ET-JUN22-PG20-25.qxp_Page 6 27/05/2022 09:34 Page 21


VIEWS & OPINION


Making the most of telecommunications in the


education sector Comment by SIMON BLACKWELL, CMO at TelcoSwitch


Since the pandemic, EdTech has transformed from a common perk to an absolute necessity for learning institutions across the country and continues to be the case even with schools now at full attendance.


Communication is key The pandemic not only changed the way we live but also the way we communicate. After an almost overnight switch to home-based learning in March 2020, communications technology allowed teachers to conduct classes virtually. By using digital platforms, they prepared lesson plans, conducted assessments, and communicated with parents to ensure disruption remained minimal. And while a period of time has now passed since the return to in-person learning, we continue to witness significant growth in demand for platforms that support more equitable parent-teacher communication, and better communication internally within learning institutions – specifically in multi- academy trust environments where staff are working between and sharing resources across multiple sites. But despite the fact most schools have solutions in place for remote


working or teaching, we still see a lack of overall integration with communications. This is especially key given that BT will be switching off their Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) in 2025, moving from


traditional phone lines to faster, clearer Internet Protocol (IP) technologies instead. This has played a big part in the increase in demand for cloud- based telephone systems nationwide, and while this change is well-known about in the private sector, we still encounter a great many schools who don’t know about the PSTN switch-off, what it means for them, and what they should do. 2025 might still seem a way off, but waiting isn’t prudent.


What should you do? First off, speak to your telephone or ICT provider and find out what type of telephone system you have (specifically, is it an IP phone system). If the answer is ‘no’, then you want to ask when your telephone system contract is due to expire. This is important because we’ve seen a lot of instances where a provider will simply auto-renew the schools telephony contract on expiry, and that might not serve you well in terms of functionality, support for the long-term, and cost. There are many excellent ICT support services across the UK acting as


dedicated outsourced IT providers for schools, and these services are vital as they enable teachers and their SLTs to get on with the important job of educating. But many of the UK’s learning institutions don’t have the necessary support in place, and the evidence is compelling, with around 22% of schools having no clear IT strategy in place. It’s concerning that such a high proportion of schools will be using outdated, unreliable, and often expensive solutions, and don’t have the necessary support in place to make a change that will serve them far better.


Building a bright future for EdTech We’re bullish about the opportunities that exist for schools in harnessing technology to better support teachers, pupils, and parents. The key is not becoming entangled in existing, outdated solutions that


don’t meet the needs of post-pandemic teaching and serve to swell costs at a time where budgets continue to be constrained.


Employment law and the duties of teachers: what do you need to know?


Comment by DAVE WARD, partner in the Employment team at Blacks Solicitors


Professionals who work in education, especially those who work with minors, are expected to operate to very high standards of conduct, ethics and safety, due to the vulnerability of those who they work with and their position of power, influence and trust. Here’s what education employers and


employees need to be aware of relating to allegations of misconduct and safeguarding, unfair dismissal and teacher’s duties.


Safeguarding and misconduct Professionals in education should always be mindful of the privileged position in which they work. The safeguarding of students and particularly children in education settings is absolutely paramount. It is likely that most instances of potential misconduct will give rise to safeguarding concerns. Errors of judgement, inappropriate behaviours and major failures to carry out aspects of the role could put children at risk. Where misconduct is determined following a reasonable process, it can


have career ending consequences for professionals in education, especially given there are regulatory reporting obligations and reference


June 2022


requirements, including DBS checks, that are naturally in place to alert local authorities and prospective employers to risks. It is likely that those subject to allegations of misconduct will be


represented by a union and their representatives can take various types of approach, from reasonable and pragmatic, to occasionally derailing processes which cause significant disruption, leading to the parties losing sight of the ultimate objective, which is the provision of a safe learning environment for all.


Disciplinary processes Against this backdrop, education providers can rest easy in the knowledge that if there is reasonable evidence of wrongdoing, a robust and fair disciplinary process should allow appropriate action to be taken, without putting the establishment at risk. However, providers must also be mindful of underlying causes of


misconduct, such as what occurred in City of York Council v Grosset. In that case, the local authority was found to have discriminated against Mr Grosset on the grounds of disability when disciplining him, where it had not realised that his alleged misconduct was connected to his disability. It is important for the employer not to place conduct standards and


safeguarding on such a pedestal that employment rights are overlooked. Similarly, just because allegations are raised, the employer should not overreact and forgo a reasonable investigation and evidence gathering exercise, as this could well put the establishment at risk of failing to properly investigate, understand the facts and take appropriate remedial action. Whilst the education sector is a rather niche area of Human Resources,


established best practice guidance as set out under the ACAS code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures, remains sufficient to conduct disciplinary processes in education settings. This is so, even where there are allegations involving the most serious types of misconduct. A thorough, methodical and transparent approach to investigating and making decisions is vital.


www.education-today.co.uk 21


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52