Or by post to Brilliant Publications, Mendlesham Industrial Estate, Norwich Road, Mendlesham, Suffolk, IP14 5ND.

Brilliant Publications,
Mendlesham Industrial Estate,
Norwich Road,
Mendlesham,
Suffolk,
IP14 5ND.

website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
email: orders@tradecounter.co.uk

phone: 01449 766629
fax: 01449 768047

Free revision flashcards on percentages!

Help your students recap percentages with our free set of revision flashcards!

These flashcards clearly outline the different processes for percentage calculations in relation to fractions and decimals.

Use this quick revision aid to help reinforce what they already know about percentages, and give them confidence going into their exams.

Download the flashcards on our Doddle Maths page!

Revise with Doddle Maths

Mapped to all major exam boards, Doddle provides a range of presentations and quizzes, complete with formative recap slides, to help your students practise key skills ahead of their exams.

For a demonstration of the features that can enable you to assess understanding and target revision where needed, book a free in-school visit with one of our Educational Consultants.

Alice
Doddle

Ready-to-use, time-saving information that explores both well-established ideas and new approaches to school management

At a time when schools are experiencing staff shortages, pupil population increases, and frequent changes in governmental policies, it is proving to be increasingly difficult for headteachers to support staff in managing their workloads effectively (including their own).

As a result there is a high demand for readily available information documents that can be quickly and easily adapted to a schools’ unique vision, so that a considerable amount of time can be saved on the task of creating new school information documents.

Thus we have developed Resources for Headteachers – a new website containing ready-to-use, time-saving information which explores both well-established ideas and new approaches to school management.

Ready-made information documents include: school staff handbooks, action plans, audits, checklists of good practice, model letters, new school management techniques and tools, personal action plans, questionnaires for school improvement, reports, SWOT analyses, self-assessment surveys, and strategic plans.

To see some of the information documents that we have already produced for headteachers, you can download sample pages from three School Staff Handbooks at this link and also School Improvement Documents, School Staff Documents and School Management Documents.

On the same pages you can place an order online, and as soon as your payment is received you will have immediate access to download all the documents.

If you have any questions about the information documents, please do call us on 01600 891506, email sales@resourcesforheadteachers.co.uk or write to us at Teachers Resource Centre Ltd, Wyastone Business Park, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, NP25 3SR.

The Secret to Successful Revision – A practical guide for GCSE Geography teachers

How is it possible for a dedicated student to fail to get the grades s/he wants despite long hours of revision?

All too often, the answer is simple.  The type of revision that has been done at home by this promising student has been ineffective, focusing on knowledge acquisition rather than understanding.

It is this observation that leads to the thought that the knowledge one needs to give to students is that knowledge is not quite as important as they think.

The typical weighting for knowledge in a GCSE Geography exam is only between 30 and 40% of the marks.  But, despite this fact, left to their own devices some of my students would happily devote near to 100% of their geography revision time to the retention of knowledge.

Some, in pursuit of the magical A* grade, will recreate their notes into beautifully colour co-ordinated works of Post-It note art or elaborate mind maps. But still, despite all the work, these students will ignore the other 60-70% of the marks that are not knowledge based.

So, it may be argued that in the classroom the teacher no longer has to emphasise knowledge.  As creatures of habit, students will still spend plenty of time on knowledge acquisition, leaving the teacher free to fill their revision sessions with activities that enable them to practise applying that knowledge and honing their skills.

“The Secret to Successful Revision” makes clear that students retain more by actively re-working their knowledge in different ways than by reading revision guides or following revision lessons.  It deals with methods of revising geography which take into account the way exams are marked.  It covers “command words” and “maximising marks on terms and definitions”, simplifying case studies, using data from graphs and maps, and much more.

The Secret to Successful Revision is published as a download so that you can receive immediately a copy onto your computer which you can print out for colleagues as often as you want.

There are sample pages from the book at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/authordownloadsamples/T1808samples.pdf and you can order it at  http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=76_112&products_id=776

The price is £10 plus VAT (the VAT can be reclaimed in most cases by the school).

The Secret to Successful Revision is published by First and Best in Education, part of the Hamilton House group.  If you have any enquiries you can call 01536 399 011, or email sales@firstandbest.co.uk or write to us at First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Rd., Corby, Northants NN17 4HH.

