Between Thursday 15 November and Saturday 17 November, Study Options will be holding Australian and New Zealand University Open Days. These are free information events aimed at students (and schools) who would like to find out more about university options in Australia and New Zealand.

Fifteen representatives from Australian and New Zealand universities will be present at the events to speak with prospective students in person. Study Options’ Open Days are held twice a year, in March and November, and are a great opportunity for students to get more information and talk to representatives from the universities face-to-face. For the majority of the universities, these are the only in-person events they undertake in the UK.

Which universities will be there?

New South Wales, Australia

• The University of Sydney
• UNSW Sydney 

Queensland, Australia

• Bond University
• Griffith University
• James Cook University
• University of Queensland

Victoria, Australia

• Deakin University
• The University of Melbourne
• Monash University
• RMIT University

Western Australia, Australia

• The University of Western Australia 

North Island, New Zealand

• The University of Auckland
• The University of Waikato

South Island, New Zealand

• University of Canterbury
• University of Otago 

About the events

The Open Days are open to students, parents and schools. Please register for a place at www.studyoptionsopendays.com 

Thursday 15 November, 3.00pm-5.30pm
The Scotsman Hotel, 20 North Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1TR 

Friday 16 November, 1.00pm-4.30pm
Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3WS

Saturday 17 November, 1.30pm-6.00pm
Australia House, Strand, London, WC2B 4LA

There is a lot more information available at www.studyoptionsopendays.com regarding venues, opening times and how to register. Please do let us know if you have any questions or if there is any further information we can provide.

Please note, these events are not suitable for students who have Australian or New Zealand citizenship (passports), as these students must apply through a separate process. You can find out more about the domestic application process on our website.

Contact Study Options with any questions about the events or for free information and advice about studying in Australia and New Zealand.

Download an A4 PDF poster about the events here

Contact Study Options

Website: www.studyoptions.com
Telephone: 0207 353 7200
Email: mail@studyoptions.com

Improvements in  design and manufacture  have  meant that the quality and durability of student chairs have improved significantly. The result is that it’s now possible to obtain classroom  chairs with a TWENTY  year warranty.

That’s up to TWENTY years with NO replacement costs and NO repair bills…which,  in a large school or college can save  hundreds of pounds.

Designed not only to be comfortable, durable and virtually vandal proof but also to encourage good posture, the “Postura Plus” chair is available in sixteen attractive colours and six sizes,  making it ideal for use across different departments and in both primary and secondary sectors.

For a limited period  it’s possible to order Postura Plus chairs at 2017 prices ……. a saving of at least 45p per chair on what are already very competitive prices.  So, if you have been considering adding to your stock of Postura Plus chairs or perhaps introducing them for the first time here is an opportunity to do so and save money at the same time.

For more information about these chairs please visit the website  

www.centraleducational.co.uk/index.php/product/postura-plus/ 

 If you’d like to discuss their suitability for your organisation or to chat about a possible order please call 020 7515 1797 and ask to speak to Martin Evans who will be pleased to help.

Central Educational Supplies Ltd can also be contacted by email on info@centraleducational.co.uk or fax: 020 7515 4420

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

The Casio FX 85GT+ and the Logik LK 83XP are excellent choices for your GCSE maths students.  They both benefit from battery power with solar power back-up  to provide extra reassurance for your students. Both calcs have a “natural display” function which enables students to enter expressions and data as shown in textbooks.  As you would expect,  the build quality of both calcs is excellent and both calcs benefit from a THREE year warranty. (excludes damage to the LCD).

The Logik  LK 83XP has similar features to the Casio FX 85GT+  but without the “verify” and “recurring decimal” functions. Both calcs  feature  prime factorisation, random numbers, algebraic logic, multi-line replay, standard deviation, log / anti-log, hyperbolics etc and have a three year warranty and are available at short notice from Signpost Educational Ltd., The  Logik LK 83XP  is available from £ 5.29 each  ex vat while the  Casio FX 85GT+  starts from £ 7.75 each ex vat. 

For more details & prices please  visit:

    www.signposteducational.co.uk    

 or email to: info@signposteducational.co.uk    or phone: 020 7515 1797 and ask for Martin Evans who will be pleased to assist with queries or orders.

Signpost Educational Ltd  PO Box 999  London E14 6SH 

PS.  orders are usually delivered within 1-3 working days.

It’s not easy  to ensure that every student comes to school or college properly equipped for  lessons or exams.

