Daily Archives: 08/06/2016

Building, furniture, maintenance, energy etc

What is the single most effective way to ensure that your school’s values are clearly and overtly expressed?

There is a widespread feeling that it is right to honour our predecessors, not least to ensure that the fundamental principles that lie behind our current way of doing things aren’t taken for granted.

And one way in which this can be achieved is by commemorating the work of the school and its scholars (past and present) on an honours board displayed in your school’s assembly hall, office, or entrance hall for all to see.

In this way the school is able to communicate its values to parents, pupils, and visitors, clearly and instantaneously.

Furthermore, for schools that have been rehoused in new premises in recent years, the honours board can establish a connection between the exciting new building of today and the previous premises, encompassing the school’s symbolic and momentous history.

Greenbarnes has a long history of creating and supplying honours boards for schools across the UK. You can see examples of such boards on our website.

What’s more, if you can’t find an honours board on our website which corresponds to your school’s design, architectural features, and values, please don’t hesitate to call us on 01280 701093 to discuss what you would like or for any guidance that you may require.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Michael Barnes

Ofsted

Book your FREE, 30 minute consultation with the UK’s leading Education Marketing Expert

EmailerbannerHi, my name is Dave Walker.

I am the UK’s leading Education Marketing Expert, and I’ve helped schools all over Europe use their online presence to grow their brand and build an Outstanding School for the last twenty years.

I’ve worked with hundreds of Senior Leaders in schools so I know exactly which problems stop schools building the best website. I want to show you how to go beyond these problems and build a website that reinforces your school as ‘Outstanding.’
In a moment I am going to offer you the exclusive opportunity to have a FREE 30 minute, one to one consultation with me. You can ask me anything,

  • Pick from my 20 years of education marketing experience completely FREE of charge.  
  • Solve your new website problems. 
  • Ask me anything about brand development or social media. 

You get to choose the subject.

If you’ve read my 10 Steps to Online Success ebook, you will know the core principles I apply to a website build to ensure an Outstanding result. But like many things in life, knowing how to do something often doesn’t mean that we are able to achieve the desired result.

Life just seems to put barriers in the way.

It appears to show us what an Outstanding website looks like and how to achieve this result, but then throws problems in our path that often stop us taking the next crucial step towards the result that we know we need.

That’s why I am offering you the opportunity to kick start your school’s online success. In my experience if you can work with someone who can guide you through the process in simple easy steps, almost anything can and will be achieved.

But to achieve success you need to take action first.

That’s why I am only offering this opportunity to committed and motivated senior leaders like you.

My time is limited and only five 30 minute slots are available. So if you want to be one of the five lucky five professionals to benefit from my experience FREE of charge click the following link and enter your details.

Yes I want to reserve my FREE 30 minute consultation.

We can then begin the process together of moving your school to ‘Outstanding’ online.

I look forward to meeting you.

Dave Walker

P.S. Take this one action and it could transform your schools ability to connect with its audiences and supercharge your school to ‘Outstanding’.

Maths, Numeracy

What is the one classroom activity that will enhance your pupils’ confidence in, and enjoyment of maths more than any other?

There are only a limited number of activities around that are designed specifically to increase children’s enjoyment of maths.  And yet the more children do see maths as an enjoyable subject the more confidence they will have in the subject – and the more rapidly their studies will progress.

Which is why we created Magical Maths.

Magical Maths is a school based workshop aimed at either KS1 or KS2 students.  It is taught on a class-by-class basis with up to five classes being taught during the course of the day, with each class session lasting 45 minutes to an hour.

The sessions are based around the notion of magic, and indeed the practitioner who leads the sessions is a member of the Magic Circle.  Children practice and perform the magic tricks that are taught during the workshop – magic which is all based on National Curriculum maths.

As a result the children gain new mathematical insights and revel in their new-found positive relationship with mathematics.

To enquire about a possible booking please call me on 07870 215675 or email Jasmine@Jasminesmagicparties.co.uk with the words MAGIC MATHS in the subject line.

