As many schools across the country prepare to close their doors for the summer holidays, specialist insurer Ecclesiastical says schools will be an attractive target for criminals over the coming months.

Ecclesiastical reports schools have been targeted over the summer months including vandalism, arson, break-ins, smashed windows, theft of lead from roofs and stolen laptops.

Amid high inflation, soaring prices and more facing economic hardship, there are worries there will be a large spike in criminal activity.

Faith Kitchen, customer segment director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Schools are far more vulnerable during the summer holidays when school buildings are closed and largely unoccupied, tempting opportunists. With high inflation and the cost of living crisis, it is more important than ever that schools take steps to protect their premises from offenders. There are a number of measures schools can take to better secure school property and assets, which would ideally be a combination of both physical and electronic protection. Fencing around the perimeter can often offer a good first line of defence against unwanted visitors, while CCTV can act as a visual deterrent for those not wanting to be caught on camera. We urge schools across the country take steps to protect themselves from criminals and follow our guidance.”

How to protect your school this summer:

• Ensure CCTV systems have remote 24/7 monitoring services. Monitoring and alerting the police is far more effective than tracing criminals after a crime has taken place.
• Install remotely monitored intruder alarms and change alarm security codes and passwords on a regular basis.
• Install security lighting systems that have motion sensors to detect body movements.
• Restrict access to school premises. Well-designed perimeter security such as walls, fences and electric security gates, and anti-climb paint help to prevent people from getting onto school sites.
• Restrict vehicular access to the school site. Locate any designated parking as far from the school building as possible. The further thieves have to travel on foot the greater the risk of detection.
• Use security marking systems such as SmartWater which can help with successful prosecution of thieves.
• Ask the local community near your school to be vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity they notice on school grounds.
• Inform neighbourhood watch schemes / police liaison officers of planned work over the holidays as thieves might pose as contractors.
• Seek advice. Specialist insurers can offer advice and expertise to help schools manage security risks. Insurers can offer a combination of onsite and remote risk management services including security assessments and advice, alongside broader property protection and building valuation services.

The survey, carried out by Judicium with parent company Supporting Education Group, asked more than 620 designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) and SLT members in schools across England to rate the effectiveness of a range of key safeguarding activities.

Schools found that filtering and monitoring ICT usage, along with safeguarding training and updating safeguarding records to be areas of low effectiveness and high personal challenge.

Just 18% of all respondents said filtering and monitoring was as effective as it can be in their schools, with 59% claiming it is one of their biggest current challenges. These results were driven by DSLs – 65% rated it a big challenge, compared to 46% of SLTs.

Just a quarter (25%) of all respondents thought that their current safeguarding and child protection training works well and 43% said the activity is one of their biggest challenges. DSLs once again led these concerns – just 16% find this training works as well as it could, compared to 49% of SLT members.

Updating and reviewing safeguarding records to identify patterns of events or behaviour was another key pain point for effective safeguarding, with 30% finding this activity challenging.

Drafting and reviewing policies, and communicating with stakeholders, such as other professionals, parents, students and agencies, were rated as high effectiveness, low challenge activities.

The survey was carried out in June 2022 to better understand how schools think about and meet some of the challenges associated with safeguarding and to explore if any additional resources and support can be provided to help schools with this important area.

The findings follow analysis by Judicium which has revealed the important part safeguarding failures play in Ofsted category 4 inspection reports. Of the 130 inadequate judgements between 2019 and 2021, 59 (45%) cited safeguarding as ineffective. Record keeping, leadership, and governance, following-up concerns, staff training and pupil safety were most frequently cited in inspector feedback in these cases.

Helen King, a former DSL in a London secondary school and now head of safeguarding at Judicium, says: “We know from our safeguarding work with schools that the risks of getting safeguarding wrong are significant and can have a devastating impact on pupils. These findings will help to highlight key areas of concern for schools, service providers and policy makers.

“We also need to bear in mind that the DSL role is a high accountability job which has grown hugely in recent years – KCSIE has more than trebled in size over the past seven years, from 57 pages in 2015 to almost 180 today. That needs to be reflected in the understanding of the DSL remit and the support that is available to them if the role is to remain effective.”

The new toolkit comprises a collection of key documents that schools can use to improve their cybersecurity and also use as a foundation for attaining Cyber Essentials Certification – a foundation level certification designed to provide a statement of the basic controls they should have in place to mitigate the risk from common cyber threats.

The following key documents can be downloaded for free:

A CyberSecurity Policy Template  – designed to complement the schools existing social media and acceptable use policies – which outlines the school’s guidelines and security provisions that are there to protect its systems, services, and data in the event of a cyberattack.