But  NOW  there’s a  simple,  effective and low cost way of solving the problem       The “STUDENT ESSENTIALS” set 

Consisting of, three quality black ink pens, two  full length HB pencils,  a      15 cm ruler,  pencil sharpener, eraser, all contained in  a clear   “exam friendly” PVC wallet with a zip slider….

From just 85p each, ex vat  it’s a simple and effective way of  improving productivity and helping students succeed in their  lessons and exams.

More details at:    www.signposteducational.co.uk/student-packs/

or you can contact them on: Tel:  020 7515 1797    Fax:  020 7515 4420   email:  info@signposteducational.co.uk

Orders are usually delivered within 1-3 working days.

Signpost Educational Ltd   PO Box 999   London  E14 6SH

Every student with poor communication skills has, quite obviously, difficulty in listening, understanding, and self-expression.  Such students will then also have difficulties in areas as diverse as problem-solving and maintaining relationships.

To overcome such problems these students need to learn effective two-way interactive communication so that they can participate both in the formal side of their education and the social side of being at school.

However research from Ican has suggested that at least 10% of young people across the UK have communication difficulties that are often not fully being picked up and addressed because of the individual and small group approaches that are needed to help such students.

Yet where these students can be helped to engage in rich, active, confident communication they can gain the skills that will allow them to benefit from the education that they receive.  They will, in short, be able to express themselves openly and articulate their thoughts and feelings.

Further, as many psychological studies have shown, language is an integral part of our processing of daily events through our thoughts.  If we do not have the skills to process daily events internally then our mental health and well being suffer.

And on top of all that, the importance of this issue can be further recognised by the fact that only 15% of children with communication difficulties go on to achieve 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (compared with 57% of all other young people.)

NLP4kids works in this area with many schools around the UK, and our work includes helping schools access government funding specifically set aside for this sort of project – thus effectively making our services available free of charge to the school.

If you would like to discuss the options without any obligation please do call 0345 3192 666 or 0203 6677 294 or email me at gemma@NLP4Kids.org

Gemma Bailey
Director of NLP4Kids

Do you ever wish you could have a greater range of chair colours?

How would you feel about getting 2018 Postura Plus classroom chairs  at 2017 prices….. and to cap it all how about a 20 year warranty on every chair you order?

Postura Plus chairs are manufactured from a single mould of polypropylene with no  screws, bolts or other fixings to become loose or be vandalised.  Their ergonomic design promotes enhanced user comfort which should at the same time improve your students  concentration in lessons….. plus the 20 year warranty will make a dramatic dent in your organisations maintenance costs. Site managers like Postura Plus chairs as they have seen significant reductions in damage and vandalism.

What’s more, the Postura Plus range of one piece chairs is available in 16 colours and six sizes, right from nursery through schools to colleges and universities. Postura Plus chairs are already installed in thousands of UK schools and colleges, and not without good reason.

You can have all of these benefits at the same time when you order from Central Educational Supplies Ltd  who have been supplying Potura Plus chairs for well over ten years.

Why not visit their website (www.centraleducational.co.uk)  to find out more about Postura Plus chairs…and consider their 20 year warranty.  How much could Postura Plus chairs save your organisation compared with traditional classroom chairs, not to mention the advantages of purchasing this years’ chairs at 2017 prices.

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

  info@centraleducational.co.uk   Tel:  020 7515 1797

When this happens it’s frustrating, often disruptive, and always time-wasting……

But is there a solution?

Well, we believe there is. It’s called the “Student Essentials set,” a low cost but effective solution to the problems caused by students who turn up for lessons or exams without the basic kit.

The “Student Essentials set” consists of three quality black ink pens, two full length HB pencils, a 15 cm ruler, pencil sharpener and eraser, all packed in an “exam friendly” clear PVC wallet with a zip slider.  From just 85p each (ex vat) the “Student Essentials set” is ideal to give (or perhaps sell) to your students so they’ll have what they need for almost all their lessons.

Find out more from Signpost Educational Ltd on 020 7515 1797 or visit their website:

www.signposteducational.co.uk or contact them on: info@signposteducational.co.uk

Signpost Educational Ltd, PO Box 999  London  E14 6SH

Do you ever wish you could have a greater range of chair colours?

How would you feel about getting 2018  Postura Plus classroom chairs  at 2017 prices….. and to cap it all how about a 20 year warranty on every chair you order?

