Feature Articles

What is safeguarding and what are the duties on governors? Martin Hodgson, a school governor for 15 years, summarises the main points.

Martin Hodgson, a former school governor, focuses on the roles of the Chair and vice Chair of a governing body.

Last year, typical levels of winter illnesses were not seen in schools due to Covid-19 restrictions. This winter more exposure to common viral infections means increased risk of outbreaks of the four major illnesses likely to affect school-age children: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Influenza or flu, Norovirus, and Covid-19.

In its Make It Count campaign, the Mental Health Foundation points out that young people are currently facing unprecedented pressures which are contributing to a range of mental health problems including anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders. It says that more than 1 in 10 children aged 10–15 say they have no one to talk to or would not talk to anyone in school if they feel worried or sad.

Storm Arwen, which hit the UK in November, has already brought extreme winter weather this year, including high winds, snow and bitter cold. It left widespread disruption in its wake, including power cuts for large numbers of people. What are the risks to schools and early years providers during the winter months and what do they have to do to ensure that everybody stays safe?

Laura King outlines six ways to prepare your business against inclement weather this winter.

One of the major tools you can use to combat Covid transmission is ventilation in the workplace. Unfortunately, during the winter months, opening windows and doors can have a detrimental effect on working conditions. Working in a cold environment can feel unpleasant and distracting. If your workplace is too cold, it can also pose health risks.

Currently, there are not enough teachers entering into the profession to accommodate rising pupil numbers. Improving staff retention is therefore seen as crucial.

A vaccine to prevent serious health effects from coronavirus has been developed and made available to the public. In this article, Nicola Mullineux, Group Content Manager at Croner-i explores the top questions employers may have surrounding the vaccine, such as requiring employees to be vaccinated and more.

Obesity is one of the greatest long-term challenges that we currently face. Around two-thirds of the UK population are considered to be overweight and around 35 million are said to be obese. Former headteacher Michael Evans considers the growing problem of obesity and eating disorders in secondary schools.