An Incident Response Plan which can be used as a starting point for planning recovery from a ransomware attack, or any other kind of unforeseen outage.

An Example Risk Register that can be used to assess, evaluate, prioritise and manage cybersecurity risks. This can also be used by the school’s senior leadership team to report to governors on how they are proactively managing risks and improving cybersecurity.

An Example Asset Register that can be used as a starting point to inventory the equipment used in the school. It sounds obvious, but it’s impossible to be secure if you don’t know what you have.

An Example Software Register used to record which software/systems schools have and whether they hold confidential information. This can be used to complement the Incident Response Plan for prioritising the recovery of services.

Commenting on the new resource, Dinesh Seegobin, Head of ICT at STEP Academy Trust, said, “We all know that being aware of cybersecurity is critical but how many of us can claim to be experts? In addition, there is so much information out there to digest, where do you begin? This is where, yet again, LGfL has come to our rescue. The Elevate Cybersecurity Toolkit is an absolute game changer. A one-stop shop to help get you on track backed up with all the weight of industry experts.”

To download your free copy please visit http://www.elevate.lgfl.net

Door Group, a unit of ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, is stressing

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires schools to undertake risk assessments to identify the general fire precautions needed to safeguard the safety of occupants in case of fire, including their safe means of escape.

Despite this, recent research[1] showed that schools have been hit by 2,300 fires in the last five years, destroying 47 primary and secondary school buildings alone.

Fire doors are one of the most important safety features in a building, and regular product specifications or dedicated fire door inspections are essential to fully ensure health and safety measures are met.

Education buildings can present highly specific requirements for fire doorsets, with particularly varied legislation and building regulations surrounding fire doors in schools.

These doors are subject to extremely high levels of traffic, and subsequently a higher level of misuse and abuse, which can then lead to functional problems resulting in non-compliance.

Brian Sofley, Managing Director of ASSA ABLOY Door Group, explains: “Whilst statutory inspections are being completed for the entire building, the necessary attention to fire door compliance is being overlooked.

“Our team of BRE qualified engineers have found a large percentage of fire doors to be non-compliant when completing a dedicated fire door inspection in schools over the past 3-4 years. For example, in one school, 163 of the 164 fire doors we inspected were not fire compliant.”

The economic and social impact of school fires on staff, pupils, and the local community can be significant, causing financial hardship, emotional trauma, and a delay in learning.

A study[2] found that 17 per cent of schools who had experienced a fire said that it had led to a drop in staff morale, six per cent to a drop in morale amongst pupils and seven per cent said that their fire had led to negative publicity about their school.

Door Group is committed to raising the standard of fire door safety in schools, providing a fully comprehensive inspection which can be carried out every three, four, six or 12 months to suit specific requirements.

Following inspections, Door Group then offer detailed reports containing advice and recommendations on necessary improvements, with the knowledge that identifying any potential issues that could impact safety and product performance can be lifesaving.

If any issues do occur, a tailored repair proposal is issued to include anything from replacement doors to a regular maintenance program. Door Group inspectors are BRE-certified and will ensure that all fire doors inspected meet all necessary standards and regulations.

Brian adds: “An education building should be a safe and secure place for students and staff, to work and learn. Door Group is committed to making schools, colleges and universities across the UK fire protected.

“With regular and thorough inspections, we can ensure the compliance and performance of fire doorsets in an effort to improve overall fire safety in the educational environment, while minimising the risk that learning could be negatively impacted by a fire.”

For more information on ASSA ABLOY Door Group, please visit https://bit.ly/3hVybbC.

[1] https://www.zurich.co.uk/media-centre/more-than-1100-classrooms-gutted-by-school-blazes

[2] National Foundation for Educational Research – The impact of school fires: A study of the wider economic and social impacts on schools and the local community

Ensure the teacher is present 

Teacher supervision is vital when managing the children in your care. Leaving your class unattended is dangerous as there is no one to manage a difficult situation. Not only this, but lack of teacher supervision makes children more likely to act up – increasing the risk of harm. If you need to leave the room, you must ensure another teacher or teaching assistant is present to take over responsibility.

Provide appropriate safety equipment and clothing 

Before experimenting in a science classroom, you must provide your children with the appropriate safety equipment and clothing. For example, all children should be provided with a lab coat, goggles and gloves when working with a live flame or chemicals.

