Growing Schools is a government programme which aims to "encourage and inspire all schools (nursery, primary, secondary and special) to use the outdoor classroom, both with and beyond the school grounds, as a context for learning across the curriculum."

Whether it is the worlds lightest laptop, thinnest TV bezel or short throw projection, Toshiba leads innovation. This technology is not necessarily for the rich and famous. It is incorporated in products for day to day use and to fit into the tightest ICT budget.

A head teacher killed himself, prompted by fears over an Ofsted inspection of his primary school the following day, a coroner has ruled.

Children should be allowed to talk more in class, education experts have argued, despite the traditional view that chatter can be disruptive.

Children should be allowed to talk more in class, education experts have argued, despite the traditional view that chatter can be disruptive.

More than 250,000 qualified teachers no longer work in England's schools, the Conservative Party says. And nearly 100,000 switched careers between 2000 and 2005 - more than double the number that left in the preceding five-year period.

The number of children in schools of more than 2,000 pupils has more than trebled since 1997, the Tories say.

The man at the forefront of a decade of secondary school reform - Sir Cyril Taylor - has lost his job as chairman of a leading schools' organisation.

Coursework in religious studies GCSEs has been scrapped because of concerns children are being left to study "sensitive" topics unsupervised.

Coursework in religious studies GCSEs has been scrapped because of concerns children are being left to study "sensitive" topics unsupervised.

Boys in nursery schools should not be discouraged from playing with toy guns and other weapons, the government says.

The traditional school report is to be replaced by an electronic version delivered by e-mail, Schools Minister Jim Knight has announced.

The number of state secondary schools teaching Latin has doubled over the last seven years, statistics reveal.

Almost half the colleges checked on an official list of approved providers for overseas students have been struck off, the government has said.

Safety flooring cannot perform to its full potential if not properly maintained, says James Lightly of interior surface specialists Altro. It's vital that ongoing cleaning and maintenance requirements are not forgotten in schools to ensure it remains in prime condition and, more importantly, continues to provide a safe surface for students and staff to walk on.

Almost a fifth of England's state secondary schools do not yet meet the government's new "floor target" for GCSE attainment, league tables show.

Cookery lessons are to be compulsory in England's secondary schools for children aged 11 to 14.

Children are being baptised several years after birth to boost chances of getting into to a Roman Catholic school, research has suggested.

CragRats started working in TiE in 1989 and now delivers tours to thousands of schools every year for clients from; councils, LEAs, and Aimhigher to blue chips in the private sector.

The four local authorities in South Yorkshire are aiming to increase awareness of and participation in 14-19 vocational education in the region. The ‘Hands On' campaign targets youngsters in Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster, and is a response to the demands from Government, employers and universities that students be equipped with the knowledge, understanding and skills that prepare them for the world of work. The campaign also targets teachers by offering free resources.

The campaign

Land Securities Trillium and Northgate Information Solutions have been announced as Kent County Council's preferred bidder to deliver the first phase of the £1.8 billion Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Land Securities Trillium Chief Executive Ian Ellis said:

Do you suffer from sore, aching feet due to time spent on your feet?

If the answer is yes, look no further than ‘Forfootsache' from the Gel Doctor for help!

Further to last year's announcement of government funding for ‘Sing Up' - The National Singing Programme - Hearts and Minds projects have begun throughout the country.  These community wide projects are engaging children in exciting, group-singing based activities, which aim to embed singing at the heart of children's school and family lives.

A unique arts programme is attempting to provide an innovative way to tackle anti-social behaviour among youngsters.

Public sector windows specialist WHS Halo System 10 will be launching its unique new online energy savings calculator as part of its complete package of low carbon solutions for schools, at this year's BSEC exhibition.

A variety of bright, attractive and practical vinyl floorcoverings from Polyflor Ltd have been installed at the Children's Centre in Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire.

The University of Strathclyde is enhancing its learning environment with an infrastructure overhaul from IT lifecycle specialists, Esteem Systems. The new platform will significantly reduce maintenance cost and carbon footprint, as well as provide flexible access to information and applications, enabling the University to best support the growing numbers of distance learning students.