 

Science

Equilibria revision: free presentation!

Try our free Chemistry presentation on equilibrium reactions.

This revision presentation will help your students understand the factors affecting equilibrium reactions, including catalysts, temperature and pressure.

Using our interactive presentation, you can walk your class through the relationship between reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium; understanding the Le Chatelier principle; and the processes involved in the formation of ethanol and methanol.

Try out the free activity on our Doddle Science page!

Doddle offers much more than just engaging resources – you can book a free and flexible tour of all its features with one of our Educational Consultants. From self-marking quizzes that can be easily scheduled for upcoming homeworks, to the online markbook which clearly records students’ marks, Doddle provides you with everything you need to effectively track student progress.

Lucy
Doddle

Building, furniture, maintenance, energy etc

The dlb chairs genuinely improve the teaching and learning experience for all stakeholders.

At dlb we are all too aware of the budget constraints of schools, academies, etc… but we also feel that classrooms are starting to look the same.

The trend to purchase a cheap, one-piece poly chair is understandable with their durability and low price tag.  However, the Max 2 Chair and the Max 2 Tech offer outstanding value and not only are these chairs as strong, but they are also designed to promote a modern learning environment with their contemporary style.  We are driven to create products that capture the imagination of learners so our products must be as stylish as they are functional. Our ambition is always to leapfrog our competitors.  We certainly have achieved that with the dlb chairs.

Why?

Affordable – For as little as £23.85

Don’t Lean Back Frame – stops 11% of classroom disruption, OFSTED

Beautiful Design – inspires learning

Durable – 10 year warranty

Outstanding Posture Benefits – Promoted by a leading children’s physiotherapists

Colourful – Unlimited options for seat and leg colours

Green – 100% recyclable

Local – UK design UK manufacturing

There is more information HERE, along with images and details of how to buy.  If you want any further information or if I can help in any way, please do call us on 0345 257 8850 or email info@dlb.co.uk  

Tom Wates

Drama, English

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.

School News

From September 2016 all of our teaching resources will be available as downloads, and downloads ONLY. But in the meanwhile…

… we are selling our book titles for just £5 each (discounts of up to 75%) while stocks last.

Over the past couple of decades we have been fortunate to witness an extraordinary technological revolution, yet it is only now that publishers of teaching materials are truly seeing the impact of this.

Indeed, it is only in the last year or so that the popularity of our digital teaching resources has surpassed the popularity of our teaching resources in book format – which is why we have decided that from September 2016 we will be moving to downloads only.

Thus, in the meantime we will be selling all of our teaching resources in book format for just £5 each (discounts of up to 75%) so that we can do away with our book stock and make this transition (from books to downloads), sooner rather than later.

To browse our library of teaching resources and take advantage of our Summer Sale of 2016 (our best summer sale to date), please visit www.topical-resources.co.uk.

You can order any of our resources (while stocks last) for just £5 a book on our website.

Or, if you’d prefer, you can place an order by phone on 01772 863158, by fax on 01772 866153, by email to sales@topical-resources.co.uk, or by post to Topical Resources,
P.O. Box329, Broughton, Preston, Lancashire PR3 5LT.

Also, if you’d like to share this offer (which we would appreciate very much), please do forward this email and/or share our Facebook post about Topical Resources’ 2016 Summer Sale which you will find pinned to the top of our Facebook page – Topical Resources.
www.topical-resources.co.uk
sales@topical-resources.co.uk

History

History Summer School 2016

The study of history is about a lot more than facts and dates. Questions of the possibility of historical truth, the methodology of its pursuit, and the political responsibilities of historians to both the past and the future are central to the craft of the historian. This course offers the chance to explore these and other historiographical questions using some fascinating (and sometimes weird and wonderful) case studies.

