Latest news with #EAST
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We haven't looked back': How these eight schools are turning around results
Two Central Coast schools – The Entrance Public and Budgewoi Public – were highlighted in a new report by The Grattan Institute, The Maths Guarantee, on how to boost maths performance in primary schools. Stitt credits teaching consistency and 'door-to-floor' class routines for the dramatic turnaround in behaviour. The school recorded 80 suspensions in 2020, last year that fell to 20. Just three suspensions have been issued in the first two terms of this year, he says. He recalls starting at the school in 2019, when 'classrooms would be trashed, we had violence. I was constantly at rooms getting turned over. We would have to evacuate the classrooms,' he says. Teachers became afraid to teach, he says. 'We had to draw a line.' 'Open plan learning didn't really work here. That free-range approach, the students didn't cope well. Kids were disengaged, we had kids facing all different ways. It can add to cognitive load too, so we did away with that and kids can focus on learning.' The change in teaching approach meant lessons became fast-paced and students were engaged. Teachers check for students' understanding as the lesson progresses, data is monitored carefully. Vocabulary classes were introduced to help students learn up to 400 'tier two' words a year. This year, for the first time, the school's year 3 reading, spelling and numeracy NAPLAN results are above the Australian average. The school is in the top 10 per cent of public schools for value-add data, the contribution a school makes to student learning. Five years ago, about 60 per cent of year 1 students at the school needed extra support with phonics, or identifying letter-sound combinations. Last year, it was 16 per cent. The eight Central Coast schools are also part of a grassroots group known as the Effective and Systematic Teaching Network (EAST) which writes lessons plans schools can use with the kindergarten to year 6 maths curriculum. Sam Higgins, a year 4 teacher at The Entrance who helped write the EAST maths resources, says providing lesson plans is especially useful for new teachers. 'When I started teaching I felt like I was really struggling. You're just left to your own devices, which can lead to a lead to a haphazard approach to teaching. Having shared resources gives you something to lean on,' Higgins said. But Stitt said while there is a high level of structure to the school day, 'there is a lot of room for individualism, warmth, and for the teachers to put their twist on things.' Jesmond Zammit, principal at Gorokan Public, said having a network of schools to share knowledge has helped improve student outcomes. 'We were all doing our own things within each individual school. Now we have a collective where the primary pedagogy is explicit teaching, and we have a laser focus on it,' Zammit said. 'We work together, we visit each other's schools.' At The Entrance and Gorokan Public, about 60 per cent of students come from the lowest socio-educational quartile. 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students make up 25 per cent of our 610 students. This year their year 5 NAPLAN reading results were off the charts, and well above statistically similar schools,' he said. 'It's been a real game changer for our students in terms of life opportunities. And if they go to another school in this area, then the learning is consistent.' Stitt said one of the major changes is that parents have confidence in the school. 'We get about 60 or 65 per cent at parent teacher interviews. Our aim over the next year is to increase that, really get more parent engagement because we know what a difference that can make.'