The full range of First and Best books can be seen at www.shop.firstandbest.co.uk

Five ways to make lunchtime supervisors feel valued and supported (and why this is important to creating positive playtimes)

A famous quote and an absolute favourite of mine is, “I was raised to treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO”. However it seems that many others do not live by this principle where lunchtime supervisors are concerned.

This became apparent when playtime expert Therese Hoyle reported in an article that she is frequently approached by lunchtime supervisors who tell her that children often say “I don’t have to do what you tell me as you’re not my teacher, my mum even says I don’t have to do what you say”.

Other common concerns raised by lunchtime supervisors are that the children do not respect them, they aren’t communicated with enough (no one tells them what is going on), and they aren’t clear on the incentive and sanction system or any changes that are made to it.

So the question is, how can you ensure that your lunchtime supervisors feel valued and supported, and how can this enhance your pupils’ playtimes?

Therese Hoyle has compiled a list of five simple ways in which you can support your lunchtime supervisors and which will gain them respect from both children and their parents.You can read this article in full in our brochure which contains a wealth of information for creating positive playtimes, as well as an extensive range of playtime activities, games, and equipment.

!cid_7c24166d356af5cd638fa899ccd01743

If the catalogue hasn’t arrived in your school for any reason, please do click here, enter your details, and we’ll get another in the post to you right away.

You might also be interested in joining in with Positive Play Week (9 -13 May 2016). More information about the week, including how your school can get involved, can be found at www.positiveplayweek.co.uk.

As always, you can place an order with Edventure in a variety of ways, including:

  • on the website www.edventure.co.uk
  • by faxing us to 01323 50 10 41
  • by calling us on 01323 50 10 40
  • by emailing us at sales@edventure.co.uk      
  • by post to Edventure Ltd, Hargreaves Business Park, Hargreaves Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 6QW.

If you quote HH0515 on your order delivery will be free. Without quoting the code the charge is £3.95.

COASTAL EROSION RESOURCE – KS3

The KS3 National Curriculum requires an understanding, through the use of detailed place-based exemplars, of key processes in physical geography relating to coasts. This means an understanding of how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, and how human activity relies on effective functioning of natural systems.

This Coastal Erosion Resource looks at erosion at Beachy Head on the south coast and forms an enquiry. The question to be answered is

‘We wish to consult with you on the future of our home. What should we do?’

The question relates to the old lighthouse ‘La Belle Tout’ which has been turned into a guest house. Due to coastal erosion the lighthouse was on the verge of collapsing into the sea, as the coastal management strategy along this stretch of coast is ‘to do nothing’.

Both coastal erosion processes and coastal management strategies are drawn upon. There is a clear link between human and physical processes as the bed and breakfast guest house provides employment and the impact of physical processes means the guest house could be washed away due to coastal erosion.

A Powerpoint Presentation with 34 slides £29.99 (£35.99 including VAT)

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

To see sample pages please email info@classroom-resources.co.uk quoting the order code H6042.

You can order the Coastal Erosion Resource – KS3 CD-ROM in any of these ways:

  • On our website
  • By phone on 0117 940 6409
  • By fax on 0117 940 6408
  • By email (quoting a school order number) to info@classroom-resources.co.uk
  • By post to: Classroom Resources, 9 Logan Road, Bristol, BS7 8DU

Classroom Resources Ltd
9 Logan Road,
Bristol,
BS7 8DU

www.classroom-resources.co.uk
info@classroom-resources.co.uk

Understanding what dyscalculia is can allow schools to help sufferers improve their maths and obtain reasonable results in their examinations

It is a strange but true fact that while most of us working in schools have come across dyslexic children and adults, many teachers have not had direct contact with anyone who is dyscalculic.

And yet dyscalculia is not only a genetic issue, as is dyslexia, it is also as common within society at large as dyslexia.

So why is it that we don’t come across dyscalculic children as often as dyslexic children?

The reason is probably that many schools recognise that they have a small number of children who are poor at maths because they have missed some schooling or failed to grasp specific lessons.

The nature of the subject, which is of course utterly cumulative, means that some children fail to grasp certain concepts simply because they failed to grasp what went before.

