Giving visitors a totally positive feeling concerning the values at the heart of your school

It shouldn’t be like this, but sadly it often is.  We live in a society in which people make snap judgements.

Indeed, even when there is a chance to revise that judgement later, the fact is the first impression lingers and can dominate.

Which is why it is so important to make sure that everyone who comes to the school – from inspectors to those delivering goods, from parents to students – has a very powerful and positive first image of the school.

Take for example the simple issue of where visitors should report.  A sign that says “All visitors go to reception” is brusque to the point of being rude, and doesn’t actually help a flustered parent or bewildered delivery man if there is no sign pointing the way.

A sign that says, “If you’re a visitor please go to our reception area; first door on the left,” is more friendly and welcoming.  It might seem a trivial point but it can make a difference.

It can also be helpful to have site plans, floor plans, 3D plans as well as signs: and all of these are exactly what we specialise in: signs and plans that not only make it clear where a room or building is, but which also say, “don’t worry, we’re friendly” at the same time.

There’s more information about making your school as friendly as possible to visitors  on our website and if you have any questions you can call me on 01746 766233.

Michael Best

Director

michael@bestwayfinding.co.uk.

What makes a student read one book and not another (or come to that, none)?

02A recent report concerning teenagers and their phones told the story of a couple of young ladies of around sixth form age, who were clambering over some rocks at the edge of a beach.

The activity wasn’t particularly dangerous, although a slip might well have caused grazing or cuts, or even a sprained or broken ankle.

Both teenagers carried shoulder bags, which was sensible, except that each climbed with their mobile phones in one hand, thus seriously impeding their mobility.

As to why they did this, one can only surmise, but the most likely explanation would seem to be that so deep was their anxiety about missing a phone call, even placing the phone in a bag at their side felt like creating too great a distance between the self and the phone.

The story is, I feel, relevant to those of us concerned to introduce classic English literature to students, for it emphasises the battle that we can have just to get some students to focus on literature that is more than a few lines long.

However, we think we have found a way of encouraging students to consider the classics further by producing English literature texts in thoroughly modern covers and by reducing the price to just £1.88 each (with no delivery charge and no minimum order), meaning that you can offer the students a wide choice of books to read.  

The authors in the catalogue range from HG Wells to Dickens, from Jane Austen to the Brontës, covering more than 200 of the greatest works of classic literature.  Indeed not only does each volume have the full text, but with all of our classics there is also a set of exclusive introductions and notes.

If you would like to see a list of over 60 titles that are set texts on various curricula and are available from as little as £1.88 that is available here.

Then if you want to see the full list of over 400 titles currently in print along with a ready to use order form, should you need it, then we have a page with those details as well.

And here’s one final offer of a free book.  Just in case the notion of books at £1.88 each with free delivery seems just too good to be true, we’d like to assure you of the quality of our publications and the speed of our service.

So, to receive a free sample of one of our classics just email education@wordsworth-editions.com with your name and the school address, and we’ll put it in the post to you with our compliments.

It is self-evident that even a minor mental health issue can compromise a young person’s ability to learn.

So what do we do?

Medical professionals generally concur that one in four adults in the UK experience mental illness at some stage in their lives, and in half of these cases the problems take root before the age of 15.

Thus if we can improve and help support the emotional, social, and physical health and wellbeing of pupils and students in our school we will be giving these young people two incredibly important benefits.

First we will be helping to improve their personal wellbeing, and second we will be giving those who don’t suffer from any mental health issues in later life a much deeper understanding of what mental health issues are and how their own children might one day be affected.

To undertake this task, NeuroHeadway provides resources for teachers to deliver in the classroom on the subject of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

Our resources are collected into modules each of which are focussed on a single topic that can be delivered in PSHE and Science lessons, to improve and help support the wellbeing of all pupils and students.

Content for the NeuroHeadway modules has been supplied by practising psychology and neuroscience experts from around the world and shaped by us into classroom ready materials, suitable for all secondary school pupils and students.

For information on how the resources work, please click here.

For more information, please call: (+44) 01562 730 696 or email: enquiries@neuroheadway.com

Information and activities to support your SEN students to demonstrate good work etiquette during their work experience placement

Organising work experience for SEN students can be something of a challenge, for not only must it be tailored to the needs of a young person, but it must also be tailored to the needs of a young person with a SpLD or who may view the world in a wholly different way.

So, to help your SEN students to succeed during their work experience placement (and to make organising their work experience placement easier for you) SEN Press has devised the Work Experience Series.

The Work Experience Series contains a wealth of information, support, and resources about what your students can expect when undertaking work experience and how to demonstrate good work etiquette in the array of situations they’re likely to find themselves in.

Not only has the value pack’s content been specifically designed to respond to the way in which students with autism typically view the world, but it will also respond to their learning needs – it has been designed for older students with a reading age of around seven.

The Work Experience Series uses an approach that we have adopted through a series of six student reading books each focussed on a particular work setting, ranging from an animal charity to a fast-food restaurant, from a garage to a supermarket.

The six reading books, each of which builds upon the themes of the series (time-keeping, showing respect, and so on) are accompanied by a set of copiable worksheets and teachers’ resources, supplied in spiral-bound format for easy use.

The teachers’ resources also include around 100 A4 pages of additional resources including keyword flashcards, word searches, and spot the difference pictures.

Finally the pack also includes a CD rom which has a set of eBooks and whiteboard resources. These include real voice audio tracks of the eBook versions of the readers and a wide range of interactive activities so that the students can practise various life skills.

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.  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.