With the Summer Term well underway and a Bank Holiday afoot, we are pleased to bring you this May issue of UPDATE.
Associate & Strategic Leader of Teaching & Research Schools (ESW) Roger Pope CBE opens with thoughts on the different contexts for teachers, doctors and surgeons: "Think of the complexity of a school, where in a class, 30 people are all interacting with one another, or a school where hundreds are interacting. Factor in the added complexity of the family and friendships context. The fact that every child learns slightly – or even hugely – differently, brings an infinitely varied range of previous learning and experience to any given moment in a lesson, an infinite range of emotional responses and is growing and changing by the day…hour…minute. Add in the complementary complexity of the teacher" Read some of the highlights from the The MaternityTeacher PaternityTeacher Project and WomenEd The Mother of All Pay Gaps Conference and the Summer Term Estates Management Professional Community. Newly appointed Regional Lead for the South West for Whole School SEND, Emma Vyvyan Find shares some of her good intentions in our interview and their professional development offer to support you and your children and young people. Helen Thorneycroft from the Kingsbridge Research School guides on teachers emphasising the ‘Why’ while modelling: “Teacher discussions that allow students to elaborate on their ideas or their methods, to reason out their thinking and question their strategies, have been associated with progress measured in the form of improved test scores.” Sensitive to staff data sharing in mental health emergencies, data experts SchoolPro TLC outline essential guidance based on recent updates from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and provides some key takeaways for you. Our other sponsors provide details of their services. Educatering awakens appetites with new menus this Summer Term and photos to prove it and also prove their local credentials with supplier appreciation for their valued partnership with Dartmoor Farmers, who have been farming the land for thousands of years and who provide beef and lamb for school lunches. ONVU Learning considers the merits of teacher-led continuing professional development and championing autonomy in professional development and challenges traditional professional development models. You can meet ONVU Learning in a FREE Excellent Teachers Create Excellent Memories Webinar on Thursday 11 July 2024 from 0830 – 0900 and at our Summer Conference on Thursday 13 June 2024. And Exeter Supply Partnership Teacher provides top tips for getting into primary supply teaching with their professional support and care. "There are many supply teaching agencies out there, so you need to find the one that suits you and your needs best." We wish you a fulfilling remainder of this term and a lovely Bank Holiday weekend.
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World Water Day | Friday 22 March 2024 | Vanishing Sea The theme of this year's World Water Day is ‘Water for Peace’, and focuses on the critical role water plays in the stability and prosperity of the world. On Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 March 2024, our sponsor, Lyfta is offering FREE live lessons to bring the world into your classroom (see details below). Travel (virtually) to Jordan and spend time with farmer, Hassan as he battles the decline of the Dead Sea with the looming threat of sinkholes all around his farmlands. You will also be able to take a wider look at the issues of water security in a region affected by historical and ongoing conflict and learn why the River Jordan is special to half of humanity. Booking
Complete the booking form below to select one of the following time slots:
If you have yet to sign-up for a Lyfta subscription, you can set up a starter account on the link below, which will allow you to access supporting resources ready for the live lesson. 1/2/2024 0 Comments Clarity about Sending Home Flyers for Third-Party Organisations from SchoolPro TLCAs part of their experience within the education sector, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC provides the role of Data Protection Officer (DPO) as a service for schools. The SchoolPro Team have been receiving a number of queries from schools about the issue of sending home flyers for third-party organisations by email or post. See below for their updated guidance on sending out communications from third-party organisations to parents. The team are able to draw on their knowledge as former school leaders, as well as their DPO expertise. Your school, for example, might be thinking about sending home a communication about local community events or third-party activity providers. Email is often used by schools for this, although SchoolPro TLC have reservations due to email being subject to Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and additional consent requirements. Here are the various implications of each option for sending communication home and what requirement you should meet: Postal Leaflets in School Bags The process for sending postal leaflets via school bags is not subject to the privacy and electronic communications regulations (PECR), which means consent is not required. The school can rely on a Legitimate Interests lawful basis and perform a Legitimate Interests Assessment (LIA) for the overall practice of sending out these mailings. It is crucial that parents are informed about this process and have the clear option to opt-out. The school needs to ensure that parents are aware of their rights and the school’s processing activities through clear communication, such as a statement in a parent newsletter. This approach negates the need for separate LIAs for each third-party organisation's materials being sent out. In order to notify parents about this processing, the school could add the following into a parent newsletter (or similar) – words to the effect of: "we will occasionally send home flyers from trusted third parties such as the local authority in pupil bags. This is to make you aware of events, activities, services and products that we think may be of interest to you or your family. Please let us know if you object to this and we will ensure that you don’t receive this information.” Electronic Communication (including Email) There are two distinct categories regarding electronic communication: 1. Direct Marketing Messages These include communications where a paid service is being offered, or there is fundraising or similar activities involved. Examples include services like school photography or extracurricular activities run by external companies that require payment. These types of messages require prior opt-in consent from the recipients, and it must be straightforward for them to withdraw consent at any time. It is important to ensure that this consent is specific, informed, and unambiguous. The school should not use opt-out forms for these types of communications; instead, an explicit opt-in mechanism should be in place. 2. Promotional Messages Not Classified as Direct Marketing This category includes communications that can be considered part of the school's or trust's legal function as a public body and do not have a paid-for element. Examples might include free educational opportunities from the local library or informational leaflets from the NHS. These messages do not require prior consent but fall under the 'public task' legal basis. While upfront consent is not needed, parents should still be informed about these communications and have the ability to object to receiving them, akin to the opt-out process in legitimate interests. Similar notification to that quoted above for the school bag method could be used to ensure transparency. In Summary For non-commercial promotional messages sent by electronic media, and leaflets (commercial or otherwise) in school bags, consent is not required upfront, but there should be an option for parents to opt-out or object. Schools must inform individuals about this processing beforehand, maintaining transparency and adhering to data protection principles. For commercial promotional messages sent by electronic media, including paid-for services or fundraising, schools must obtain clear, opt-in consent from parents before sending these communications. By distinguishing between these types of communications and applying the correct legal basis for each, schools can ensure compliance with data protection regulations while keeping parents informed about relevant services and opportunities. This marketing definition might be helpful clarification for you. Direct marketing is any type of advertising or promotional material aimed at a particular person. Mass marketing, such as an advertisement in a magazine, is not aimed at anyone in particular. We hope that you find this advice helpful and the SchoolPro TLC Team are available should you need further guidance and support.