Postura Plus chairs are manufactured from a single mould of polypropylene with no  screws, bolts or other fixings to become loose or be vandalised.  Their ergonomic design promotes enhanced user comfort which should at the same time improve your students  concentration in lessons.

What’s more, the Postura Plus range of one piece chairs is available in 16 colours and six sizes, right from nursery through schools  to colleges and universities.

You can have all of these benefits at the same time when you order from Central Educational Supplies Ltd  who have been supplying Potura Plus chairs for well over ten years.

Why not visit their website (www.centraleducational.co.uk) to find out more about Postura Plus chairs…and consider their 20 year warranty.  How much could this save your organisation compared with traditional classroom chairs, not to mention the advantages of purchasing this years’ chairs at 2017 prices.

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

  info@centraleducational.co.uk   Tel:  020 7515 1797

PS Please ask to speak to Martin Evans who will be pleased to provide more information about Postura Plus chairs or assist with purchasing.

A conflation of our two most popular workshops into an all-day experience. ‘Ensuring Boys Matter’. Mengage takes elements of ‘raising boy’s achievement’ and ‘boys don’t cry’ to create a workshop focusing on supporting the achievement, emotional & mental health needs of boys and young men.

Encompassing a school day, delegates will experience –

• Exploring – Experience of working with boys and what the current data is informing us
• Act like a boy – Being boy positive and creating boy friendly facilities
• What stops him – Barriers to learning and what we can do as a school
• Enabling -Experiences from elsewhere and what works?

This is feedback for this course –

‘Mengage were so accommodating when I approached them about potential CPD training in school. I asked for a blend of their different training programmes and they came up with a perfect bespoke day to be delivered in school. We had 4 workshops which incorporated facts, theories, pedagogy, practical suggestions, and stimulated excellent professional debate.

Liam was a great trainer. He is warm, friendly and funny, which put all the delegates at ease quickly. This was so important, as people did not feel inhibited to ask questions or share their thoughts and experiences. His past life as a teacher meant that he pitched the workshops perfectly, and everyone found them valuable.

We learned so much in one day, in the comfort of our own school, which was a real bonus – Liam travelled a considerable distance to be with us. The cost of the day was incredibly good value, considering the number of staff who accessed the workshops throughout the day.

I would not hesitate in recommending Mengage to other schools and organisations’.

Helen Mackay, Assistant Head, St Mary’s Catholic High School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

These workshops, if bought separately, would cost £1945. Mengage are happy to offer this merging of the two at £1495. Ideally it will be for up to 25 staff – but negotiations can be had around involving more. You can see more about the workshop by clicking here

For more details please contact Liam Kernan on 01905 570180/07788 725318, liam@mengage.co.uk or go to the website for more information www.mengage.co.uk

The Casio FX 83GT+ is the UK’s best selling scientific calc… and deservedly so.  It’s been setting the pace in many UK schools & colleges and is  the first choice for GCSE exams for many students.    From only £ 6.49 each, ex vat (200+), it’s an excellent buy.

But now there is a credible alternative…… It’s the Logik LK 83XP which has almost all the features of the FX 83GT Plus  but with one big advantage…… it’s dual power.  This combination of battery and solar power  prolongs battery life and gives students  extra reassurance, especially when used in exams.

The LK 83XP has a THREE year guarantee, excellent build quality and reliability and is suitable for all UK exams where a calculator is allowed.  Features include: 252 functions, “natural (textbook) display,” check, correct and replay, stats calculations, prime factorisation, hard plastic keys, slide on case, etc.

It’s a calc which can see your students all the way from year 7 to GCSE and at a surprisingly modest price, from only £ 5.22 ex vat.

Further details on:  www.signposteducational.co.uk 

or phone 020 7515 1797 or email: info@signposteducational.co.uk

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

Many children do suffer from anxiety in tests and exams, and generally there’s nothing wrong with that – a modest level of anxiety is a common human characteristic.

But when that anxiety is there consistently, it can mean that the child is going to suffer poor results at school which no amount of focus and hard work can put right.  And it is a problem that can remain with them throughout their lives.

However, one short-term intervention programme during the primary school years with children who suffer in this way can result in a wholly different outcome.  One in which anxiety is reduced to more normal levels.

Such a change can be achieved through a short period of intervention with a small group of children – and the bonus is that there is external funding available for this type of intervention so that there is no cost at all to the school.

Working with a small number of children in different ways through a short series of sessions, we are able to help such children overcome confidence issues, worries about their family or home life, and similar matters so that these children reach their potential.

