Issue 4:
Good resources:
second only to
good teachers aggregated solution. However, when it comes to
the content, teaching aids and books for an
It is so often said that the tools used to support individual class, these should properly be decided
learning are second in importance only to the upon by the relevant teacher - choosing the right
teachers who direct and facilitate that learning, yet tools for their classes and individual students. By
schools spend only a single figure percentage of implication, aggregation of these classroom items is
their budgets on these products and services. The neither feasible nor desirable if maximum learning
resources budget is traditionally one of the easiest is to be achieved. Importantly, both for the input to
to vary during the year and as such is often the first aggregated specifications and for the teacher to
to come under pressure when finances are make best value choices, a degree of expertise is
constricted, even temporarily. A resources budget required: the informed purchaser.
cut during a year will seldom be restored in full.
Teachers are very good at 'making do' and yet this On this issue BESA has traditionally offered the
is hardly a reasonable way to equip effectively the major hands-on opportunities during the year, BETT
most expensive resource in our education system, and the Education Show, for teachers to see, test
the teacher. Equipment, materials and technology and compare products. Whilst some 10% of
resources bring learning alive and are particularly teachers do make use of these events each year,
relevant in this century. there would be tremendous value in facilitating a
higher percentage to benefit from exposure to
First it is important to recognise the importance of products and the CPD seminars which support the
a diversity of resources. Dry science (science exhibitions. First-time visitors can also find BETT and
delivered entirely through computer simulation) the Education Show daunting because of their size,
does not make good scientists: students need the yet the large range is how we seek to deliver a
full opportunity to experiment and explore, aided comprehensive reflection of what is available to the
by technologies such as data-logging to make market. It follows that the regularity of visits is
methods up to date, relevant and learning-time important, building a broad understanding of the
efficient. Across other phases of education the products that can support teaching and learning.
need for a variety of teaching aids and books is
vital. Yet government is convinced that savings can Many BESA members recorded their offers of free
be made by smarter procurement, in particular by product and related pedagogical training. A few
aggregating purchases across a number of schools were content with the response, but most were
or wider. As the experience of BSF is beginning to concerned that schools were reluctant to support
demonstrate, where procurement of infrastructure such training, often because of the cost of time,
is concerned, aggregation is possible and sensible, though companies see this as false economy when
but only really effective where all the schools it hinders a school from achieving best value from a
concerned have been involved in specifying the purchased product or service.
Recommendation 4
The Commission recommends that:
1 Initial teacher training must include a greater emphasis on techniques to address modern
product assessment, including sustainability issues.
2 The NPQH syllabus needs expanding to ensure that leaders are open to an understanding
of innovative resources and approaches to achieving best value.
3 Being up to date with an understanding of the resources that can support teaching in any
given subject area should be an aspect of continuous professional development.
Facilitating teacher visits to events such as BETT and the Education Show would support
the CPD need in this area. Some professions, e.g. nursing, even use such events to accredit
professional development over time.
4 Schools should take more advantage of training provided by the educational supplies
industry.
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