With thanks to Director Ben Craig and the SchoolPro TLC Team. 10/1/2024 0 Comments If you were wondering what it's like to be a supply teacher with Exeter Supply PartnershipIf you are considering supply teaching to suit your work/life balance or to refresh your skills before taking on a permanent post, it will be helpful for you to read Katie’s experiences of working for Exeter Supply Partnership (ESP). For Katie, education has always played an important role in her life, and after finishing her Master’s in Education and gaining her teaching certificate, she taught fourth grade, and then two years later, second grade in a mountain town in Northern Arizona. After moving from Arizona to England, Katie joined Exeter Supply Partnership in 2018 and was soon offered a temporary contract at a local primary school in Exeter. Katie returned to ESP in 2021 and again was soon snapped up for a short-term contract before returning again in September 2023. Why did you choose to become a supply teacher? After moving to England, I volunteered at a primary school in Exeter to gain experience of working in the classroom over here. The school then advised me to apply to Exeter Supply Partnership so that they could book me for their school as a supply teacher. Why did you choose Exeter Supply Partnership? Because ESP is a not-for-profit organisation and the school, I volunteered with recommended ESP. What is your favourite aspect of being a supply teacher? I have enjoyed working as a primary supply teacher. I love the fact that you can go to different schools and see how they operate, and also gather lots of ideas. I have a note book that I use to record new ideas. I was at a school the other day and the teacher had planned an incredible lesson. I asked the school if I could take the planning sheet with me to use elsewhere as a resource. Supply is also a great way to meet other educators. What are your favourite/most useful resources to use? I have a subscription to Twinkle that I use occasionally and I always take a couple of story books with me that I can use as the basis for a lesson. How do you prepare for your bookings? I always have a look at the school documents ahead of attending such as the behaviour policy, marking policy and safeguarding policy. In my note book I have a section where I ensure I have the start and finish times, the name/s of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and any other useful information. Once I have attended a school, I will add any useful information to my book that could be helpful for my next visit. What approach do you take when you are attending a new school? I will look at the documents and policies for the school. I will also look at the school website, which will often give you a feel for the school and how they operate. Sometimes when you arrive at a school, they may want you to cover a different age group than originally planned, so it is important to always go with a ‘can do’ attitude and an open mind. Would you say supply teaching is an enjoyable/fulfilling experience? Yes, I love it! I like going to new schools and meeting new groups of children. Some people might think that supply teaching is lonely, however I do not find this to be the case as staff in schools are really friendly and I also find that there are very often other ESP teachers working in the same school as me. What advice would you give to a teacher who is new to supply teaching/ considering supply work? I would say that it is different than having your own classroom, so make sure that you are flexible and take every day as a new adventure. If one day does not go so well, give it another go. Always be open for new experiences and your next adventure. How do you manage the uncertainty of supply work and the possibility of not having work on some days? This can be tricky; however, I have been very fortunate in that I have been booked on most of the days that I have wanted to work. On the occasions that I am available for short notice bookings, I get up early so that I am ready for a booking. I always try to have a plan ‘B’ so that if I do not get a booking, I will have something else to do with the rest of my day. Would you recommend ESP to other teachers? If so, why? I could not recommend it highly enough! I am always recommending ESP to others if they are thinking of doing supply teaching. The ESP team have always been the most welcoming and caring people to work with; they take really good care of us and are always so supportive. Exeter Supply Partnership (ESP) is a not-for-profit organisation linking supply teachers and their next job. If you have QTS, a passion for teaching and a desire to move into supply work then ESP are here to help. Perhaps you are newly qualified and looking to gain experience before joining a school full time. Maybe you’re looking to slow down and ease into retirement. Or possibly a parent trying to juggle work with a busy family life. Whatever your reasons may be, supply teaching offers flexibility and variety we we’d be delighted to help match you up with local primary schools. “ESP have become my ‘go to’ first choice for supply be it a last-minute request or planned ahead they couldn’t be easier to contact or more helpful. We can rely on quality teachers at the best rates. I would and regularly do recommend them to teachers and schools alike.” (School) Exeter Supply Partnership is a Community Interest Company set up by the member schools of Exeter Consortium, one of SWIFT's Delivery Partners, who also manage and inform the running of the organisation.