If you feel that you have some children in your school who are not reaching their full potential because of anxiety and related issues, and you would like to make use of external funding to help these children, I would ask you to get in touch.

We have already worked with numerous schools across the country and now have additional time and funding available to come to your school and work with the children you nominate. There are more details of our work at http://nlp4kids.org.uk/schools-co-uk/

If you would like to discuss the options without any obligation please do call 0345 3192 666 or 0203 6677 294 or email gemma@NLP4Kids.org

The LOGIK brand of calculators has been used  successfully in  secondary schools and colleges during the past fifteen years.  If you’re considering  scientific calculators for the new school year then their two “flagship” models, the LK 183 and the LK 83XP are well worth considering.

Both calculators have a THREE year warranty (excludes damage to LCD) and are suitable for

KS 3, 4 and GCSE as well as scottish exams.  Both calcs come with  hard plastic keys, a slide-on case and all the features and functions your students will need for  GCSE maths.

From only £ 3.69  each (ex vat) both calcs are also available in class sets of 30 in a Gratnells storage box with a foam insert and handy clip on lid.

More details can be found on the website of Signpost Educational Ltd www.signposteducational.co.uk

or contact them by phone on 020 7515 1797   or email at:    info@signposteducational.co.uk

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

  info@centraleducational.co.uk   Tel:  020 7515 1797

PS   Please ask to speak to Martin Evans who will be pleased to provide more information.

Fitting a whole year’s worth of revision and lessons into just a couple of hours can be tough going for students. Exams are difficult enough as they are, but during the summer months, things can really heat up. According to the independent, students in buildings without air-conditioning attain worse grades during tests in the middle of a heatwave – by around 13%. So, just how widespread is this issue, and what can be done to help future students?

Feeling the heat

According to a study by the US National Bureau of Economic Research, heat has a significant impact on exam results. This study, which was picked up by numerous news outlets as the first major analysis of the correlation between higher temperatures and lower exam scores, took place over a 13-year time period and included 10 million US secondary school pupils. The study found that learning achievement fell by 1% for every 0.55°C increase to the average temperature. Any temperature exceeding 21°C was found to have a significant impact on learning, with anything above 32°C having even more of an effect. The effect of heat on learning was found to be particularly high at temperatures over 38°C.

The study also outlined that high temperatures only impacted exam scored on hot school days – hot weekends didn’t have an impact on achievement levels. Heat did affect educational time however, both at school and at home during homework time.

University challenges

Building on this, another study by Harvard University examined the effects of heat on students living in university accommodation. The study looked at university students during a heatwave – some stayed in rooms with air-conditioning and others stayed in rooms without. Ultimately, the students who stayed in the non-air-conditioned rooms were found to have scored much lower in both problem solving and memory tests.

The effects of heat aren’t limited to daylight hours, however – too much heat at night can also cause problems.

Trouble sleeping

During the UK summer heatwave of 2018, the Guardian reported an increase in sleep problems across the country. The sudden rise in temperature for a country so used to milder climates caused many people to feel irritable, tired, and less productive as a result.

Sleep medicine consultant Dr Michal Farquhar spoke to the Guardian spoke to the Guardian about the problem, stating that: “Britain isn’t really designed to deal with higher than average temperatures. Unlike warmer climates, our homes are designed to keep us warm in the winter more than to keep us cool in the summer, and air conditioning is relatively rare in private homes.”

He went on to explain how the ideal temperature for sleeping is rather restrictive at just 16-18°C, so a sudden temperature rise can cause a number of issues for many people – both at work and at school.

Cooling down

With the effects of climate change becoming more and more apparent, many of us are asking what we can do to help students overcome the heat.

Both Harvard University and the US National Bureau of Economic Research recommend using a good air conditioning unit in educational facilities, such as exam halls and classrooms. The institutions both noted that air-conditioning had a positive effect on reversing the damage to student exam scores caused by too much heat.

As outlined by the Guardian, however, air-conditioning is rarely found in the UK, especially in universities and schools. Historically, this makes a lot of sense, as the UK has never had a history of extended periods of high temperatures, so in the past, air conditioning wasn’t a wise decision financially. With summers getting hotter each year however, and heatwaves during summer becoming a regular occurrence, some have asked if it’s time for the British attitude towards the value of air-conditioning to change.

