CONTENTS Dear Reader,


Welcome to the October issue of Education Today!


With no less than five features this month, we’re taking a look at a wide range of topics affecting the sector. Junckers’ Technical Manager, Richard Aylen, introduces our Buildings, Maintenance & Refurbishment feature with his thoughts on the importance of the right flooring when it comes to ensuring schools are taking steps towards a more sustainable approach; while Hannah Gains, National Education Manager at Net Zero Buildings, tells us why school building design has a major role to play in improving pupil wellbeing. The UK VR market is expected to see a 9% annual growth rate from 2024 to 2029 - so what might this mean for the education sector? Our Computing & I.T. feature sees Gillian Rhodes, Chief Marketing Officer at Avantis Education, explore how immersive tech can improve student engagement. With November’s Bonfire Night just around the


corner, Inspectas’ Principal Fire Risk Consultant, Scott Macarthur, issues some topical safety advice for our Health & Safety feature, so schools can ensure they are well-prepared in advance of this annual event. Our Catering & Nutrition feature - with Rupert


Weber, Head of Education at apetito - examines how schools can make strides towards net zero by making the right catering choices. And we continue the sustainability theme with our dedicated Sustainability feature, in which Nigel Aylwin-Foster, Director of ReEnergise, explains why heat pumps should be on schools’ radars. You’ll also find our usual news, views, thoughts and insights from our expert contributors - plus two Q&As, one with Academy21, and one with Howden, the new name for Endsleigh Education, Student and Not-for- Profit. Don’t forget, we love to hear from you, and you can contact us via X @EdTodayMag, phone, or email to share your own news or opinions!


Enjoy the issue! Charlotte Westwood Managing Editor


In this issue... 4-10 NEWS


Selected stories from the UK education scene this month


7 Q&A: ACADEMY21 With Amy Husband from Academy21


9 Q&A: HOWDEN, THE NEW NAME FOR ENDSLEIGH EDUCATION, STUDENT & NOT- FOR-PROFIT


With Executive Director Jo Taylor 12 WELLBEING


With Mark Solomons, Founder of Welbee 15 BESA VIEWS


With BESA and Alex Harris from BBC Teach 16 BESA CORNER


With BESA members Access Education and BlueSky 17 CONTRIBUTORS


With Sal McKeown and Class People’s Naomi Howells


18-19 VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM


We hear from Greg Morrison, Associate Assistant Headteacher at Burnage Academy for Boys 20-21 SEND


With RM’s Jo Hardy; Evolve Academy’s Mark Richardson; and Emma Sanderson of Options Autism


22-25 VIEWS & OPINION


Featuring comment and insight from the UK education sector 26 FEATURE: BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT


With Richard Aylen, Technical Manager at Junckers 28-30 FEATURE: BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT


With Hannah Gains, National Education Manager at Net Zero Buildings 32-34 FEATURE: COMPUTING & I.T.


With Gillian Rhodes, Chief Marketing Officer at Avantis Education 36-37 FEATURE: HEALTH & SAFETY


With Scott Macarthur, Principal Fire Risk Consultant at Inspectas 38-39 FEATURE: CATERING & NUTRITION


With Dave Ford, Specifications Manager - North at Altro 40-41 FEATURE: SUSTAINABILITY


With Nigel Aylwin-Foster, Director of ReEnergise


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


Inspectas property compliance specialises in the education sector, covering asbestos management, fire safety and health and safety.


With multidisciplinary and fully accredited surveyors in all aspects of construction, fire, asbestos and health and safety, you can trust us with your maintenance, refurb or rebuild project. .


uwww.inspectas.co.uk


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