CONTENTS Dear Reader,


Welcome to the November issue of Education Today!


Preparation for this year’s Schools & Academies Show is now well underway. It’s taking place on 20 November at Birmingham’s NEC - and you can take a look at what to expect right here in the magazine with a show preview, plus a showcase of some of the many suppliers who will be exhibiting at the event.


Our Feature Focus for the issue is on the subject of school finance, and more specifically, why effective budget management is so important for schools. It’s quite topical, given the government’s recent release of its 2025-25 Budget. I explore the many reasons why schools need to prioritise robust budget management processes, and what they can do to make sure budget management works for them going forward. Our second feature hits a more musical note. Simon Pollard, Managing Director at Millers Music, addresses the issue of widening inequality in music education in UK schools, and discusses the work of Piano Equals in helping to ensure more children have access to this transformative subject. Our Computing & I.T. feature sees Ian Ferguson, Regional Director for EMEA at Iceotope, making the case for colocation data centres a cost-effective, sustainable solution for universities in the UK. Meanwhile, James Roper, Head of Product Portfolio at Aliaxis UK, runs us through the crucial role of chemical drainage systems in building safer schools, as part of our regular Buildings, Maintenance & Refurbishment feature. As ever, you’ll find all the latest news, plus our regular View from the Classroom - this time with Sheraz Ali from Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester, giving us a glimpse into why language learning is so important - and lots of views and insights from experts from all aspects of the sector.


Enjoy the issue! Charlotte Westwood Managing Editor


On the cover...


Publication Manager: Carl Hearnden Publishing Director: Paul Ryder Managing Editor: Charlotte Westwood Artwork Editor: Kirsty Hood Secretary: Tracey Ballard Published by:


Datateam Business Media Limited, London Road, Maidstone, Kent ME16 8LY Tel: 01622 699128 (Advertising) Tel: 07969 141997 (Editorial) Fax: 01622 757646 Email: education@datateam.co.uk Circulation: Curwood CMS Ltd datateam@c-cms.com Tel: 01580 883844 Fax: 01580 883849 Subscription Prices 2020 Number of editions per year: 11 UK: £52 Overseas: £132


The Publishers cannot accept responsibility for any discrepancies either in copy or between products and/or services listed. Nor can they be responsible for illustrations and/or copy for products which lead to infringement of copyright


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uhttps://www.apetito.co.uk/ In this issue...


4-13 SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES SHOW 14-20 NEWS


Selected stories from the UK education scene this month


22 WELLBEING


With Mark Solomons, Founder of Welbee 24 BESA CORNER


With Acorro and ReadSpeaker 25 VIEWS


With Megan Hale of Team Repair; and Cerys Griffiths at BBC Education


26-27 VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM


With Sheraz Ali, Director of Learning: MFL, at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester 28 CONTRIBUTORS


With Class People’s Naomi Howells; and Gareth Conyard from the Teacher Development Trust


29-30 SEND


With Sal McKeown; f40’s Alex Dale; Emma Sanderson from Options Autism; and Ann-Marie Oliver from Ethos Academy Trust


With Charlotte Westwood, Managing Editor of Education Today 40-41 FEATURE: MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS


With Simon Pollard, Managing Director at Millers Music 42-43 FEATURE: COMPUTING & I.T.


With Ian Ferguson, Regional Director for EMEA at Iceotope 44-46 FEATURE: BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT


With James Roper, Head of Product Portfolio at Aliaxis UK


32-35 VIEWS & OPINION


Featuring comment and insight from the UK education sector 36-38 FEATURE FOCUS: FINANCE


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