Enforce lab safety 

Prohibition signs should be placed visibly throughout the science classroom. Signs such as no eating, drinking or running, will help children understand the boundaries in the space. However, reinforce the rules by reminding your class of them each lesson. This will help to keep order in the room and reduce the risk of harm.

Provide demonstrations before experiments 

If there is an experiment included in your lesson plan, make sure you demonstrate it. Showing your class exactly how an experiment should get done will help them to complete it safely. Not only this, but it will reduce the chance of anyone guessing what to do and doing it wrong. Therefore, making it a safe and sensible option.

Prepare for emergencies 

Naked flames and harmful chemicals all carry risks. The chance of something going wrong in a controlled environment is minimal. However, you must be prepared to get your class to safety in the event of an emergency. Making your group aware of the fire exits and escape routes in your classroom is vital. Discuss your fire safety strategy with your class and practice with them if needs be. Then, in the event of an emergency, you and your class can escape calmly and reduce the risk of harm.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a suite of lesson plans and worksheets aimed at teaching primary and secondary school pupils how to protect their privacy online and how they can control what online companies and platforms know about them.

Emily Keaney, ICO’s Director of Regulatory Strategy said: “With children learning how to use an iPad before they can ride a bike, it’s crucial that they’re taught how to keep their personal data safe. These plans will ensure that the UK’s children are learning about the value of their name, where they live, what they like and where they go from the very start of their data journey.”

The resources explain what counts as personal data, how to protect it and how to keep it private on social media. They cover the curriculum in all parts of the UK and can be downloaded for free from the ICO website.

The resources form part of the ICO’s work on building awareness of the Children’s Code, a set of standards that online services must follow if they are likely to be accessed by children. That includes putting in place extra layers of protection for children’s data.

Ms Keaney said: “With the introduction of the Children’s Code last September, it’s more important than ever that teachers feel empowered to educate their pupils about the positives and negatives of sharing personal data with websites, apps and online services.

“We hope that these lesson resources will enable teachers to introduce these topics in the classroom, and begin the conversation around keeping safe online.”

The ICO will be producing more resources around the principles of the Children’s Code to ensure that young people know what to expect when they open an app, visit a website or play an online game.

For more information on the Children’s Code, please visit the dedicated website hub or email our Children’s Code team on childrenscode@ico.org.uk.

For workplaces and schools, a safe reopening during the ongoing pandemic can only be achieved with a robust risk-reduction strategy that covers all transmission routes. Since one of the primary ways that COVID-19 is spread is through the air by aerosols – airborne liquid particles that may carry infection – keeping these particles out of the nearby air by regularly introducing clean and fresh air into communal spaces (i.e. ventilating) is vital for preventing the spread of disease.

So how do you ventilate spaces effectively? And how do you know if ventilation practices are even working?

The UK Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), along with The Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE) (UK) and the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) (Europe), have issued guidelines on how to improve ventilation in rooms. Their advice includes opening windows, ensuring regular breaks for occupants and increasing mechanical ventilation.

All three reports also highlight CO2 monitoring as a key tool for any effective ventilation strategy, both to help improve ventilation and to help assess its efficacy.

Why is CO2 monitoring important?

Feeling that a room has become ‘stuffy’ or feeling drowsy after hours sat in a meeting room are sensations that are familiar to many-and they’re caused by a build-up of CO2.

Just like CO2, aerosols carrying infectious diseases that are exhaled by occupants will linger in the air without sufficient ventilation. The longer that a room is occupied, the greater the volume of infectious aerosols that will build up, and the greater the risk of infection.

It is possible to evaluate the level of ventilation available in a room just by assessing how occupants are feeling. For example, if a person perceives that a room feels ‘stuffy’, they may proceed to open a window to increase air flow rates. However, this method is ultimately reliant on guesswork, and occupants may not be able to detect simply by feeling alone when extra ventilation is needed until it is too late.

Monitoring CO2 levels eliminates guesswork from ventilation assessment and enables a systematic approach to increasing ventilation. By accurately measuring the volume of CO2 in the air, CO2 monitors provide hard evidence of when extra ventilation is needed – which might be a long time before occupants feel that the room could do with some fresh air.

The report from SAGE identifies that CO2 monitoring is particularly important in workplaces and schools, where it is most likely to be an effective indicator of ventilation rates.

In spaces that are used for extended durations by groups, i.e. offices and classrooms, CO2 measurements reflect the air quality with a greater accuracy and give a good indication of ventilation conditions.

By contrast, CO2 monitoring is not as effective at indicating ventilation rates in large volume or low occupancy spaces, where airflow and dispersion of occupants may vary. In these areas, however, SAGE still recommends aiming to keep CO2 levels low (below 800ppm) as a good rule of thumb.