This is, of course, utterly different from English, where the fact that I might not be able to spell “was” does not mean I won’t be able to learn “because”.  In maths, however, if I can’t do division I will struggle to understand fractions.

Furthermore there can be social reasons why children do poorly at maths.  Missed time at school can be more detrimental in maths than in most subjects, and there seems to be a greater tendency for parents to suggest to their children that they never understood maths at school, so it just “runs in the family”.

In short there are many reasons why dyscalculia might not be seen as a special need but rather as a consequence of parenting, poor attendance, etc.  As a result specialist tuition and support may not be given as early as it might be with dyslexia.

Understanding Dyscalculia: An Introduction for Schools examines the five main causes of dyscalculia and sets out the methods of working available which can help pupils overcome their dyscalculic problems. The book contains short sections which can be photocopied to give out to other members of staff in school, to worried parents, and to governors, so that everyone can share in the awareness of what dyscalculia is, and how it can be tackled.

Above all the book shows that once we understand and accept the causes of dyscalculia we can adopt appropriate methods of teaching to overcome the problem. Research suggests that most children who gain appropriate help in school can overcome their dyscalculic difficulties and achieve an acceptable grade in secondary school examinations, thus allowing entry into further and higher education.

The book, which is available in copiable form so that it can be shared with colleagues throughout the school, is published by the Dyscalculia Centre, a leading provider of teaching materials for dyscalculic individuals. The Centre also publishes a range of books for special needs teachers working with dyscalculics, and provides on-line testing facilities for pupils and students who are thought to be dyscalculic.

There is a sample chapter available on-line at http://pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/dyscalculia/T1628.pdf

Cat No: 978 1 86083 614 5;  Publisher reference no: T1628emn

Prices

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

    You can purchase the book…

THE ANNUAL BULLYING SURVEY 2015: UK BULLYING STATISTICS 2015 – KEY FINDINGS

Crown_New_Logo_web

THE ANNUAL BULLYING SURVEY 2015: UK BULLYING STATISTICS 2015
– KEY FINDINGS
50% of young people have bullied another person,
with 30% of them doing it at least once a week.

69% of young people have witnessed somebody else being bullied,
with 43% of them seeing it at least once a week.

43% of young people have been bullied,
with 44% of them being bullied at least once a week.

Appearance is cited as the number 1 cause of bullying,
with 51% saying they were bullied because of attitudes towards how they look.
a12ee4bf-34bf-4e43-8a90-54456ed28b14
“Bullying, and girl bullying in particular, has to be addressed. We have to begin to understand and learn its real nature,” says Dr Sam. She is the author of Girl Bullying and a child psychologist who works with children and young people and their families, helping them overcome the effects of traumatic events. “There’s a crisis going on in our schools and especially in cyberspace that needs our attention – now”.

Her new book, Girl Bullying, offers a comprehensive explanation of the hows and whys of girl bullying. It includes strategies to support behaviour change for everyone involved – including the whole school community and shows schools how to create a truly embedded anti-bullying ethos. By exploring the roles of anti-bullying policies, education and socialisation as well as those of staff, parents, pupils and social media, Dr Sam reaches into the corners of the subtleties of girl bullying and exposes its dynamics.

“This book needs urgent reading. Dr Sam dissects the issue of girl bullying with chilling clarity and takes us from understanding the issue through to her compelling rallying cry for action. The author is an expert who writes with extraordinary power in a style that is as illuminating as it is readable. We finish the book knowing that here is an issue in multiple guises that we need to address. ‘Girl Bullying’ is a book that all of us working in schools should read and act upon.”

Geoff Barton, Head Teacher, King Edward VI School


This is your opportunity to purchase Girl Bullying at a 20% discount* (normal price £12.99 you buy for £10.39) simply visit our web site www.crownhouse.co.uk and use promotional code Bully20.
*Offer expires 31/05/16

Exercising a unique approach to teaching the four basic functions of maths (plus decimals, fractions and percentages).

It is a fact that some pupils grasp mathematical concepts more readily than others while at the other end of the scale there are some pupils who fail to grasp them, no matter how many times they are revisited and revised.

Of course, the problem for pupils who are unable to grasp the four basic functions of maths is that moving on to the more advanced mathematical concepts that will feature in their exams is quite simply not a viable option.