As one of their school improvement services for educational leaders, our sponsor SchoolPro TLC shares an attendance case study that highlights their work in this key area for schools. When we start attendance work with our schools we always talk about the ‘journey’ that we are about to embark on. There a few quick wins when it comes to attendance improvements and it is the robustness of policy and the rigour in which the policy is carried out that makes the lasting impact. The Starting Point When I first met the Attendance Lead at this particular Infant School in Gloucestershire, it was great to see the drive they had in improving the attendance of the children. Our starting position was comparable with the national picture, with whole school attendance sitting at slightly over 94% for the 2021 - 2022 academic year. However, rates of persistent absenteeism and vulnerable group attendance, specifically Free School Meal (FSM) and Pupil Premium children (PP), had been below the national average over the previous years and both of these aspects were raised in the schools IDSR. So where did we start…? The initial attendance audit focused on key areas:
Following this, an Attendance Action Plan was produced that was to be monitored by the Attendance Lead and other members of the leadership team, along with the Governors. Putting the Actions in Place A new policy was launched in line with the Department for Education (DfE) guidance for September 2022, with staff undertaking training to understand their roles and responsibilities in achieving good attendance for all children. The children were spoken to in assemblies and SAM (School Attendance Mascot) was launched, where the best attending class each week got to look after SAM for the following week. Parents and carers were sent an attendance letter signposting them to the new policy and class attendance was reported on each week in the school newsletter. Communicating with all stakeholders in this manner set the benchmark for the expectations of all. The monitoring of attendance was moved from fortnightly to weekly with a key focus on persistent absenteeism and FSM/PP children. The leadership team added this to their weekly agenda and each child was ‘banded’ with specific interventions implemented at each stage. For example, if a child dropped below 95% attendance, a letter was sent home informing parents that their child was now below the national average for attendance and informing them how the school could support them in ensuring their child’s attendance improved. The word ‘support’ changed the thinking of parents as previously, parents looked upon attendance communication as a negative (much like behaviour…but that is a different discussion!). With those systems in place, this led to ‘early intervention’, and positive, supportive attendance discussions took place far earlier and prevented that downward trend continuing. Attendance was now a daily discussion with positive connotations. This enabled the ‘profile’ of attendance to be raised and developed a culture of good attendance, which in turn led to better outcomes for the children. I visited the school termly to meet with the Attendance Lead, to view attendance data, discuss progress and improvements in-line the Action Plan. Impact Due to the comprehensive policy and the robustness that sat behind it, with all stakeholders playing their part, attendance in ALL areas showed an improvement.
So, What Next? You often see the phrase “eat, sleep, repeat.” But when it comes to attendance, it’s “policy, procedure, repeat!” Yes, there will have to be some modifications for certain individuals; but, for the majority of the children under your stewardship, you need to get the basics right when it comes to attendance. How Can SchoolPro TLC Help You? Our Attendance Consultancy Team can help to build capacity in your setting by taking both a strategic and a hands-on approach to attendance. This can include supporting attendance reviews, analysing your data and advising on practices to help identify the best use of your resources and we can also support these plans where necessary. Our main objective is to ensure young people achieve the best outcomes and we offer the assurance that detailed and accurate evidence and logs are maintained at all times, should they be required for the future. By Richard Morley, Director at SchoolPro TLC
Our sponsor SchoolPro TLC provide some helpful and current advice about confidential references and subject access requests. When it comes to subject access requests and exemptions, it is important to understand the various exceptions that apply to certain types of personal data. One specific exemption relates to confidential references. According to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the Data Protection Act 2018, personal data included in a confidential reference is exempt from the right of access in specific circumstances. The exemption applies to references given or received for the purpose of prospective or actual education, training, employment, volunteer placement, appointment to office, or provision of services by an individual. It is important to note that this exemption only applies to references that are provided in confidence. To ensure clarity in your documentation, especially for educational references, it is advisable to state explicitly that all references will be treated as confidential. This should be communicated to both the individuals providing the referees and those providing the reference itself. For example, instead of a simple instruction like “Please provide details of two referees.” You can modify it to convey that all references will be treated as confidential. A revised statement could be: “Please provide details of two referees. All references will be treated as confidential.” If your references are considered confidential, you will need to ensure staff dealing with subject access requests are aware of, and have adequate guidance to follow in order to prevent accidental release of your confidential references. Understanding these exemptions and clearly communicating the confidentiality of references will help ensure compliance with Data Protection regulations and maintain the privacy and trust of individuals involved in the process. By Ben Craig for the SchoolPro TLC Team More Information For more detailed information on other exemptions that apply to subject access requests, check out SchoolPro TLC's SAR Guidance and/or the ICO website and contact the SchoolPro TLC team directly for support. If you are interested in this topic and wish to find out more about working in this area, you can find out more about how you could Make a Difference with SchoolPro TLC. We are grateful to our SWIFT sponsors for their services and their support helps to provide additional funding for us to subsidise the cost of conferences and events as part of our high-quality professional development offer to school leaders, teachers and staff.
Your gateway to a LIMITLESS future. We are pleased to welcome our new sponsor, Volt Entrepreneurs who join us this September. Volt powers entrepreneurship in young people, starting with the mindset, that crucial piece of positive thinking that underpins all success and continues on to enable young people with the professional skill set of today. Using tried and tested experiential learning methods and with a proven track record, Volt offers the Short Circuit, a short online programme, and the Volt Circuit, an in-person enrichment programme during term time or as an intensive few days during school breaks. Students learn about effective communication, time management, and leadership, and gain the confidence of acting on ideas, recognising opportunities, and how to start their own business. Entrepreneurship can change your life. The earlier you start the better! The five key benefits of entrepreneurship ensure that “you can”: 1. Use your ideas to improve the world. 2. Be resilient and comfortable outside your comfort zone. 3. Choose your own life-style. 4. Surround yourself with like-minded, creative, dynamic people. 5. Become financially free. The 5As framework supports and mentors young people to achieve their aspirations as entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and successful professionals, of any description. Volt cohorts say that they “feel more confident about everything…[and] know where to start with making my idea come true” and how Volt has “changed the way I look at my future career.” Teachers who work with Volt report on the dramatic change in their young people. “Your workshops are inspirational and I know they will benefit from your wealth of experience as [they practise] the skills they desperately need.” For a limited time, join the Volt community with your email for 25% off your first online course. The Volt Entrepreneurs programme is unique, innovative, affordable and doable. More Information To find out more, we invite you to visit the Volt Entrepreneurs website and contact for a conversation about how the Short Circuit programme can help to transform young people at your school. Due consideration is given to prospective sponsors and SWIFT is grateful for their support as this additional funding enables us to subsidise the cost of conferences and events, and local and national speakers, so that our high-quality professional development offer is accessible to school leaders, teachers and staff.