The Debate Chamber History Summer School will be of particular benefit to those students who are considering the study of History, or a related subject, at university. This intensive course will be conducted through seminars, lectures, structured activities and informal discussions, in order to create a genuine sense of what studying history at undergraduate level is like. The topics covered over the five days have been specifically selected to challenge and broaden the historical outlook of participants and as such the course requires no specific previous background knowledge (although students are encouraged to bring their own examples to the questions addressed) and is open to all students aged 15-18. The most important qualification is a strong enthusiasm for history!

The Summer School offers students the opportunity to develop their historical studies by tackling areas of study not often covered by the school curriculum. By exploring new and ambitious topics, students will be challenged to confront the unexamined assumptions underlying their interpretations and to develop their analysis of primary and secondary source materials. The course offers students the opportunity to gain a good basic understanding of a broad range of historiographical trends and subject matters, and as a result, students will not only be well equipped make informed decisions about studying history at university, but will enjoy the challenge of being presented with new ideas, and benefit from having their own thoughts critically examined.

Our approach to tuition is varied – lively tutorial discussions, formal debates, lectures, group presentations and close individual reading of primary and secondary source material. Special emphasis is given to developing students’ skills as critical readers at an undergraduate level, by analysing extracts and quotations, as well as images, material sources and oral accounts. Participants will be supported in formulating and presenting their own viewpoints clearly and logically and be encouraged to challenge one another’s positions in a constructive and friendly atmosphere. Class sizes of 14 students per group allow us to give each student plenty of individual attention and useful feedback.

You can view a full schedule for the course, details of tutors and lots more feedback from last year on our website – www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/history-summer-school/

Feedback from Previous Summer Historians:

Before the History Summer School, I had no idea what studying history beyond the facts could be like. After the summer school, thanks to the brilliant tutors and the challenging curriculum, I have a much more in-depth knowledge of the various theories behind historical study and what it is like to further study history. I’d recommend this Summer School to anyone who has even the slightest interest in history, it was probably the most informative and interesting 5 days of my life!

For me, this course was originally planning to be a sort of wake up from the summer. However, the five non-stop history filled days that we were given meant I didn’t just turn on my brain, I excited it: critically looking at intriguing sources. Due to the huge scope of the course, no matter where your interest is you’re bound to come away with a new one. Then too, the lecturers/teachers provided entertaining and enlightening commentary on the sources and historical events that we covered. Discussion amongst the group was always flowing and I was always left with something bubbling in my mind at the end of the day.

You just really need to go, it has changed my outlook on History and my passion for the subject ten-fold!

I would certainly recommend this Summer School to anybody interested in studying history further. The five days covered a large range of subjects and the tutors were very informative, fantastic at helping everyone be involved in discussions. There was a great atmosphere in the sessions and I felt comfortable contributing. I am really glad I attended.

Practical Details:

This Summer School takes place on the 18th-22nd July (and repeated 1st-5th August and 22nd-26th August), the venue will be the University of London Bloomsbury Campus. The course fees are £465 per student.

There is a limited amount of bursary funding available for students 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/history-summer-school/, call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

 

Maths, Numeracy

By manipulating numbers using mathematical operations, they can be used to serve a variety of purposes in everyday life

Children who handle numbers regularly have a greater understanding of their meaning and are thus quicker to appreciate that numbers can be manipulated using mathematical operations to serve a variety of purposes in everyday life.

However, there are very few teaching resources on the market which exercise such an approach to number (which is surprising when we consider that the majority of children are thought to be kinaesthetic learners).

As a result, we have developed Deck Ahoy! – a resource containing over 100 games and activities where the only equipment you need is a deck of cards.

Suitable for pupils in Years 1 to 6, the resource is designed to support the teaching of number and the mathematical operations that appear in the mathematics programmes of study.

The games and activities therefore do not only explore the main operations – addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division – but also fractions, statistics, time, ratios, squares, and cubes and graphs.

What’s more, the ‘Deck Ahoy!’ card games and activities have proven to work exceptionally well as homework tasks, particularly when you are stretched for PPA time as there are no worksheets to issue or marking to do.

Further information and free sample activities can be found on the website.

You can order Deck Ahoy! in any of these ways:

  • On our 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