Such pupils are said to be dyscalculic, or to have maths dyslexia, which can only be overcome if they are taught using a unique approach known as multi-sensory learning.

Which is why we produced Maths and Dyslexia.

Maths and Dyslexia offers a wide range of information on methods of teaching, study skills, placement and progress tests, and worksheets for teachers working with pupils who experience difficulties with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Much of the information in this volume is based on research that suggests that many pupils with dyscalculia fail at maths because they have not understood a basic concept required for the more advanced topics.

Once the four basic functions of maths have been understood by your pupils using the methods outlined in the volume, it is then possible to move on to teaching more advanced mathematical concepts, such as decimals, fractions and percentages, in the same way.

You can order Maths & Dyslexia for £29.99 (VAT free) in a variety of ways, including:

What is the most effective way of coping with the continual change that is now an inevitable part of school administration?

If ever a job has changed in the last 10 years it is that of the bursar and school business manager.

Even the title of the job has been varied, for as one correspondent to the School of Education Administration and Management put it recently, “My pay slip calls me the ‘Administrator’, it says ‘Bursar’ on the door to my room and the head introduces me to visitors as the School Business Manager.”

In a world where even the job title can be variable throughout the day, what chance is there for the bursar (or SBM or Chief Administrator) to cope with the ever changing nature of the school?

The fact is that change is everywhere. The government makes change its watch-word.  Independence from LA control puts more pressure on school administrations, and quite often the boundaries as to who actually has the final sign off on new procedures becomes rather confused.

As a result, stress rises and a sense of progressive improvement is replaced by a sense of making do. With few people seeming to know how schools are supposed to react to something as huge as the raising of the compulsory education leaving age over the next few years, it is not surprising that there is often a sense of the school not quite knowing what is coming next.

However, it is only by recognising change as an inevitable part of running the school’s administrative systems and by accepting that the drive towards efficiency and effectiveness is part of the bursar’s job that these various parts of the school process can be brought back into balance.

Hence the new edition of the Bursar’s Survival Guide.

The aim of this comprehensive report is to develop school improvements and efficiencies through changes in administrative procedures.  Such action inevitably enhances the personal standing of the bursar and those in the bursar’s department and reduces stress levels throughout the school’s administration.

The report opens with a single example idea, one idea that takes only a few minutes to implement but which could reduce the school’s non-salary expenditure by 10% at a stroke, without changing the quality of the goods and services provided.

After that the volume considers 57 separate topics that affect the role of the bursar and the bursar’s department in the school, and analyses each one in a way that is (in most cases, if not all) different from the way in which standard text books on bursaring and financial control approach the topic.

Quite simply The Bursar’s Survival Guide will help to ensure a smoothly run bursar’s office generating excellent results in all aspects of its work in the years to come.

You can see some sample pages at http://pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/bursar/T1795.pdf

Publisher’s reference: T1795EMN ISBN: 978 1 86083 885 9

Prices

  • Photocopiable book £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • CD £24.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Book plus CD £31.94 plus £3.95 delivery

Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report… please quote the order ref: T1795EMN

What problem do the majority of primary schools have in common? And how can we solve it?

This increasing demand for primary school places that we have seen since 2009 continues to be a challenge for schools, many of which are simply running short of space. Expansion is obviously not always a viable option, and consequently many schools are having to be increasingly resourceful in finding ways to make the best use of the space available.

One space-saving solution that we have come up and that is proving popular with schools is Benchmark.

Benchmark is a table with built in seats which can seat up to 20 students and which can, within seconds, be folded up and wheeled away.

Imagine that you have six of these in your school hall (enough for 120 children). The total amount of space taken up by the tables once packed away is… 1.5m x 2.4m… not much more than a double bed, and taking up far less space than a conventional table and chairs or bulky ‘stool-type’ tables.

This can leave schools with as much as 56% more storage space than before freeing up the space for storing other things and keeping your hall clutter-free.

Furthermore, the amount of setting up and tidying away time is minimal, making the benches ideal for breakfast clubs and afterschool clubs as well as lessons.

Of course, with such an innovative product there are many other interesting features. Around 100 colours are available and colours can be mixed and matched. And the lift-assist spring system makes packing up and opening out the tables the simplest thing you could imagine.