As educators, we constantly strive to provide our students with engaging and enriching experiences that go beyond the textbooks and we understand the importance of promoting inclusivity, empathy, and cultural diversity in our classrooms. That is why we were delighted to see the impact of the live lessons delivered by our sponsor Lyfta in celebration of World Day for Cultural Diversity. On Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 May 2023, 304 classes from schools across the UK and beyond (some 9,000 students) - including some here in the South West - participated in the latest Lyfta live lesson. Students had opportunity to explore Lyfta storyworld, Keep London Smiling, where they met Sylvain, a Transport for London station officer who moved to London from Côte d'Ivoire via France. Sylvain has made it his mission to bring smiles to the faces of commuters who pass through his station to create a sense of community. Through small acts of kindness and conversations, Sylvain is able to make others feel happy and more connected. During the live lesson, students delved into themes linked to British values, with a particular focus on mutual respect and understanding and celebrated the rich diversity of British society, whilst reflecting on the significance of experiencing different people and places. Lyfta’s in-house teacher Noel started the lessons with some discussion about London, the backdrop of the Keep London Smiling storyworld. Did you know that London is home to around 10 million people, with an astounding 250+ different languages spoken? This fascinating glimpse into London's diversity set the stage for students to share their knowledge of the city and its special places. Students were asked what they knew about the city and its landmarks - some of their responses are shown below: Through immersive 360° scenes, students were then transported to Sylvain's world, witnessing the heart-warming impact he has on the commuters passing through his station and watched the documentary "Sweet," which explores Sylvain's story.
This inspiring film sparked profound reflections amongst the students, who highlighted the universal power of kindness and compassion: “A smile costs nothing and it speaks every language” “His level of kindness is something we could all replicate” “No matter where you are you can be kind” What made these lessons even more impactful, given the theme of diversity in the UK, was the participation of students from across the country and beyond. We heard from students from schools in Cardiff, Portsmouth, Canterbury, Newcastle, and Bletchley Park - as well as from Murcia in Spain. It was wonderful how students shared insights about their local communities, unique landmarks, and the diverse cultures that make their communities special. We heard about La Manga beach in Murcia, the historic dockyard in Portsmouth, the Haribo factory in Pontefract and the sense of community in Doncaster. Lyfta live lessons have been delivered to a total of 1,500 classes in the last 12 months (some 45,000 student sessions). These live lessons, delivered Lyfta’s resident teacher via Zoom, bring together schools from different regions for a shared Lyfta experience. No preparation is required, teachers can just sign up and join via a link on the day. There are more Lyfta Live lessons in the coming weeks. Sign up below to be notified for the next dates. Lyfta are also exhibiting at the SWIFT Summer Conference on Thursday 15 June 2023. So, if you are attending, be sure to speak with the team there! Report by Penny Othen, Director of Marketing at Lyfta We are pleased to welcome our new sponsor, Praestantia Technology who will be working with us to provide a wide range of IT support opportunities to our schools and Trusts. The Praestantia Team have a background in education and offer exceptional IT and audio visual solutions designed exclusively for education settings, including: Praestantia understand the difference the right IT can make to an outstanding learning environment from their own experience as School Governors, consultants and naturally, IT and from working with educational partners. By looking after your tech, you can focus on the learning. Discover how Praestantia made a difference at Preston Primary School and the successful steps taken to co-ordinate all the individual Trust schools. Passionate about technology, find out how Praestantia Technology can help your school with their innovative, forward-thinking approach. It is intended that our SWIFT sponsors bring relevant value to our Schools and Trusts with their products and services and we are pleased to welcome Praestantia Technology.
Sponsors also support and help SWIFT to invest in our CPD programme to bring high-quality and meaningful speakers and programmes. Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March 2023 at 1115 and 1400 We understand that pressure on budgets and staff time is making it increasingly difficult for schools to offer students a broad range of experiences. With school trips and other enrichment activities sometimes seen as expensive and resource-heavy for a regular basis, children can miss out. As part of the countdown to Earth Day, our sponsor, Lyfta would like to invite classes in your school to join them for an exciting FREE live lesson and go on a virtual journey to Ethiopia to explore themes of sustainability, creativity and inventiveness. The live lessons are taking place on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March 2023 at 1115 and 1400 (on both days).