How to improve ventilation with CO2 monitoring

After establishing what ventilation is available in a room, CO2 monitors should be used for two purposes:

• to alert when extra ventilation is needed
• to evaluate the efficacy of ventilation

CO2 monitors should be placed on an inside wall, with sensors facing away from windows or grilles so that the readings are as accurate to the inside conditions as possible. It is also recommended that they are placed in visible positions c. 1.5m off of the ground so that responsible persons can easily act upon their alerts.

Alarms show when extra ventilation is needed

Alarms on CO2 monitors can alert occupants of the immediate need to increase ventilation in a room by signalling that the CO2 concentration has exceeded acceptable levels.

As a visual indicator, CO2 alarms also help to boost awareness of the importance of ventilation. The CIBSE report suggests that involving school pupils in responding to CO2 alerts can help to increase ventilation efficacy by improving awareness.

The reports suggest that alarms should be set to alert when the CO2 concentration measures at or above 1000ppm. If or when an alarm is triggered, action should be taken to immediately increase air flow into the occupied space. Opening high windows is an effective strategy, especially in colder months, as it will sufficiently increase ventilation rates while not significantly lowering room temperature or causing a draught.

For schools with mechanical ventilation systems, the reports recommended maximising fresh air flow at all times.

Take informed action with long-term recorded data

With data loggers, CO2 levels can be recorded over time so that data can be viewed and analysed, and further action taken based on this evidence.

Data from CO2 monitoring should be used to assess whether ventilation measures are taking effect.

Time-stamped data from one room might show that instances of increasing natural ventilation-for example, by opening windows or doors-is effective at lowering CO2 levels. For a different room, with different dimensions and different available ventilation routes, analysis of data may reveal that there is a need to implement more significant measures to fully protect the health of occupants. Rooms which are shown to regularly record above 1500ppm should be identified and prioritised for improvements to ventilation.

A further advantage of monitoring with a CO2 data logger is that long-term recorded data can provide evidence of the need for significant or structural changes to be made, helping to support funding applications.

The Tinytag CO2 data logger

Robust, easy-to-use and quick to deploy, the Tinytag CO2 data logger is a simple and effective solution for indoor air quality monitoring.

Using a self-calibrating non-dispersive infrared sensor (NDIR), the data logger accurately measures and records carbon dioxide concentrations with outstanding long-term stability. The TGE-0010 model measures from 0 to 2000ppm and is ideal for measuring indoor air quality in busy classrooms or offices. A model measuring up to 5000ppm is also available for more specialised applications.

The data logger has an LED on its front which will flash red when an alarm has been triggered, enabling responsive action to high CO2 levels. The data logger can be wall-mounted or placed on surfaces to continuously monitor CO2 concentrations wherever is required. Compact and light-weight, the logger can be situated anywhere where there is a mains supply, and can easily be transferred between different locations for versatile monitoring throughout a building.

Data is offloaded and viewed in user-friendly Tinytag Explorer software, where it can then be exported to third-party programmes in a variety of popular file formats (.xls, .xml, .csv, .txt) for further analysis and presentation.

Gemini Data Loggers also offers a certificated calibration service that is traceable to National Standards. CO2 data loggers can be calibrated prior to shipment, or returned to Gemini at any time for calibration.

While low levels of CO2 are a good indication of effective ventilation, they are not confirmation of low aerosol transmission by themselves. Other transmission factors, including occupant density, occupant duration and the type of activity being performed in a room should also be taken into account when assessing transmission rates. A good COVID-19 risk management strategy should also comprise mitigation efforts for other transmission routes, for example, mask-wearing, social distancing and reducing occupancy time in rooms.

1 – Railings

Many schoolyard injuries occur on walkways. They seem innocent enough, but when wet can be a major hazard. When icy they are downright dangerous.

The proper railings will ensure that students can get into the school building without any risk of injury since they are designed for the type of use that a school demands. There are different ages of students so they should be at a comfortable height for the younger ones while older students still have easy hand access to keep them steady when needed.

Key clamp handrails from Ezi Klamp are an ideal solution since they are easily customizable for the needs of a particular school. As a bonus, they are economical as they are easy to install and require no specialized tools.

2 – Doors

We’ve all been there in the past. Just tried to nip through a door before it’s closed, and it’s trapped our fingers in there. While nine times out of ten, it probably results in a few bruises, it isn’t severe enough to warrant a trip to A&E.