What’s more, there’s no compulsory maintenance contract (you can have one if you want) – but there is a 15 year guarantee no matter what.

!cid_b9ca1e300087bf56ca2f1cb1f7c2e0d1    !cid_fe47461a8985d6d3596f386a6d8be17d
For more information
click here.

Or please call 01752 306 200 or email ideas@versadesign.co.uk.

See us at Acadamies Show – London Excel next Weds 20th

Overcoming the problems that schools typically have with storage space (or lack thereof).

To overcome the numerous and various problems that schools have with storage space (or lack thereof) not only in the school hall but elsewhere in the school, we’ve developed Benchmark.

Benchmark is a table (with built in seats) which can seat up to 20 students and which can, within seconds, be folded up and wheeled away.

Now let’s imagine that you have six of these in your school hall (enough for 120 children)… Amazingly the total amount of space taken up by the tables once packed away is… 1.5m x 2.4m… not much more than a double bed.

Providing schools (in many cases) with 56% more storage space than before which means you can use the space for storing other things, keeping your hall clutter-free.

Furthermore, the amount of setting up and tidying away time is minimal, making the benches ideal for breakfast clubs and afterschool clubs as well as lessons.

Of course, with such an innovative product there are many other interesting features. Around 100 colours are available and colours can be mixed and matched. And the lift-assist spring system makes packing up and opening out the tables the simplest thing you could imagine.

What’s more, there’s no compulsory maintenance contract (you can have one if you want) – there is a 15 year guarantee no matter what.

Here’s a picture of how the tables look when set out for lunch.

!cid_b9ca1e300087bf56ca2f1cb1f7c2e0d1

To see how they look when packed away click here.

Or for more information please call 01752 306 200 or email ideas@versadesign.co.uk.

See us at Acadamies Show – London Excel next Weds 20

Deciding what to do after 16 is the first big decision most 16 year olds will make, and both they and their parents need information

If the decision as to what a 16 year old does after year 11 is to be successful it must not only involve the student and his/her wishes, but also the student’s parents and the organisation/s that the student will use in the coming year.

Unfortunately there have already been many suggestions to the effect that a considerable number of parents are not particularly well informed on the options available.

Worse, many students seem to be ready to make only short-term decisions which do little to take into account what the student wishes to do in the longer term.

As for the notion of having a back-up plan if the first choice options don’t come to fruition – the number of students and parents who don’t even consider this seems to be frighteningly high.

Of course, in many ways this is all very understandable. For the past 11 years all the student’s educational needs, and most of the decisions that have been made, have been in the hands of the school. Both parents and students have become used to this, but suddenly there are questions to be answered and plans to be made.

Which is why “Making the Next Transition” exists. It is a copiable volume (available both on CD and in printed format) that can be used by both students and parents to help them to make the right decisions for now and to understand the long term implications of those decisions.

It is a publication that is ideal for placing on the school’s learning platform so that parents can access it and take an ever greater role in helping their sons and daughters make a successful transition to the next phase of their lives.

“Making the Next Transition” shows both parent and student what the options are and gives advice and support to the student who is preparing for the next stage in life.

Most importantly it is an activity based volume so that the student actually has to engage with the materials, answer questions, and consider where the issues raised by the book lead, rather than just reading through more text on the topic of “what next?”

In short it helps with decision-making, application forms and interview techniques, all directly in relation to the requirements that the law lays down for what students may do after the end of year 11.

ISBN: 978 1 86083 876 7;  Order code: T1825emn – please quote with order.

Sample pages can be viewed at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/careers/T1825.pdf

  • Photocopiable book, £19.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • CD with school-wide rights: £19.95 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Both the bookr and the CD £26.94 plus £3.95 delivery
  • Prices include VAT.

You can purchase the report…

 

What is the best way to ensure that your A level English pupils know enough basic grammar to be exam ready?

This handbook covers every aspect of grammar and its application to the analysis of text that is necessary for success in A level Language and combined Language and Literature courses, regardless of exam board.

The book assists grammatical acquisition from word class, to phrase then clause level, finally showing students how to analyse sentences in text. Sentence analysis is a stand alone requirement for students of the new linear OCR A Level Language course from 2015. Each section of this book is accompanied by clear and useful tasks which are designed to allow students to demonstrate their understanding and apply and consolidate  their knowledge.