As the live lesson is led by Lyfta, there is no teacher prep work required. You only need to sign-up and join with your class on the day via Zoom! There will also be an exciting opportunity for students to be part of the Lyfta Earth Day competition with the chance to win a book bundle worth £100. Exposure to Lyfta’s rich human stories is helping young people across the UK build their cultural capital, curiosity and oracy, as well as develop vital knowledge, skills and understanding. It provides the opportunity for pupils and students to be exposed to people, places and perspectives to whom they might otherwise not have access, in a highly accessible and cost-effective way. Our sponsor Lyfta recently presented at our SWIFT Character Education Professional Development Community on the topic of "Flourishing for All – Implementing and Embedding." Character Education is one of the core Lyfta focus areas, and is at the heart of education - and it could be said to be our true legacy as teachers. Lyfta considers here how character and values-based learning can be made part of the curriculum. When you were at school, who was your favourite teacher and why? When I ask teachers this question, they often focus on those who were kind or caring or passionate. Qualities and values that went well beyond knowing their subject well. As teachers, we want to help young people realise the best version of themselves, particularly in our ever-changing world. Character and values-based learning equips students for the future and sits at the heart of what we do as educators, but it's not always easy to embed it into classroom practice. When I was working as a secondary teacher, my Headteacher used to encourage us to ‘teach the children in front of us’. Sounds obvious doesn’t it? But ultimately, we often teach to our own style, our own tastes and preferences. What we have to do is consider every individual we have in front of us and what they need, based on their experiences. “Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author.” RUDINE SIMS BISHOP Academic, Rudine Sims Bishop, explored children’s literature and the extent to which children's literature is written by African American authors and represents African American characters. In her work, she advocated for books to become more than simply windows, allowing us to look in at other people. Instead, she suggested that stories should act as mirrors, allowing children to see themselves reflected back at them and even better is when they act as sliding glass doors, allowing us to step into another's life – to experience what they do, and learn to empathise with them. As teachers, we can develop values and character in our children by giving the opportunities to both see themselves reflected and experience the lives of others. Beyond our own moral obligation to support students to become the best version of themselves, there are also statutory requirements that every school must adhere to. For example, the Ofsted framework expects students to behave respectfully and courteously, as well as the school providing lots of opportunity for personal development. The newest RSE statutory guidance, released in 2019 and updated in 2021, outlines the ways in which schools must teach and support students to develop healthy and respectful relationships. There is also an expectation for all schools to provide spiritual, moral, social and cultural education, which includes moral and social skills and values. Lyfta gives teachers the opportunity to nurture the whole child, build character and embed values, including resilience and service. Its immersive platform can help you to embed positive values in your classroom and equip your students for the future through its world of positive human stories. Each story has its own 360 degree environments, unique soundscapes and powerful short films to immerse students fully in a world beyond their own. Students meet with individuals from communities across the globe, connect with their inspiring stories, and reflect on their values. Our Kids’ Cup storyworld, which features the journeys of five young people competing in an international children’s football tournament, is one of many that helps teachers introduce values including perseverance, resilience and leadership to students. Independent research conducted by the University of Tampere has also shown that Lyfta’s immersive human stories help students to develop empathy and understanding for those who are different from themselves. By Anna Szpakowska, Lyfta Professional Development Lead Explore Lyfta for FREE when you register for the Lyfta starter, no-obligation trial. You may wish to explore the Department of Education’s Character Education Framework Guidance. Whilst it is not mandatory, it provides a possible starting point for schools considering how they embed character education into their curriculum and wider school life. The countdown has begun for the Men’s Football World Cup 2022. As excitement grows about the competition, teachers can leverage this exciting opportunity to harness the power of sport to nurture positive values in the classroom. Join Lyfta for a FREE live lesson, delivered by their team beamed directly into your classroom via Zoom.
Your students will enjoy an immersive story from the Lyfta Kids' Cup series as a collective experience with other schools across the UK. Sessions are running on: Wednesday 30 November 2022 at 1130 and 1415 Friday 2 December 2022 at 1130 and 1415 (with separate sessions available for older and younger learners). No preparation or account is required. Simply sign-up and join via the Zoom link on the day. To find out more and secure your place click on the link below. Lyfta looks forward to sharing a powerful storyworld experience with your class. 27/9/2022 0 Comments Sustainability Support for SchoolsFind out more about our sponsor Computeam's work to support sustainability with IT that lowers schools’ energy costs, CO2 emissions and drives sustainability. That’s why they're thoughtful about the partners they work with.
For example, Computeam supply laptops and Chromebooks from Acer because they have one of the best sustainability programmes as a technology manufacturer. For example, 80% of an Acer Vero laptop is composed of recycled Ocean bound plastics. Acer also offer 70% reduction in carbon emissions from an average mixed environment of desktops and laptops. Working with PX3, a team of scientists providing sustainability assessments to a wide range of customers and via PhD research, in partnership with the University and Business School of Warwick; PX3 found an 84% reduction in CO2 emissions across a typical legacy estate of Windows desktops when using Acer. Coupled with cashback incentives via Acer’s Green Rewards; an overall Trust-wide user device strategy from Computeam can significantly reduce both operational and capital costs. So what are Acer’s Green Rewards? Put simply; you get a valuation of your old energy-zapping kit, purchase new devices, make a claim, have your old devices collected and then receive your cash reward! In five easy steps you’ve offset some of the cost of newer, energy saving devices and helped to lower your carbon footprint whilst doing your bit for sustainability. Given the targets for all Government Departments to ensure sustainability and decrease carbon dioxide emissions; including the Department for Education (DfE); it is no surprise that large scale projects funded by the DfE seek to push Schools and MATs to declare carbon offsetting. How will your School account for this should it be required? Yet, it's not only user devices. Large scale infrastructure projects, such as replacing whole Networks and Switches can incur huge costs. Through Computeam's partnership with Aruba-HPE, you can benefit from 0% interest loans directly from Aruba-HPE and even a ‘buy back’ of legacy kit, reducing cost and saving you money. Speak to a member of the Computeam Team who will assess your wireless network and advise on moving to a mobile device strategy that will reduce the number of energy-draining switches and the demand on your electricity bills. As a Cloud First provider; Computeam look to replace energy-zapping Servers with all the associated costs of maintenance and possible failure, with a cost-save Cloud solution. Assuming a server utilises 136 watts at 100% efficiency, did you know that keeping a server operating 24/7, 365 days of the year - assuming a cost of 35p per kWh for electricity - will cost you £4,169.76 per annum! The older the server, the less efficient it will be and costlier to run! Now consider schools running two or more servers... So, schools are invited to speak to Computeam about a move to the Cloud that makes sense. But what about Computeam's credentials pledge regarding sustainability? Like Acer, Computeam are in partnership with Ecologi who plant trees (whole forests actually) that ensures a lower carbon footprint of all employees both at work and in their day-to-day private lives! For the last 14 months Computeam have reduced 617 tonnes and planted 8,673 trees; supporting 21 projects to generate new carbon-zapping forests! See more information here Contact Email or call Computeam directly to discuss any aspect of your IT requirements and how they can help you to save costs. Paragraph 221 of "Keeping Children Safe in Education (2022) states that: “schools and colleges should consider carrying out an online search as part of their due diligence on the shortlisted candidates. This may help identify any incidents or issues that have happened, and are publicly available online, which the school or college might want to explore with the applicant at interview.” Our