For the first time in the UK, approved, purpose-made, aluminium fire-resisting windows that are identical in appearance to standard windows are now available as part of the expanding AWS range from Schüco International. Their clean modern look, complete with concealed fittings, is in sharp contrast to the ungainly adaptations of fire doors offered by other window manufacturers.

As a result of severe flooding in Oxfordshire during July 2007, Carterton Community College suffered flood damage to over 2000m2 of various floor areas.  Tarkett flooring solutions were specified throughout the refurbishment program, including a specialist performance vinyl floor for the Sports Hall.

Education construction specialist, Yorkon, has announced that as part of the Portakabin Group, it has achieved a 50% reduction in the volume of waste sent to landfill over the last three years.

Mercury Recycling has created a new website to provide simple, no-nonsense advice and information on all aspects of the WEEE Regulations. The WEEE Directive was fully implemented in July 2007 and makes business users, manufacturers and retailers of electrical and electronics equipment solely responsible for making sure their goods do not end up in landfill or incineration,  where the toxic chemicals, metals and associated solders, glues and plastics can cause environmental and health problems.

The headlines are shocking: "Pupil, 15, admits raping teacher in classroom", "Pupil charged over teacher attack", "Pupil films head teacher ‘happy slap'" and they are occurring with increasing and alarming frequency. Since when did teaching become such a dangerous profession? And who is to blame? Society, bad parents, violent movies and games - or the government itself?

School food in Britain has come a long way since it was first introduced in 1906 by a Liberal government but some would argue that it still has a way to go. The nostalgic image of spotted dick and tapioca puddings held by many was dashed two years ago when TV chef Jamie Oliver highlighted the state of the modern school dinner on his show. The nation was so aghast to see children who could not even recognise vegetables never mind contemplate eating them - that the government was forced to act.

McCain Foodservice is delighted to announce the launch of Purely Potato, a range of delicious potato products unrestricted under School Food Trust guidelines. McCain hopes the range, produced and designed to be cooked without oil, may mark a turning point for some school meal providers struggling to entice pupils to try new school meals.

It's no revelation that children continue to love chips whatever the political climate. A recent study showed 31% of 11-15 year olds steadfastly want chips on their school menu over anything else.

The deliciously neat, yet powerful, Ecostar glass and dishwashing machines from Meiko UK Limited deliver the cleanest wash results - important in bistros, snack bars and small restaurants where lightly soiled crockery and cutlery is continuously being rotated.

The School Milk Project and the Home Grown Cereal's Authority (HGCA) are working together to promote the benefits of milk and cereals as part of a balanced diet for school children of all ages at this year's Education Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

Café Bar, a leading UK supplier of hot and cold beverage systems, is increasing its ethically branded range of ingredients with the inclusion of the new Malawi Garden and Kericho Estate teas to the portfolio.

Foster Refrigerator has launched a new Multideck range that allows school caterers to keep food and drink products fresh and appealing whilst maximising sales. 

Following the introduction of the 2006 Food based standards to ensure all meals across the education sector meet specific nutritional requirements, the uptake of meals by pupils has continued to decline.

What is a healthy diet?

The two key elements to a healthy diet are eating the right amount of food for how active you are and eating a range of foods to make sure you're getting a balanced diet.

The government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative aims to provide schools with Managed Learning Environments (MLEs) that can record the nutritional value of the school meals that children are buying. Michael Murdock, Northgate Education's BSF Solutions Director, explains more:

Hatco offers a comprehensive range of high quality equipment solutions for the education market including toasters, holding/display cabinets, merchandisers, food warmers and food finishers. See how the Hatco range of professional conveyor toasters can increase your offering in Breakfast Clubs or choose a Hatco Steam-Max Steamer, perfect for quick service kiosks in schools.

Offsite construction specialist Framework CDM has gone wild with the creation of a self sustaining visitors centre for the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

A new brochure is now available from Playdale showcasing their intelligent play system which is proving popular across the UK and Ireland. With 18 units now sold and more coming soon to an area near you, children nationwide are having fun and getting fit simultaneously. 

