It is a fact that minibuses are expensive. And at one point they were expensive to the point of being unaffordable as school budgets quite simply could not accommodate the large upfront expense that buying a minibus entailed.

However, schools have found a way to get around this expense so they can have a school minibus parked in the grounds of their school ready for the next school trip, away game, etc.

They have discovered that a school minibus is usually affordable under a leasing agreement that has been designed specifically with the school (and the school’s budget) in mind.

Through this arrangement the minibus leasing company not only leases out the minibus, but is also fully responsible for the maintenance of the minibus and for keeping the vehicle fully operational at all times.

A minibus which is leased is simply paid for on a monthly basis through a small monthly deduction from the school’s income and some schools are finding that it is possible to fund the minibus without actually taking anything from the school’s capital account.

In cases where trips are paid for by contributions from parents, it is possible to allocate a part of those payments towards the cost of the minibus.

And in other cases, the PTA has agreed to make a monthly contribution.

Benchmark Leasing specialises in the supply and maintenance of school minibuses. If you are interested in the benefits of a minibus do call us on 01753 859944 or click here to see what we can offer.

To get notifications of learning-outside-the-classroom activity and location ideas and how LOtC can be used to benefit your pupils’ learning and development, follow us on Twitter @MinibusLeasing or like our Facebook page – Benchmark Minibus.

Sometimes at Christmas there are some really heart-warming stories.  But rarely have they much to do with minibuses.

I mean, minibuses are good, but generally a minibus is not exactly “good news” of the Christmas variety.

Except it is now.  For the Times Education Supplement has just run the headline

How a school turned around its GCSE results by taking learning outdoors

The story is that when Julie Hazeldine took over as headteacher of Flixton Girls School in Manchester, only 39 per cent of the school’s students achieved five or more GCSEs.

In 2015, 74 per cent of students got five or more A* to C grades, and the school entered the top 7 per cent of schools in the North West.

The centrepiece of her story is that a “major factor was that we decided to move learning outdoors”.

Now we all know that one of the great things that learning outside the classroom does is enhance self-esteem.   And when Ms Hazeldine surveyed the girls in her school she found that “A common theme among the responses from the girls who were underachieving was a lack of self-esteem, self-belief and confidence.”

The pathway she followed was to use the Outward Bound Trust, and her vision was that “of creating a culture that gives students an opportunity to discover hidden talents, let them know what’s out there in the world and really widen their horizons.”

She writes about overnight camping, fell walking, climbing, canoeing, blackberry picking, learning about glaciation, and even standing in the sea in a wetsuit in February promising to catch the girls as they jumped off a boat.

Now I will openly admit that in this report the head makes no mention of the minibus – it is a short article, and the question of getting to and from each venue is not covered.

But I find it hard to imagine that such a varied and extensive range of activities could have been arranged without transport such as a minibus, simply because sometimes a coach full of students is just too many to take and look after in such challenging occupations as jumping off a boat.

However, I do know that whenever I talk about this sort of activity I do receive comments about the fact that the school can’t afford a minibus – or another minibus.

Which is where the leasing comes in.

With a minibus lease you will know how much you need to pay each month – and you will also be able to estimate how much the PTA might be able to raise for you each month towards that sum.

From then on there will be no question of waiting and waiting until the money is in the bank.  Now, this year’s students will be able to benefit from the extra minibus as well as next year’s and the year after’s.

You can find more information about Benchmark Leasing’s school minibus packages by visiting our website. Or, if you’d prefer, you can call us on 01753 859944 or email us at minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Benchmark Leasing Ltd
11 High Street
Eton
Berkshire
SL4 6AS

www.minibusleasing.co.uk/school-minibus.php

minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Tel: 01753 859944

“Learning outside the classroom is a great way of helping pupils with SEN to reach their potential, and Ofsted are rather keen on it too”

Elaine Skates, Deputy Chief Executive of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom

SEN Magazine reports on the results of a survey, conducted by TeacherVoice on behalf of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, revealing that 70% of teachers value LOtC over classroom teaching in terms of how effective it is at engaging different learning styles.

The article, entitled ‘Outside intervention’, reports that children with SEN typically learn best through doing, also known as kinaesthetic learning. However, this preferred learning style can sometimes be difficult to undertake effectively in the classroom.

It also highlights that in the school grounds and beyond there are more opportunities for pupils to undertake sensory learning which enables them to see, hear, smell, touch, and ultimately explore the world – encouraging pupils with SEN to “expand their horizons and become more alert and aware of the world around them.”

However learning outside the classroom doesn’t just support pupils in reaching their academic potential, but also support pupils with their personal development, particularly in terms of their confidence levels and communication skills.

Further to this, SEN Magazine states that LOtC is “relevant to demonstrating good/outstanding practice across all four areas of the Ofsted inspection framework”. However, evidence must be collected of such learning to achieve this, such as:

Attainment and achievement – examples of where LOtC can be directly linked to improved attainment.

Quality of teaching – proof that LOtC is well-planned and integrated into the curriculum with the aim of extending the knowledge, skills and understanding of pupils with different learning needs and abilities.

Behaviour and motivation – examples of how different learning environments increase your pupils’ motivation and encourage positive behaviours. It could be argued that LOtC promotes learning that improves pupils’ safety as they’re encouraged to manage risks themselves.

Leadership and management – clear documentation, including: LOtC in the school policy, LOtC evaluation (how has LOtC improved the quality of teaching and learning at the school?), and a development plan (how can LOtC be improve for the future?).