sponsor, SchoolPro TLC works with schools to provide specialist expertise and explains what this means for schools. Consider the Purpose of this Processing In this case, it is part of your recruitment process so any data that you collect or process as part of this, should only be used for that purpose. Lawful Basis Make sure you know what lawful basis you are using for this processing. As this is being proposed within statutory legislation (i.e. KCSIE 2022), the lawful bases that apply are likely to be Article 6(c) legal obligation or Article 6(e) public task. In this case, Article 6(e) would seem to be the most appropriate if you are a state school. If you are a private school, Article 6(c) would be relevant here. Actual Data Consider what actual data you are going to be processing. Are you going to be keeping any results from these online searches? If so, what? And for how long? And how are you going to keep the data secure? This essentially covers a number of the principles of the UK GDPR such as data minimisation, storage limitation, and integrity and confidentiality. Retention In terms of retention, use your retention schedule (refer to the IRMS Toolkit or similar) to identify how long you might consider keeping any relevant data from the searches. Make sure this is proportionate to the purpose. For most checks, you might record in your SCR that the check was conducted. For others, you may want to keep the evidence in case of a challenge before securely destroying it. Consider Transparency Your job applicant privacy notice should make it clear that this data is going to be processed and explain some of the points above. You should also consider a statement on your application form. Job Applicant Privacy Notice Template
An updated job applicant privacy notice template is available on the SchoolPro portal (in Global Documents). Contact For more information or if you have any questions, you can contact SchoolPro TLC. Towergate Insurance, one of our sponsors, provides an insight into health and wellbeing support as one of the major factors in the recruitment and retention of talent. In a significant survey* of 500 decision makers in the UK, undertaken for our sister company Towergate Health & Protection, 42% stated their support for the health and wellbeing of staff is a key reason people stay with their employers. In addition, 31% said health and wellbeing support is a key reason people choose to work for them. The research supports our anecdotal evidence of the wider reaches of health and wellbeing support, and why it is so important that employers have a clear and well-communicated strategy. The wider the health and wellbeing support offered, the better the array of talent it will attract and retain. On the flipside, nearly one in five (18%) employers stated that not offering enough health and wellbeing support impacts their ability to recruit and retain people: a stark warning for all. Health and Wellbeing Support for health in general was viewed by 42% of employers to have increased the most in importance for enhancing the recruitment and retention of talent. 26% percent of employers said support for mental health had increased most in importance, and 19% said it was the overall health and wellbeing package that had grown most in terms of priorities. Social interaction through work (11%), communication of support offered (9%), support for financial health (9%), and an environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy (8%), were also identified as increasing in importance. So, the support offered needs to be wide and holistic. Implementing a Strong Health and Wellbeing Programme According to the survey results, and evidence seen by Towergate Health & Protection across its client base, implementing a strong health and wellbeing programme is vital in the recruitment and retention of talent. Moreover, the programme must be widely communicated to employees and easily accessed and managed by employees and employers alike if it is really going to make a difference. The Four Pillars of Health and Wellbeing A strong programme must support all four pillars of health and wellbeing: emotional, physical, financial, and social health - to add the most value to recruitment and retention. Research shows that all four are not only important in keep existing employees healthy, and to retain their loyalty, but also to attract new employees. Employees’ needs and demands have shifted dramatically since before the pandemic struck. We have all had a realignment of priorities, and employers need to match these if they are to attract and retain the best staff, which is only going to become more important. *Research conducted by Opinium on behalf of Towergate Health & Protection. Sample: 500 UK HR decision makers. Field dates: 28 January to 7 February 2022. Contact To find out how Towergate could assist your school in finding the right employee benefits for your staff, contact Adrian Henley. Towergate Insurance, is a trading name of Advisory Insurance Brokers Limited. Registered in England Company No. 4043759, Registered Office: 2 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7PD. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This can be checked on the FCA’s register by checking the FCA website at www.fca.org.uk/register or by contacting them on 0800 111 6768. Towergate Health & Protection, a trading name of Health and Protection Solutions Limited, is an independent intermediary, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This can be checked on the FCA’s website or by calling them on 0800 111 6768 (freephone). Not all products and services offered are regulated by the FCA. Registered in England and Wales No: 4907859. Registered office: West Park House, 23 Cumberland Place, Southampton, SO15 2BB. We recently saw the release of the Government’s response to their consultation on the proposed Data Reform Bill. It is still early days for the proposed legislation and there is a lot to go through from this response. In addition, the timeline for the new legislation and exactly what it will look like based on this response is unclear at this stage. But our sponsor, SchoolPro TLC, has looked at the consultation outcome and you can read their initial reaction and thoughts about how it might impact on working with schools in the future. Privacy Management Programmes to be a Compliance Requirement This is one that we have been expecting and we have built the online audit/accountability tool in the new portal with this possibility in mind. Essentially, the proposal is to reduce down the accountability requirement to the following six key areas (from the current ten):
This potentially simplifies the process and our audit tool has been developed to be fully configurable. So, if this change goes ahead as suggested, the existing tool can be adapted to the new Privacy Management Programme and relevant information, actions etc already in the tool, can be ported across as required. The Government have been keen to highlight that this is not to reduce the rigour of accountability and lower standards, but to create a more flexible tool that can scale depending on the risk level of the organisations. This may well ease some of the burden on smaller schools, for example. Data Protection Officers (DPO) to no longer be mandatory and to be replaced with a ‘senior responsible individual’ This proposal removes the need for an independent DPO with no conflicts of interest and allows the role to be taken on by a senior individual within the organisation. That person will still fulfil many of the existing roles of a DPO, so it is likely that many organisations will simply continue with their existing arrangement. The ‘senior responsible individual’ will be responsible for:
At present, it is not fully clear if this will apply to all organisations; or whether it will be only small organisations and those that do not process high levels of sensitive data that are able to drop the requirement for a “DPO”. We are obviously going to keep a keen eye on this one! Removal of Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) The thought here is to provide a more flexible and tailored approach to organisations. Again, the Government are keen to emphasise that this is not to reduce rigour and lower standards and they state that organisations will still have to identify, assess and manage risk. This may allow for a more risk-based approach where lower risk processing has a simpler risk management approach and higher risk processing still follows a similar DPIA process to what is currently in place. However this is implemented; thankfully, this should not involve new risk management for legacy systems as the Government has stated that “existing DPIAs would remain valid as a way of achieving the new requirement. Removal of the Record of Processing Activities (RoPA) Requirement As with DPIAs, this is to provide a more flexible approach that can be tailored to different organisation depending on size and the nature of their processing activities. This will link to the Privacy Management Programmes and will require organisations to have “personal data inventories” that “describe what and where personal data is held, why it has been collected and how sensitive it is.” From what we have read so far, we believe that our existing data mapping tool will allow for these inventories to be created still with very little need to be adapted from their current format. Those are a few of the points we think will have an immediate impact on schools. Of course there are more detailed analyses of all the proposals available online, such as this useful one from the IAPP: It is also clear that not everyone is happy with the proposals.