An an age where the consumer is ever conscious of their output on the environment, Just Washroom, an innovative washroom service provider, has recently launched a water management system which provides a solution to conserving water.

Any school purchasing a TallyGenicom 8124N A3 Colour Laser printer before April 31st will receive up to 18,000 pages of colour prints and 52,000 pages of mono prints free! The offer includes a free set of colour toners, up to three free black toners and TallyGenicom's Lifetime Warranty.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has launched an innovative campaign to educate young children in safety which could become a nationwide hit.

With the company's proud centenary year in 2008, British storage specialist Railex Systems has just launched a new definitive and user-friendly web site which will serve as the optimum guide to space saving with style.

Friends and Heroes, an excellent resource for Primary RE with downloadable lesson plans for children 7-11, is now available on DVD in special Organisation Presenter Packs.

Following the success of Nobby Travels Series 1 which was launched last year on 1st November, husband and wife team Darren & Julia Spence have written a second series of their popular books that feature a globe-trotting Chocolate Labrador puppy called Nobby.  Nobby Travels Series 2 follows Nobby as he travels to Spain, Italy, London, New York and Ireland.  In each place he meets up with a companion who takes him on a magical adventure. 

The Education Show comes of age from February 28 until March 1 when it offers another opportunity in its 18th year for people to catch up with the very latest resources and add to their knowledge through the extensive programme of CPD seminars.

Schools Minister Jim Knight has said that all secondary schools should give parents real-time access to their children's data by 2010. Mr Knight said the ability to reach accurate and immediate information about children would break down barriers between school and parents.  He cited several examples of trailblazing schools who already had direct communication through Facility ePortal from Serco. One of those is Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology College in Birmingham.

A campaign called ‘Next Generation Learning' launched this month to promote the benefits of technology in schools and further education institutions - Stephen Crowne explains how technology has the potential to improve results and transform the way people learn.

It is widely accepted that effectively using interactive learning technologies in the classroom makes a positive impact on lesson delivery, information transfer and knowledge retention. However, as a new generation of interactive solutions emerge, it is becoming increasingly apparent that these support the achievement of wider government objectives, such as the personalised learning agenda.

Expansion plans at the Northumbria University required a new £136 Million development at its Newcastle site, with the construction of a new East Campus. There was just one snag: Newcastle's Central Motorway which runs through the middle of the site. Clearly considerable thought and creative ideas were required to ensure that the existing and new campuses did not become separated and divided. Physically, the problem was solved with the construction of a stunning, landmark footbridge, erected during a single weekend. To help create and maintain a single University entity and culture the project development team chose to implement a Digital Signage system from ONELAN - the UK-based specialist manufacturer of Digital Signage solutions.

Vidflow:

• Records with automatic removal of commercials.
• Record from 2 channels via two HD ready TV tuners.
• Integrates all existing video resources in an online library.
• Edits video clips to maximise curriculum relevance.
• Supports teaching with a projector and whiteboard.
• Provides fast feedback via online Questionnaire.
• Gives video content for study via intranet or podcast.
• Can broadcast video announcements to a whole school.
• Offers a virtual TV station with scheduled broadcasts.
• Runs on a Microsoft® SharePoint platform.

The communication link between teachers, parents and  pupils is vital in order to maximise the quality of education for each year of school leavers. If a good relationship is maintained between all three parties then the chances of attainment slipping or truancy taking place are kept at a minimum. However, with the size of classroom numbers increasing it is becoming more of a challenge for teaching staff to keep track of each individual pupil, and even harder to maintain a close working relationship with their parents, thus the communication break down begins.

With over 15 years within media services, Sound Performance can offer the education sector a comprehensive range of bespoke CD Audio, CD ROM and DVD replication services. Artwork and packaging can be tailored to schools, colleges and publishers needs through in-house graphic design. Education Today talks to Chris Marksberry from Sound Performance to find out about the benefits of this service.

The average secondary school  has over 30 school policies in place.  Proving to Ofsted that they exist is easy - managers just hand over a folder marked "Policies".

With over a century of experience in the educator sector, Hope Education will be showcasing a host of its exciting new 2008 curricular products at the Education Show on its indoor and outdoor themed stand.