The National Education Union recommend that UK schools should have an action plan in place should temperatures exceed 26°C. They recommend measures such as encouraging drinking water in the classroom, moving pupils away from windows, limiting the use of computers and installing a good air conditioning system. Companies like Daikin, for example, can offer their expertise in fitting the right air-conditioning system for educational environments. If warmer summers are really here for the foreseeable future, the UK needs to adapt its buildings in order to keep people safe, comfortable and cool.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44288982

https://www.teachers.org.uk/files/high-classroom-temperatures_0.doc

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/07/17/heat-makes-you-dumb-four-charts/?utm_term=.836e0353d41a

https://www.theguardian.com/education/shortcuts/2018/may/30/students-dont-do-so-well-in-exams-when-its-hot-so-is-it-time-to-overhaul-the-academic-year

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/joshuagoodman/files/w24639.pdf

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/weather-heatwave-air-conditioning-hot-stop-brain-working-harvard-university-a8440986.html

Have you considered accredited mentoring?

How to effectively engage young males with education and provide them with the support and encouragement they need to go on to bigger and better things is always a concern for staff.

Mentoring, as well as offering an evidence-based approach to work with young men, helps young men to achieve their academic and vocational potential, addresses concerns related to problematic behaviours – and provides go-to support and signposting to other services from someone they have built trust with.

The Unit Award in Mentoring Boys and Young Men is a Level 2 award providing your staff/students with an understanding of mentoring work. Whether it is for your staff to better engage with boys or for the boys themselves to support one another, mentoring is an approach that has been shown to work.

The workshop covering the award criteria is 4 hours long. Each staff/student undertaking the award will be provided with their own copy of the Mengage course book: Mentoring Male: A guide to mentoring work with boys and young men. A Level 2 certificate will be issued upon completion.

Feedback received – 23 staff in a Liverpool School said –

Rating delivery and knowledge of the trainer as a one (brilliant), collectively the group said, “The facilitator was engaging and informative. The case studies were informative and beneficial to our CPD. We would recommend the course to others as it was one of the best training courses that has been delivered to us.” Lord Derby Academy, Huyton 

The workshop costs £1295 for up to 10 staff or up to 15 students or a mixture of both – works surprisingly well! Bigger groups are negotiable. You can see more about the workshop by clicking here.

For more information or to discuss a booking, you can contact Liam by email at liam@mengage.co.uk or by phone on 07788725318.

Alternatively, you can visit our website at www.mengage.co.uk to see what else we offer with regards to mental health and raising boys’ achievement.

Of course there is one thing that all school suppliers seem to have in common. They like to tell you they are the best.

But really, how do you know for sure?

One way to find out is to ask a prospective supplier for some free samples of each product you are interested in, not least because if you find the supplier doesn’t want to give you a free sample, you might start to be a little suspicious about the product and its long term viability.

Which is why we offer free samples of all the products in our range. Items such as ID badges, accident books, absence pass books, hi viz vests, school water bottles, visitor books, printing on sports kit, lanyards, wristbands, school bags, etc, etc.

And there’s a bonus: if you send a copy of your school logo or badge, we’ll incorporate that into the free sample: and the free sample still remains absolutely free.

We know that what we offer is high quality and that the moment our customers in schools across Scotland see what we have, they are interested in making a purchase. So, free samples it is. And yes, in the unlikely event that you don’t want to place an order, the samples are yours to keep. We don’t ask for them back.

If you would like to see free samples from any of our ranges all you have to do is go to our web site, tick the box/es of the items you’d like to see, and we’ll send them to you.

Alternatively if you would like to see some pictures just go to our products page, scroll down a little and you’ll see a lot of pictures of what we have to offer.

Or, of course if you have a question, or want to talk about any particular part of our range, please do call us on on our freephone number of 0800 999 2776 or email us with any questions on office@ultimateeducation.co.uk

At a time when there have been increases in the price of classroom chairs it’s nice to be able to report that it’s still possible to purchase classroom chairs from an established UK manufacturer at very competitive prices.

It’s true that there is a limited colour range and in just one seat height (430 mm) but at these prices, AND with a FIVE year warranty, it’s hard to ignore the benefits of having extra seating eg. for exams, for fitting out temporary classrooms, or just for use in emergencies.

The “Poplar” classroom chair is available in black or blue from just £8.98 ex vat (200+) (slightly more for smaller quantities). Quick delivery can usually be arranged, subject to stock.