Reading through the response, the prevailing theme appears to be “we asked about this, most of you weren’t happy with proposed changes… so we’re going to make some anyway;” which is an interesting approach to a consultation. All we can say is, watch this space… Report by Ben Craig CIPP/E, Director of SchoolPro TLC Ltd The Met Office has warned that temperatures could hit 43C over the coming week, which would make it the hottest day ever recorded in the UK. Our sponsor, Wolferstans Solicitors, provides some guidance for employers as summer temperatures soar. If it’s too hot to work, can employee’s leave? Under UK law there is currently only a minimum working temperature set, which is 16C. However, if the employee’s work involves rigorous physical effort, the temperature should be at least 13C. There is unfortunately, no meaningful figure that can be placed on high temperatures, to indicate if it is in fact too hot to work. That said, employers are responsible to ensure their employees and workers are comfortable and in their working environment. This extends to helping them keep cool. Health and safety should also factor into an employer’s consideration as to whether it is too hot to work. Can employee’s legally ask for air conditioning in their workplace? Employers are obliged to keep employees comfortable, which falls within them needing to ensure the working environment is of a reasonable temperature for those using it. From this, the concept known as "thermal comfort" has been established. By managing the thermal comfort within the workplace employers are more likely to improve morale, productivity and health and safety. The Health and Safety Executive note the six basic factors to cause temperature discomfort are:
A way in which they suggest you can control the thermal comfort of these factors is by using air conditioning units or air dehumidifiers. If you want further advice on whether you should be installing air conditioning, as you feel are having employee complaints about the temperature in the workplace, then please get in contact via the below contact details. Do employees have to wear their usual work attire in sweltering heat? This very much depends on the organisation. For example, if you are employing tree surgeons you would not be complying with the health and safety laws and organisational policies if you allowed you employees to not wear their personal protective equipment, such as the thick heavy chainsaw trousers which they most likely do not wish to be wearing on an extremely hot day. In circumstances where it is reasonable for there to be a flexible dress code, such as in an office environment, employers should be doing this to help with employee’s thermal comfort and productivity. If in doubt whether this applies to you, the Health and Safety Executive provide further information on this. How else can employers ensure that "thermal comfort" is managed well? Hybrid working is becoming increasingly popular and making the most of this on an extremely hot day could benefit employers and employees. Employers need to consider whether the building they have is equipped for a heatwave. In doing this they should factor in whether there is a lot of glass, if it is an older building, whether there is good ventilation, and whether or not they already have air conditioning installed. Employee productivity could be higher, should they be allowed to work from home in a cooler environment. If this is not possible then employers need to control the thermal comfort of their employees in the workplace as best as they can, given their circumstances. Ways to do this is by providing fans, if safe to do so, in the event they do not have aircon. If you have any concerns over your workplace, or employees refusing to attend work during the heatwave, please make contact via our new enquiries section of the website. By Rachel Lee, Wolferstans Solicitors 11/7/2022 0 Comments Can forcing the use of transgender preferred pronouns amount to discrimination?In short, it will depend on the facts!
Let Wolferstans solicitors, one of our sponsors, guide you on this potential discrimination issue. Wolferstans provide a wide range of legal services to meet the needs of individuals, families, SME’s, public sector and voluntary organisations based throughout Devon and Cornwall. Background In the case of Mackereth v (1) Department for Work and Pensions (“DWP”) and (2) Advanced Personnel Management Group (UK) Ltd, the question of whether it was discrimination to refuse to use the preferred pronouns of transgender clients was deliberated. The Claimant was a Christian doctor and provided health and disability assessments for the DWP. Early in his career, he stated that due to his religious beliefs, he would not use the preferred pronouns of any transgender clients; however, this was in contradiction to the DWP’s policies, which stated that those undergoing transition should be referred to by their presented and preferred gender at all times. Clearly the Claimant was going to be in breach of this policy, so decided to resign and bring a claim in the Employment Tribunal. Christianity, as a religion, is a protected characteristic, but this was not the issue in this case; rather it was whether he could demonstrate that his beliefs that a person cannot change their sex/gender, that it would be irresponsible for a health professional to encourage transgenderism and his lack of belief in transgenderism generally could amount to direct discrimination, harassment and indirect discrimination. Ruling The Employment Tribunal held that the Claimant’s beliefs did not amount to protection under the Equality Act, and further, even if they had done, he had not suffered any less favourable treatment/harassment. Further, the DWP’s policies were justified and were necessary and proportionate in meeting their legitimate aim of ensuring that transgender clients were not discriminated against and were treated with dignity and respect. The Claimant was clearly not happy with the decision and appealed to the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Unfortunately for him, the EAT agreed with the initial decision, finding that he had not been subject to discrimination. Although, the EAT did point out that some of his beliefs would qualify for protection under the Equality Act. How does this impact employers? One reason that the Claimant’s claim failed was that his employer had tried to accommodate his beliefs, but he had resigned before they were able to implement any strategies and adjustments. Employers should ensure that if they require employees to use certain terms when dealing with transgender clients, the requirement is proportionate to achieving a legitimate aim, for example treating those clients with respect and promoting equal opportunities. If you would like any further advice, or would like us to review any policies then please get in touch with a member of the team on 01752 663295. It is undisputable that accounting for all staff, students and visitors in a timely manner is critical to the success of a fire evacuation.