Primary Heads and those responsible for Wider Opportunities music implementation should take a serious look at the new, class-sized African Drumming Package from Drums for Schools. For just £987* (RRP £1659) it gives you everything you need to get a class of 30 up and drumming and the quality is such that it's a genuinely long-term resource. As well as 30 high quality djembe drums (a drum for everyone in the class, so no tantrums), it includes a brilliant new teaching guide and CD, 30 free protective drum hats and an add-on percussion pack containing 15 additional instruments.

Philip & Tacey, a leading provider of innovative learning resources for schools, will be showcasing its strongest product range in decades at The Education Show 2008.

This month sees the launch of a national campaign to get more primary school children reading.  The "2008 Nobby Travels National Children's Book Review" competition is the brainchild of husband and wife team Darren & Julia Spence, authors of the children's books, Nobby Travels. 

Qwizdom will be showcasing on stand IT-W67, the latest in handheld technology in the form of the Q2 handset, ‘Synaptiqs' - new cutting-edge curriculum software for Key Stages 2, 3 and 4, and the new Actionpoint Suite software. Actionpoint Suite (available in 8 different languages) encompasses Adobe Flash-based games to encourage healthy classroom competition and diverse reporting tools to help teachers identify patterns of ability from their pupils' test results.

Experts in Early Years resources, Galt Educational will be exhibiting its diverse range of products, which inspire learning and promote play from birth up to age seven. Throughout the show Galt will be focusing on its new nursery environments initiative. 

Sharp has been awarded the BLI 2007 "Line of the Year". The annual award determines the best overall multifunction printers (MFPs) in terms of reliability, image quality, productivity, ease of use, scanning, connectivity attributes and value.

For most maths teachers, if there is one thing that they would really like to do more than anything else, it is to take all the students who are projected to get a grade D or E at GCSE maths this summer and give them the extra tuition and help that will take them up to a C.

New materials to help teach GCSE Science lessons about animals can now be downloaded from the RSPCA Education website.

Few would argue with the notion that schools in the 21st century also need to be warm, friendly places in which pupils and students feel secure and in which parents and official visitors feel welcomed.  

Rapid Racking provide a variety of storage solutions for education at all levels.  Great value, quality products and excellent service are trademarks of this all round storage provider - simply order using the catalogue or by visiting the website at www.rapidracking.com. Easy ordering and quick delivery means that your storage problems are solved within days, delivered to the door at your convenience.

Leading stationery manufacturer, BIC®, will be exhibiting on stand AZ-B58 at the 2008 Education Show. BIC will be displaying their exciting range and raising awareness for National Doodle Day.

As the competition for university places continues to increase, ensuring that your students are fully supported in writing their application to university must be a primary goal of any sixth form or college.  UniTracker has revolutionised the Personal Statement process for students and tutors, not only improving quality but saving a great deal of time.

The Pilot Pen Company will be showcasing a wide range of exciting new products including its new V Board Master, an extraordinary new whiteboard marker, from the company's award-winning BegreeN range of recycled writing instruments.

Called Teach Me, the concept is to give pupils coloured card in familiar shapes with interesting fold ups that can be decorated and embellished, without restrictive boundaries or instructions.

CFS Carpets has supplied textile and fibre bonded carpets and carpet tiles into hundreds of educational establishments for over 25 years. Ranges such as Chinook and New Typhoon broad and narrow rib fibre bonded products have become firm favourites with contractors and specifiers throughout the UK. CFS Carpets also has several ranges of extremely hard wearing textile carpets and carpet tiles that are suitable for use in communal areas, staff rooms and halls of residence. CFS Carpets products are regularly specified in large universities and City Academies.

Innovative ICT school, Arnewood School has teamed up with wireless solutions provider Deverill Ltd, to become the first education provider in the South West region to install a second generation WiFi system.  The wireless network delivers comprehensive e-learning capabilities via individual laptops to teachers and students, and a portal for parents to interact with the school at their convenience.

Anchor Fast is a Doncaster based manufacturer of a wide range of wood and wood/concrete picnic benches,tables and chairs.It is a long established company and counts thousands of schools,leisure and sports clubs among its customers.