To get notifications of learning-outside-the-classroom activity and location ideas and more on information on how LOtC can be used to benefit your pupils’ learning and development, follow us on Twitter @MinibusLeasing or like our Facebook page – Benchmark Minibus.

For more information about Benchmark Leasing you can go to our website, call us on 01753 859944, or email minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk.

Link to article: https://senmagazine.co.uk/articles/articles/senarticles/outside-intervention-heling-pupils-wuth-sen-reach-their-potential-by-learning-outside-the-classroom 

It is a fact that minibuses are expensive. And at one point they were expensive to the point of being unaffordable as school budgets quite simply could not accommodate the large upfront expense that buying a minibus entailed.

However, schools have found a way to get around this expense so they can have a school minibus parked in the grounds of their school ready for the next school trip, away game, etc.

They have discovered that a school minibus is usually affordable under a leasing agreement that has been designed specifically with the school (and the school’s budget) in mind.

Through this arrangement the minibus leasing company not only leases out the minibus, but is also fully responsible for the maintenance of the minibus and for keeping the vehicle fully operational at all times.

A minibus which is leased is simply paid for on a monthly basis through a small monthly deduction from the school’s income and some schools are finding that it is possible to fund the minibus without actually taking anything from the school’s capital account.

In cases where trips are paid for by contributions from parents, it is possible to allocate a part of those payments towards the cost of the minibus.

And in other cases, the PTA has agreed to make a monthly contribution.

Benchmark Leasing specialises in the supply and maintenance of school minibuses. If you are interested in the benefits of a minibus do call us on 01753 859944 or click here to see what we can offer.

To get notifications of learning-outside-the-classroom activity and location ideas and how LOtC can be used to benefit your pupils’ learning and development, follow us on Twitter @MinibusLeasing or like our Facebook page – Benchmark Minibus.

The team here at Benchmark Leasing have for some time been working hard to create the most convenient minibus leasing packages especially for schools – evolving the arrangement through feedback, primarily from teachers, site managers, administrators and school managers.

Here are the arrangements that we have composed to date:

The New Ford Transit Minibus
Key features: Daytime running lights, Bluetooth, power side step, curve control, tinted glass, and remote central locking. The Trend in addition (for a modest rental increase) includes such items as metallic paint, power heated and folding mirrors, heated front windscreen, and parking sensors.

Ford Transit Minibus 12 Seater
2 years, 20,000 Total Miles gives Monthly Rentals of £299 + VAT.
A favourite as it can be driven on a regular driving license due to its light weight.

Ford Transit Minibus 15 Seater
2 years, 20,000 Total Miles gives Monthly Rentals of £317 + VAT.

Ford Transit Minibus 17 Seater
2 years, 20,000 Total Miles gives Monthly Rentals of £368 + VAT.

Renault Trafic Minibus
Key features: 62 mph speed limiter, electronic stability control, digital tachograph, two 2kg fully compliant water/foam fire extinguishers, first aid kit with VOSA approved content, electric side step, individual spot lights and air vents for passengers and rear safety doors.

Renault Trafic 9 Seat Minibus
2 years, 20,000 Total Miles gives Monthly Rentals of £318 + VAT.

Vauxhall Movano
Key features: Padded head restraints, dual front passenger bench seat, individual saloon lighting, optional air conditioning, illuminated rear passenger walkway, overhead storage and coat racks, retracting side step, and standard Electronic Stability Programme (ESP).

Vauxhall Movano 17 Seat Minibus
3 years, 30,000 Total Miles gives Monthly Rentals of £470 + VAT.

All prices include a Full Maintenance package consisting of tyre replacement, servicing, Road Tax, MOT’s, and 6 Monthly Safety Inspections. Based on an initial rental equivalent to 3 monthly rentals.

You can find more information about Benchmark Leasing’s school minibus packages by visiting our website. Or, if you’d prefer, you can call us on 01753 859944 or email us at minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Benchmark Leasing Ltd
11 High Street
Eton
Berkshire
SL4 6AS

www.minibusleasing.co.uk/school-minibus.php

minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk

Tel: 01753 859944

The Woodland Trust is asking for more people to become citizen scientists and help them with their quest of studying, observing, and recording the natural world.

This is a great opportunity to get your pupils involved in spotting and recording critical pieces of information in your school’s local area which “simply couldn’t be collected via conventional science alone.”

You can register to participate in The Nature’s Calendar Survey[1] where your pupils can “record and view seasonal events that show the impact of climate change on our wildlife”, or find out which trees are infected with pests and diseases and how you can help by applying for a Disease Recovery Tree Pack[2].

It is also worth noting that some schools are eligible to receive free tree packs[3].

Likewise, The Pod also runs a citizen science programme with which you can get involved[4]. Once you’ve signed up you’ll have access to supporting resources, including: a presentation, lesson plans with curriculum links, an information pack for background information on birds and climate change, a data sheet, and identification posters.

Benchmark has created a Facebook and Twitter page especially for schools where we post and tweet a constant stream of activity and location ideas for learning-outside-the-classroom in your school’s grounds, local area, and further afield.

To get notifications of learning-outside-the-classroom activity and location ideas and how LOtC can be used to benefit your pupils’ learning and development, follow us on Twitter @MinibusLeasing or like our Facebook page – Benchmark Minibus.

For more information about Benchmark Leasing you can go to our website, call us on 01753 859944, or email minibus@benchmarkleasing.co.uk.

[1] The Nature’s Calendar Survey

[2] Disease Recovery Tree Pack

[3] To see if your school is eligible to receive free tree packs, visit http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/in-your-community/apply-for-a-school-tree-pack/

[4] Get involved in The Pod’s citizen science programme by visiting jointhepod.org/.