However, with pupils’ safety at the forefront, doors must be as safe as possible; finger guards are a must. Many secondary schools now operate a system whereby doors can be opened upon the presentation of a school ID card, required by both staff and students alike. Other schools may prefer doors with two handles to prevent the escape of younger children or those with special educational needs who may be runners.

3 – Windows

Windows can be the bane of a caretaker’s life. Historically, there were always ones in the hall that required the use of a special contraption to open them, which inevitably went missing when the whole school was in there doing a play practice, getting hotter and hotter by the minute. Nowadays, windows tend to be a lot more straightforward, with permanent ways to open attached to the wall.

This makes it a much safer operation, with no one attempting to stand on chairs, for example, to attempt to open them. Furthermore, windows up high should be restricted to prevent anyone from being able to climb out and do potential harm to themselves or others.

4 – Stairs and Lifts

When it comes to a two-story building, it is vital to take into account that many accidents occur on the stairs. While historically, there were no lifts in schools, it is vital that schools are inclusive, ensuring that all pupils have equal access to both the curriculum and the physical building. Not only should a lift be a consideration, but one wide enough for a larger wheelchair. For special schools, one which fits both an acheeva bed, or similar, along with the additional adult, is a must. Furthermore, alternative escape routes are a must for occasions when lifts are not in operation. Consider investing in a ramp leading out to open space.

They nurture a culture of learning in order that individual engagement will contribute to the development of the whole profession and they celebrate learning, relish challenge, and reflect critically on their practice as a profession.

To guide future progress in growing this learning culture, they have developed their annual Primary CPD Training Programme (secondary programme is coming out soon), which is available to all primary schools in and outside of Hackney.

They have an extensive range of leadership training to support school leaders at all stages of their careers, and their impressive range of courses for support staff give pedagogical, administrative and behaviour guidance. Some of their course categories include:

• Business Services
• Health and Safety
• Teaching and Learning
• Safeguarding and Child Protection
• SEND and Inclusion
• and more…

Courses can purchased individually or for a fixed price, their CPD package offers fantastic value and allows staff from each school to attend as many staff on eligible courses as they like throughout the academic year.

These courses ensure that staff are fully up to date in all the key curriculum, learning support and leadership areas.

So, if your school is in need of a whole school CPD Training Programme, you can visit their web page or download their programme. Alternatively you can contact Gideon Viljoen, Business Operation Manager on 020 8820 7223 or email him at Gideon.Viljoen@learningtrust.co.uk

For more information and to see how Hackney Learning Trust can support you, you can visit their website.

An education is often cited as the path to success. But what does that mean exactly? Education can come in many different forms, some formal and very high level and others not so much but learning is important for both our professional careers and also our personal well being. Here are a few of the different types of learning we can pursue and what are the advantages of each.

Undergraduate University Degree

An undergraduate university degree is the standard type of degree people are talking about when they refer to a university degree. Study at this level tends to be in academic rather than practical or vocational subjects, meaning that it is more likely you will be learning theory, writing essays and conducting research projects or experiments in a science degree. Some types of degree are a precursor to further study to then obtain a professional qualification in areas such as law or medicine and other degrees actually qualify you for a certain job straight away such as nursing or teaching and others will give you a good degree that shows you are a dedicated individual that can achieve something.

Post-Graduate University Degree

If you want to study further at university then a postgraduate degree is just that, one undertaken after graduating from an undergraduate course. These are generally divided into a one year Masters degree or a PhD doctorate, which is a research degree where you are adding a useful contribution to the academic world and will be able to use the title of Doctor on completion.

College

Traditionally college may have been thought of as a lesser form of learning than university but it’s really just study with a different aim and outcome. You are more often studying a vocational qualification, one that prepares you for an area of work, such as trades, IT skills and much more. You can do full degrees or one year HNC courses or two year HNDs right down to more entry level NVQs wand you might say, what does NVQ Stand for? It’s a National Vocational Qualification which can give you practical skill in a variety of useful work areas. Also if you are looking to progress in education you can go all the way from NVQ level through a university access course and could go all the way from having no qualifications right up to the highest level of academia.

On The Job Training

Learning does not necessarily mean going to college or university there are plenty of examples of on the job training and learning in a variety of workplaces. Most employers will keep a record of training or professional development ranging from basic health and safety courses to learning new skills and management training schemes. You should also ask if any of your employers training schemes earn you a recognised qualification or certificate and, if so, get and keep a copy of that. You can also complete a more formal apprenticeship within many industries these days and this often involves a certain amount of time at college paid for by your employer.