To ensure the safety of students during an emergency schools must have an effective evacuation plan in place, that is simple enough to follow for all staff and students. During an evacuation, it is important to know exactly who is on your premises to ensure all pupils, visitors and members of staff are located for. Often schools track this information through spreadsheets or paper documents; however, ensuring these documents are up-to-date can be difficult to manage. An effective way to overcome this concern is to look at alternative methods that can provide live data for who is currently on site, with the ability to pull one report that can be easily accessed by all teachers. In the event of a drill or fire evacuation, the InVentry Anywhere app allows you to access a real-time copy of everyone who is onsite from any mobile device to improve the efficiency of your evacuation procedure. Find out more with InVentry and understand how you can ensure the safety of students during an emergency – all at the touch of a button. Read here this informative blog from our sponsor Wolferstans Solicitors.
It’s been a while since we mentioned the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, but the Government has recently announced new guidance for living safely with Covid. The guidance provides information for those with symptoms of respiratory infections, such as Covid-19; people with a positive Covid-19 test and their contacts; and advice on safer behaviours for everyone. Workplace Guidance One of the main changes for employers is that the working safely guidelines for the various sectors has been removed, with employers instead needing to consider the needs of those at a higher risk of serious illness. Employers are encouraged to be aware of Covid symptoms in order to reduce the risk of transmission between employees. If a member of staff has Covid-19 symptoms, then the respiratory infection guidance below should be followed. To limit transmission within a business, employers should ensure that there is adequate ventilation in the workplace, that hygiene facilities are available and that any workspaces are kept clean and sanitised. The requirement to explicitly consider Covid in a risk assessment has been removed, as has the need to inform public health of an outbreak, but employers can still consider it in their assessments should they choose to do so. Previously, employers could reclaim SSP paid due to Covid related absences, but this is now not the case following the closure of the rebate scheme. Employers will need to ensure that they pay employees SSP for Covid absences if they have been absent for at least four days in a row (including non-working days), in line with regular sickness absences. Whilst there is no obligation on someone who has symptoms to refrain from coming to the workplace, the guidance suggests that employers should allow them to work from home where possible, where that is not the case, to look at alternative options. People with Respiratory Infections From 1 April 2022, anyone with symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as Covid, and who have a high temperature or are not feeling well should limit contact with others and stay at home where possible. Anyone who has a positive Covid test result (whether because they chose to carry one out or were asked to) should again try to limit contact with others and stay home for five days following their positive result. As has been the case throughout, anyone that tests positive should refrain from close contact with those who have a reduced immune system and are at risk of serious illness. The guidance in this case is that contact should be avoided with those at a higher risk of serious illness for 10 days. Employees who are at higher risk of serious illness should be taken into account. They should be able to wear a face mask where possible and may need to work from home to reduce their risk, however the requirement for them to shield has been removed. Leaving Home Whilst Positive In a slightly controversial move, those with a positive result will not be forced into isolation and instead, will be able to leave their homes, and continue to go to work, even whilst they have symptoms. However, there is guidance which should be taken into account:
If you would like any further guidance on how Covid-19 might impact you, then please get in contact with a member of the Wolferstans Team on 01752 663295. Introducing, Lyfta, the award-winning digital learning platform that broadens horizons and brings learning to life. Lyfta invites students to explore, and connect with, real human stories from across the globe, through interactive 360° spaces and powerful short films. The platform provides an impactful and captivating way for students to experience human diversity, and for educators to build cultural capital and nurture the vital skills and values children need to thrive in our changing world. “I have been blown away by what Lyfta has put together. This is a fantastic platform that can be used across all subject areas. The significant impact on student personal development is huge as is being able to show our students what diversity truly looks like. The stories are wonderful and emotive, giving students the opportunity to be part of the lives of strangers they will meet around the globe.” Zena, Dixons McMillan Academy “Lyfta really has been a lifeline this year – not a bolt-on, but a resource to enrich and enliven the curriculum. Cannot recommend highly enough.” Dan Morrow, CEO, Dartmoor MAT Do you want to find out more AND receive £100 for your school? Attend a one-hour call with the team to be part of our national study, designed by our Head of Educational Research, Dr Harriet Marshall and hear more about what Lyfta can offer and we will transfer a £100 payment to your school for your time. We are looking for 100 primary and 50 secondary schools to be part of the study. We look forward to hearing from you. For More Information
We are pleased to introduce our new sponsor, Goosemoor Educatering. Goosemoor Educatering are proud to provide the very best in quality fresh food, in exciting, child- led meals, all within any school’s current budget. Since its inception as a family business in 1957, Dart Fresh / Goosemoor Foodservice has built a reputation as the leading provider of quality food products and produce across the South West of England, based on the constant strive for perfection for its customers. For More Information
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