Further information can be found on the website of Central Educational Supplies Ltd www.centraleducational.co.uk or give Martin Evans a call on 020 7515 1797 or by email info@centraleducational.co.uk

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

One of the nice things about UK Education News is that there is no tracking going on – those of us running the service don’t know who you are, where you are, what you are reading etc.

What’s more, as you will have seen, the site is also totally and utterly free, and we intend to keep it that way.

But the fact you are reading this means that you are on UK Education News, and hopefully enjoying the service that we offer.  And so we’d like ask you a favour.

Could you send an email to one or two of your colleagues that says something like the example below.   (You might find it a bit cheesy so please do write something of your own; I’m sure you’ll do an infinitely better job that I can).

———————-

To colleagues in the school:

I’m not sure if you read the free rolling news service UK Education News.  But I do, and find it quite interesting.   And the people who run the service have suggested that those of us who use the free service might pass a note on to one or two colleagues and friends to tell them about it.

It’s a site that carries education news headlines from the BBC, Guardian, Telegraph etc.  You can simply click on a headline and then read the full story.

The service is at www.ukeducationnews.co.uk

I think it is quite good, and it really is free, so I’ve agreed, just this once, to pass this message on.

———————-

Now that may be far too horribly cheesy for you to pass on, but if you could rephrase it in any way you want, and pass it on that would be good.

And please do remember, there is no tracking going on.  We don’t know who goes on the site and we’re not asking for your email address nor that of your colleagues.

If you don’t want to pass this on, that’s OK too.  Although it is nice if you can.

Tony Attwood
Editor, UK Education News.

Postura Plus classroom chairs with a TWENTY year warranty can save schools and colleges hundreds or even thousands of pounds  and eliminate time wasted trying to repair damaged or vandalised chairs….…

Improvements in design and manufacture mean that the quality and durability of classroom chairs have improved significantly  since 1996. The result is that it’s now possible to obtain classroom chairs with a TWENTY year warranty.

That’s twenty years with NO replacement costs and NO repair costs …. a considerable saving of time and money compared with many chairs still in use in UK schools.

….and the chair in question  ?  It’s the POSTURA  PLUS, now in its  twenty first year.

Designed not only to be durable and virtually vandal proof it also encourages good posture and is available in 16 colours and six sizes from nursery right through to college and university.

If you’re looking for an attractive,  practical and durable chair  with an ergonomic design which  encourages good posture  and which can be used throughout your organisation then the Postura Plus chair is worth serious consideration.

For further information on Postura Plus chairs (which by the way, are manufactured here in the UK) please visit the website:  www.centraleducational.co.uk  

or contact them by email:  info@centraleducational.co.uk or phone:  020 7515 1797  and ask to speak to Martin Evans who will be pleased to help with any questions you may have.

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

One of the nice things about UK Education News is that there is no tracking going on – those of us running the service don’t know who you are, where you are, what you are reading etc.

What’s more, as you will have seen, the site is also totally and utterly free, and we intend to keep it that way.

But the fact you are reading this means that you are on UK Education News, and hopefully enjoying the service that we offer.  And so we’d like ask you a favour.

Could you send an email to one or two of your colleagues that says something like the example below.   (You might find it a bit cheesy so please do write something of your own; I’m sure you’ll do an infinitely better job that I can).

———————-

To colleagues in the school:

I’m not sure if you read the free rolling news service UK Education News.  But I do, and find it quite interesting.   And the people who run the service have suggested that those of us who use the free service might pass a note on to one or two colleagues and friends to tell them about it.

It’s a site that carries education news headlines from the BBC, Guardian, Telegraph etc.  You can simply click on a headline and then read the full story.

The service is at www.ukeducationnews.co.uk

I think it is quite good, and it really is free, so I’ve agreed, just this once, to pass this message on.

———————-

Now that may be far too horribly cheesy for you to pass on, but if you could rephrase it in any way you want, and pass it on that would be good.

And please do remember, there is no tracking going on.  We don’t know who goes on the site and we’re not asking for your email address nor that of your colleagues.

If you don’t want to pass this on, that’s OK too.  Although it is nice if you can.

Tony Attwood
Editor, UK Education News.

Technology has been changing the way that lessons are taught for a number of years now. The introduction of new digital teaching resources has opened up a world of possibilities for teachers and students alike.

We currently live in a time of constant technological advancements and have seen rapid progression over the last few decades, but how has education been impacted by these changes and what can we expect to see in the future? Together with print management software providers United Carlton, we take a look at how technology is changing education now and how these advancements will impact teaching in the future.

