VIEWS


BRITISH EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION (BESA)


Empowering Educators through EdTech: How BESA’s LendED platform can help you make the right EdTech resourcing choices


Comment by DAVE SMITH, Head of Partnerships and Events at BESA


Having led the digital strategy in a large primary school and for schools in a London local authority, I know just how hard it is to make the right choices when it comes to selecting resources to turn a vision into reality.


At BESA, the not-for-profit trade association for the UK’s education suppliers where I now work, we recognise the real challenges school leaders face in sourcing effective resources while ensuring value for money and measurable impact. Keeping a finger on the ever-evolving educational landscape is a massive task. Introducing LendED


We at BESA therefore developed LendED to provide a one-stop destination for schools, MATs and local authorities to discover, evaluate, and procure innovative educational technology products and services. In an era where educational technology is transforming classrooms worldwide, we were concerned that school leaders face the daunting task of navigating a plethora of resources to meet the diverse needs of students and wider school improvement. BESA’s LendED platform was designed to be a game-changer for school leaders across the UK, offering a curated marketplace of trusted educational technology solutions. Endorsed by the Department for Education, LendED’s user-friendly interface offers a seamless browsing experience, with a diverse range of resources categorised according to subject, key stage, and type. From interactive whiteboard software to virtual reality learning applications, leadership solutions, AI and much more, LendED hosts a plethora of solutions tailored to enhance teaching and learning and whole school/MAT/local authority improvement.


A marketplace of insights


LendED doesn’t just stop at showcasing products; it empowers school leaders with valuable insights and guidance through its wealth of resources. From informative articles to case studies highlighting successful implementation strategies, LendED equips school leaders with the knowledge and support needed to make informed decisions about integrating technology into their classrooms effectively.


BESA’s LendED platform is not just a marketplace; it’s a catalyst for educational transformation, empowering educators to unlock the full potential of technology including AI to save time, reduce teacher workload and support wellbeing, empower parental engagement, and ultimately improve student outcomes.


Adhering to the BESA Code of Practice


Leaders can rest assured that they are accessing reputable and reliable educational technology solutions from suppliers who adhere to BESA’s rigorous Code of Practice www.besa.org.uk/code-of-practice/, a comprehensive set of guidelines underscoring the BESA member’s commitment to maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards. One of the key aspects of the Code of Practice is its focus on promoting a positive and collaborative relationship between suppliers and educational institutions. By fostering transparency and trust, BESA aims to enhance the overall quality of educational resources and services available to schools and educators.


The BESA Supplier Directory


Alongside LendED, BESA’s Supplier Directory, available at www.besa.org.uk/ supplier-directory/, serves as a valuable resource for educational professionals seeking trusted suppliers for EdTech solutions. The directory offers a curated list of BESA-approved EdTech suppliers. So, whether you are looking for digital displays, student devices, software applications for assessment, curriculum delivery, wellbeing solutions, leadership, or more – start your journey with BESA. This not only streamlines the procurement process but also ensures you have access to a network of suppliers who align with BESA’s rigorous standards.


I hope that you like LendED. We are always keen to hear feedback from educators as to how to make it better – so please feel free to drop me a line via besa@besa.org.uk. I look forward to hearing from you..


May 2024


MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK


Let’s get walking and talking!


This year, Mental Health Awareness Week takes place between 13 and 19 May. Here, ALEX HARRIS, executive producer at BBC Teach, reveals some of the ways your class can embrace this year’s theme of movement: moving more for our mental health.


Here at BBC Teach HQ, we will be playing our part in helping to equip children across


the UK with the tools they need to understand and express their emotions and feelings. We have teamed up with the Mental Health Foundation to create a Live Lesson that will be broadcast to mark the start of Mental Health Awareness Week 2024.


Paralympian Ade Adepitan and Blue Peter’s Shini Muthukrishnan will be choreographing a new


award-winning Moodboosters videos.


Moodboosters are fun curriculum-linked resources to inspire children to get moving for mental health and wellbeing. You don’t need any additional equipment. What’s more, they can be used flexibly during the school day in a classroom with minimal space. As Ade and Shini shoot their video in a green-screen studio, they will be trying out a series of moves to boost wellbeing. We hope everyone watching will join in and have fun. Dr Radha Modgil will be explaining the links between physical and mental health. She will help children learn to recognise and talk about their emotions. We will also be out and about in Merseyside with Olympic and European gold medallist, Sam Quek. She will share her top tips for easy ways children can build activity into their day. As always, we will be releasing activity sheets and a guide for teachers to accompany the Live Lesson in the run-up to the broadcast, so do keep an eye on our website. And yes, the Live Lesson will be available to watch back on-demand.


Remember to email your shout-outs to live.lessons@bbc.co.uk with ‘Mental Health Awareness’ in the subject field. Don’t forget to include the name and location of your school. We’ll be adding as many messages as we can to our live commentary feed on the BBC Teach website on the day.


If you are looking for additional curriculum-linked resources to inspire your class to get moving, then please do check out our BBC Moodboosters homepage. There, you’ll find a suite of short, interactive videos created in partnership with Children in Need and children’s mental health charity, Stormbreak. They have been especially designed to be used by your class to get active whilst supporting their mental health and wellbeing. They explore themes such as coping with feelings, respecting ourselves and others, as well as connecting with friends and family.


We’ve grouped the activities under four different themes: • Connect activities focus on the importance of having fun, building relationships, and recognising pupils’ value and worth.


• Boost activities recognise the benefits of moving your body and help children bounce back from any challenges they might face.


• Recharge activities help pupils to be aware of their emotional triggers and how to respond to them in helpful ways.


• Imagine activities are about nurturing imagination, a crucial part of a child’s development. This enables them to try new things, be brave and have dreams and goals.


www.bbc.co.uk/teach routine to add to our collection of


www.education-today.co.uk 13


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