The final section of the book is devoted to punctuation and terminology used to describe patterning in text, such as syntactical parallelism, tricolon use and antithesis, all of which are High Grade rhetorical features necessary for success at A level. Direct speech punctuation and apostrophe use are also covered in detail with useful examples of how to apply both.

This grammar handbook has often been cited by students as invaluable in assisting their learning, application and revision of grammar for A level Language and Language and Literature and is a resource created, developed and modified through many years of successful teaching.

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

You can see a full list of the topics and some sample pages at http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/english/T1835.pdf

Publisher’s reference: T1835EMN ISBN: 978 1 86083 896 5

Prices

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

Prices include VAT.

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

  • By post to First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Way, Corby, NN17 4HH
  • By fax to 01536 399 012
  • By phone with a credit card or school order number to 01536 399011
  • By email to sales@firstandbest.co.uk
  • On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk

What is the most effective way of proving to inspectors that your school is reaching out to parents?

One of the things about inspectors is that they like to see proof that the school is doing what it claims to be doing.  Which, when it comes to parental engagement, can be a bit of a problem.

Unless, of course, you have an e-book collection of dual language books with videos which can be used at home by parents and children. You can also prove just how much uptake of the facility there is.

The e-books have audio content in English and the home language and links to pictures so that both children and parents can work together, irrespective of their English language capabilities. There are now over 425 books and 37 languages with English, and the list is growing.

As interactive e-books, which play back on computers, tablets and smartphones, distribution is quick and easy, with minimal administration effort – no problems of sending and managing returns, no problems of damage or loss. The e-books make reaching out to your parents very possible.

You can buy the e-books as collections – the Full collection, the Juniors collections, the Infants collection and the Nursery collection – with prices down to as little as 4p per book per year.

You can also buy the books individually for as little as £3.50 per year.

You can extend learning into the home by buying a licence for the e-book reader so that a parent can access all books in a collection free of charge. A parental licence costs only 50 pence per month and many schools either subsidise this or ask parents to contribute.

To see how these e-books work we have a short video presentation which includes “Billy Goats Gruff” in Polish and English, “Sports Day in the Jungle” in Bengali and English, and “Key Terms in Maths” in Turkish and English.
Please click here to watch the video.

Try for yourself how each book works along with the activities for building vocabulary and testing comprehension. Please take our free Trial Collection which provides a 7 day trial of 35 books in 9 languages with English. Write to brandon@mantralingua.com, quoting FREE Trial in the subject line

A survey conducted by the ATL has confirmed what we already knew.

TES has reported on the results of a new survey conducted by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) to find out exactly why so many teachers are leaving the profession and why it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit new teachers in to the profession.

The survey, which was completed by 875 education staff, has revealed that over 80% have considered leaving the profession due to excessive workloads, with 24% envisaging that they won’t be working in education two years from now, unless this problem is resolved.

Some other reasons for teachers leaving the profession (and why it becoming increasingly difficult to recruit new teachers) are: a lack of respect for the profession, bureaucracy, pay and government policy changes.

Which is why we developed Policies for Schools – firstly, to reduce the workloads of teachers and administrators, and secondly, to make the task of creating school policies that reflect the changes in government policy much less daunting for everyone.

Policies for Schools has created over 290 school policies covering 20 different statutory areas. Our policies are easy to customise and thus will save you a considerable amount of time when one or more of your school policies require attention.

What’s more, if you have a specific need of a policy which isn’t listed on the website, we will create it for you. You can find our full list of school policies by clicking here.

To subscribe to Policies for Schools, visit www.policiesforschools.co.uk.

Alternatively, if you would like to know more about our service, you can email us at sales@policiesforschools.co.uk, call us on 01600 891 506, or write to us at Teachers Resource Centre Ltd, Wyastone Business Park, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, NP25 3SR.

Here is a testimonial from one of our customers:

“I find Policies for Schools very helpful indeed! In addition to the very diverse range of policies, all cross-referenced and regularly reviewed, which are available on the website all correspondence is immediately dealt with and new policies provided within 5 working days. For such a modest annual cost the website is incredible value for money!” – Anthony Welch (Headteacher Holland Park Primary School).

Link to TES article: https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/more-evidence-workload-driving-teacher-recruitment-and-retention