How is technology changing education now?

The old blackboard and chalk has been abandoned in favour of digital solutions. A variety of learning establishments have adopted technology, including universities, high schools, colleges and nurseries. As technology advances further, it is proving more useful in providing pupils with a well-rounded learning experience. Pupils are now exposed to technology from a young age, which allows them to learn essential skills for the working world.

Research by Barbie Clarke of the Family, Kids and Youth research group showed that 68% of primary schools and 68% of secondary schools had adopted electronic tablets in the classroom. 9% of these participants reported that there was a device available for each student in attendance. Of the remaining schools, 45% reported that they would consider introducing such devices in the future. A study conducted in 2014 found that there were 430,000 tablets being used in educational establishments, with this figure expected to grow to more than 900,000 by 2016. The results of this study were never released however, and it was not updated for 2018.

But what impact is this technology having on lessons exactly? Regardless of the subject, lessons are now a lot more interactive and as a result, pupil participation in lessons has increased. Electronic devices have been shown to allow pupils to retain more information when compared to textbooks. These devices are also highly adaptable, so they can be used to cater to a number of different learning styles. Teachers also benefit from this, as they can search for the materials that they need using the internet, which helps them to plan lessons.

Webinars or online lessons are also becoming more common. Teachers can now connect with their students remotely. This method is mainly used by colleges and universities, however it can be used with younger children to help them with a specific subject. Online exams are also becoming more prevalent, which demonstrates the shift that we have seen over the last few years towards digital methods of teaching.

How will technology change education in the future?

It has been suggested that in the future, artificial intelligence (AI) devices could play a big role in education. Sir Anthonly Seldon from the University of Buckingham said that the introduction of AI over the next ten years will have a huge impact on teaching methods. He predicts that although teachers will still be present in classrooms, they will take on the role of assistant while the lessons are taught by AI devices. This would shift the focus away from teaching and mean that teachers would only be present to monitor classroom behaviour and help out if needed.

Seldon said “It will open up the possibility of an Eton or Wellington education for all”.

It is predicted that AI technology will allow students to learn based on their individual needs, as these devices are able to learn how quickly a student can learn so that they get the most out of their lessons.

As technology continues to advance and spread, it is clear that it will have significant effects on the way that the education system works and on its future development!

It is an interesting question, and one that is perhaps not asked very often.  Although discussions about school improvement and school efficiency have been going on for a long time very few educators raise such questions as:

How can we tell if we have reached the school’s potential?  If we haven’t how can we reach that potential more rapidly?

In short, asking the question: could the school, given the local conditions, financial restrictions and the like, be doing better, and if so, what steps can we practically take to get there?

One way to answer this is to consider what it is that schools which are functioning to their fullest potential have, which other schools don’t?

And one answer to that, which many would give, is that a fully functioning school working at the highest level has a very highly empowered staff.

Which of course is helpful, but much as it leads to an answer to the question, it also raises another question: how do you know that your staff are fully empowered?

My view, and that of my colleagues, is that this is a very difficult question to answer, not least because we are all used to dealing with our colleagues in our school, and it is often tempting to assume that colleagues are as empowered as they can be.

You encourage them to come forward with new ideas and thoughts, there is open discussion in staff and management meetings… is there really any more that could be done?

My colleagues and I have been working on this issue for some time, and I’m happy to share our findings and conclusions with you. You can see what we have discovered on our presentation.

A new survey by the Institute of Hole Technology considers the universality of the hole and what we can do with them.

There is a gigantic hole in the universe. Not a black hole, but a gigantic region without galaxies or stars or anything else.  Which is considered by those who know of such things to be a bit odd.

There are also holes in my favourite pair of tennis shoes making them unbearable in wet weather.  That’s not odd but it is annoying.

And every single road I drive along on my way to school each day is covered in holes.

Indeed so bad is it where I live that I wrote to the local council and suggested that if they lowered the level of all the roads in the area by four inches they would get rid of all the holes without having to do any road repairs at all.

Sadly they chose not to reply to my email.

But what, I hear you cry, does this have to do with your school?

The answer is the arrival of Tarmax, an instant and permanent repair product for all types of damaged and eroded pathways and roads, to any depth and for any size of hole.

Now this is important, because technically anyone who damages a car or bike or person while driving or walking over any road owned by the school could make a bit of a fuss.  So could the parent of a child who slips in a hole and suffers as a result.

