ET-JUN22-PG40-41.qxp_Page 6 27/05/2022 14:24 Page 41


FEATURE: SOFTWARE IN SCHOOLS


school journey. As green credentials become mandatory for all stakeholders, it’s important that schools are doing all they can in the transport area to make a difference.


Final thoughts As the cost of living rises (especially fuel) and car ownership looks set to decline, innovating school transport will only become more important as schools seek to provide for students across a wide area. Schools can no longer afford to put transport at the bottom of the priority list and must consider investing in it now, to reap the short and long-term rewards. It’s promising to see that 38% of schools and


48% of Multi-Academy Trusts report that they plan to invest in technology for transport in the next five years, but times are changing quickly, and five years may simply be too slow. Although the additional cost of implementing technology may seem like a barrier, taking this step will make schools more attractive to prospective parents, differentiate them from competitors and bring huge time, financial and environmental savings. The latest technology and software are


transport. One in six school leaders report that staff spend 11 hours or more managing the school run every week. This time could be much better spent supporting teaching staff and the running of the school more generally. One way that technology can ease the burden


of back-office processes is by enabling attendance to be tracked as children get on and off the bus. This saves time and prevents outdated use of manual paper registers, that can be easily lost. It also helps staff to keep track of pupil numbers for safeguarding purposes. App-based technology can also enable parents


to notify the school if their child will not be in attendance, ensuring that this can be recorded and also preventing the coach from making an unnecessary stop. In this way, technology opens up lines of communication between the school, the driver and the parents, meaning that everyone can stay updated quickly and easily. A third of parents have expressed a need for the school run to be made easier and software can be utilised to make this happen. Having a smarter school run also differentiates


a school from others in the area and can help to retain existing students and attract new parents who want reassurance that their child can get to and from the school safely, with minimum hassle. This is particularly true for independent schools in competition for pupils. Those who fail to realise the benefits of transport technology risk falling behind the curve, whilst the innovators continue to grow both their reputation and pupil numbers.


A greener school run Failings in school transport provision leads many parents to continue to use their car for the school run, contributing to increased traffic at peak times and adding to damaging local pollution levels. 40% of schools view cars around the school gates as a problem, a view shared by 52% of parents,


June 2022 www.education-today.co.uk 41


who feel that it is a threat to their children’s safety. To prevent this, more must be done to encourage increased uptake of home-to-school transport, and technology can be utilised to make this a more attractive and convenient option. One 49-seater school coach replaces 31 cars on the road on average, reducing pollution, congestion and the carbon footprint of a school. Software that enables route optimisation is one


way to provide safer, greener, smarter school transport, enabling the driver to take the most efficient route, and meaning that students don’t need to spend longer than necessary on their


improving all aspects of education, and whilst it is crucial that it is used to enhance student learning and resources, pastoral care is just as important. By incorporating tech into schools’ transport provision overstretched staff are freed up to focus on other areas of school management, taking a time-consuming and logistically challenging task off their to-do list. Parental expectations continue to rise and


offering an innovative transport solution will help to meet these expectations and send a message that safety, sustainability, and innovation are at the top of the agenda. It’s time that the education sector paid closer attention to the efficiencies that effective use of software can bring to all areas of education, including school transport.


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