Especially since Tarmax is such a simple product to use, so it can be used almost anywhere and instantly: driveways, footpaths, car parks, ramps, floors…

What’s more, not only does Tarmax reduce accidents, but it reduces congestion while you wait to get the hole repaired, for once applied the path or roadway can be used at once.

There is no mixing, primer, heat or any of 101 other things that you might expect, and you don’t have to wait for certain weather to apply it. There are more details, including a new special offer for you at https://www.maxam.co.uk/the-schools-tarmax/

Or to simply ask specific questions relating to your own premises please call 0800 0922 923,  or email: john.edwards@maxam.co.uk

Looking forward to doing my very best for you.

One of the nice things about UK Education News is that there is no tracking going on – those of us running the service don’t know who you are, where you are, what you are reading etc.

What’s more, as you will have seen, the site is also totally and utterly free, and we intend to keep it that way.

But the fact you are reading this means that you are on UK Education News, and hopefully enjoying the service that we offer.  And so we’d like ask you a favour.

Could you send an email to one or two of your colleagues that says something like the example below.   (You might find it a bit cheesy so please do write something of your own; I’m sure you’ll do an infinitely better job that I can).

———————-

To colleagues in the school:

I’m not sure if you read the free rolling news service UK Education News.  But I do, and find it quite interesting.   And the people who run the service have suggested that those of us who use the free service might pass a note on to one or two colleagues and friends to tell them about it.

It’s a site that carries education news headlines from the BBC, Guardian, Telegraph etc.  You can simply click on a headline and then read the full story.

The service is at www.ukeducationnews.co.uk

I think it is quite good, and it really is free, so I’ve agreed, just this once, to pass this message on.

———————-

Now that may be far too horribly cheesy for you to pass on, but if you could rephrase it in any way you want, and pass it on that would be good.

And please do remember, there is no tracking going on.  We don’t know who goes on the site and we’re not asking for your email address nor that of your colleagues.

If you don’t want to pass this on, that’s OK too.  Although it is nice if you can.

Tony Attwood
Editor, UK Education News.

What would you say if you were offered something worth 1,000s of pounds for less than £100? You’d think there was a catch, right? But that’s exactly what Education Quizzes is offering to schools and there’s no catch at all.

For a yearly cost of just £95 plus VAT, every student and teacher in your school can use the Education Quizzes resource as often as they like. We have 3,264 quizzes, each one written by teachers. They follow the National Curriculum and cover 18 subjects from KS1 all the way up to GCSE.

The quizzes can be used to test students, as homework assignments or as a valuable revision tool when exams are coming up. The usual price is £35 per year for each user but, no matter how many students are in your school, all of them can use Education Quizzes without having to pay a penny themselves.

Still not sure? Then sign up for a free one-month trial. We’ll send your school an invoice but, if you don’t find Education Quizzes useful, simply ignore it. We’ll cancel the account after 30 days and you’ll never hear from us again.

To find out more, visit the Schools page at Education Quizzes, email admin@educationquizzes.com or call us on 01406 371799.

One of the nice things about UK Education News is that there is no tracking going on – those of us running the service don’t know who you are, where you are, what you are reading etc.

What’s more, as you will have seen, the site is also totally and utterly free, and we intend to keep it that way.

But the fact you are reading this means that you are on UK Education News, and hopefully enjoying the service that we offer.  And so we’d like ask you a favour.

Could you send an email to one or two of your colleagues that says something like the example below.   (You might find it a bit cheesy so please do write something of your own; I’m sure you’ll do an infinitely better job that I can).

———————-

To colleagues in the school:

I’m not sure if you read the free rolling news service UK Education News.  But I do, and find it quite interesting.   And the people who run the service have suggested that those of us who use the free service might pass a note on to one or two colleagues and friends to tell them about it.

It’s a site that carries education news headlines from the BBC, Guardian, Telegraph etc.  You can simply click on a headline and then read the full story.

The service is at www.ukeducationnews.co.uk

I think it is quite good, and it really is free, so I’ve agreed, just this once, to pass this message on.

———————-

Now that may be far too horribly cheesy for you to pass on, but if you could rephrase it in any way you want, and pass it on that would be good.

And please do remember, there is no tracking going on.  We don’t know who goes on the site and we’re not asking for your email address nor that of your colleagues.

If you don’t want to pass this on, that’s OK too.  Although it is nice if you can.

Tony Attwood
Editor, UK Education News.