The Age
6 days ago
- General
- The Age
‘We haven't looked back': How these eight schools are turning around results
Two Central Coast schools – The Entrance Public and Budgewoi Public – were highlighted in a new report by The Grattan Institute, The Maths Guarantee, on how to boost maths performance in primary schools. Stitt credits teaching consistency and 'door-to-floor' class routines for the dramatic turnaround in behaviour. The school recorded 80 suspensions in 2020, last year that fell to 20. Just three suspensions have been issued in the first two terms of this year, he says. He recalls starting at the school in 2019, when 'classrooms would be trashed, we had violence. I was constantly at rooms getting turned over. We would have to evacuate the classrooms,' he says. Teachers became afraid to teach, he says. 'We had to draw a line.' 'Open plan learning didn't really work here. That free-range approach, the students didn't cope well. Kids were disengaged, we had kids facing all different ways. It can add to cognitive load too, so we did away with that and kids can focus on learning.' The change in teaching approach meant lessons became fast-paced and students were engaged. Teachers check for students' understanding as the lesson progresses, data is monitored carefully. Vocabulary classes were introduced to help students learn up to 400 'tier two' words a year. This year, for the first time, the school's year 3 reading, spelling and numeracy NAPLAN results are above the Australian average. The school is in the top 10 per cent of public schools for value-add data, the contribution a school makes to student learning. Five years ago, about 60 per cent of year 1 students at the school needed extra support with phonics, or identifying letter-sound combinations. Last year, it was 16 per cent. The eight Central Coast schools are also part of a grassroots group known as the Effective and Systematic Teaching Network (EAST) which writes lessons plans schools can use with the kindergarten to year 6 maths curriculum. Sam Higgins, a year 4 teacher at The Entrance who helped write the EAST maths resources, says providing lesson plans is especially useful for new teachers. 'When I started teaching I felt like I was really struggling. You're just left to your own devices, which can lead to a lead to a haphazard approach to teaching. Having shared resources gives you something to lean on,' Higgins said. But Stitt said while there is a high level of structure to the school day, 'there is a lot of room for individualism, warmth, and for the teachers to put their twist on things.' Jesmond Zammit, principal at Gorokan Public, said having a network of schools to share knowledge has helped improve student outcomes. 'We were all doing our own things within each individual school. Now we have a collective where the primary pedagogy is explicit teaching, and we have a laser focus on it,' Zammit said. 'We work together, we visit each other's schools.' At The Entrance and Gorokan Public, about 60 per cent of students come from the lowest socio-educational quartile. 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students make up 25 per cent of our 610 students. This year their year 5 NAPLAN reading results were off the charts, and well above statistically similar schools,' he said. 'It's been a real game changer for our students in terms of life opportunities. And if they go to another school in this area, then the learning is consistent.' Stitt said one of the major changes is that parents have confidence in the school. 'We get about 60 or 65 per cent at parent teacher interviews. Our aim over the next year is to increase that, really get more parent engagement because we know what a difference that can make.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China's Next-Gen Fusion Reactor Could Achieve First Plasma in Just 2 Years
China is racing forward in its effort to pave the way in fusion energy science, and state-sponsored media reported earlier this week that one of the country's next-gen reactors is now under construction. The Burning Plasma Experiment Superconducting Tokamak, or BEST, is an intermediary reactor between China's first-generation reactor and the Chinese Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR)—a fusion plant demonstrator. BEST is planned to go online in 2027, and aims for net energy gain similar to the SPARC reactor currently under construction by Commonwealth Fusion Systems in the U.S. The promise of fusion energy is hard to overstate. With the ability to leverage the energy-producing physics that powers our Sun, humanity could tap into a near-limitless wealth of carbon-free energy, forever ending our dependence on the fossil fuels that are quickly poisoning the planet. Of course, such immense promise comes with a few caveats, chief among them being that creating a fusion reaction and sustaining that reaction for net energy output is one of the hardest engineering challenges humans have ever attempted to solve. The challenge is so immense that 35 countries (including the U.S., China, Russia, and several countries in the European Union) have joined forces to build International Thermonuclear Experiment Reactor (ITER)—a magnetic confinement tokamak (a.k.a. donut-shaped) reactor that hopes to see first plasma by 2035—in southern France. While that's the world's best foot forward when it comes to fusion research, individual countries are also pursuing their own thermonuclear energy goals. And none are doubling down harder than China. Xinhua, a state-sponsored media outlet, reports that country's Burning Plasma Experiment Superconducting Tokamak, or BEST, is now in its final assembly in Hefei, China. This reactor builds on the work of China's first-generation tokamak, the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), which is also located at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science. According to South China Morning Post, another state-sponsored media outlet, the BEST reactor—which plans to go online in just two years—will be an intermediary step between EAST and the Chinese Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR), the latter of which is a large-scale demonstrator for fusion power plants. From assembly to first plasma in just two years is remarkably fast, but Song Yuntao—the project's chief engineer from the Institute of Plasma Physics—claim that this fits with China's overall aggressive timeline for achieving utility-scale fusion. 'We have fully mastered the core technologies, both scientifically and technically,' Yuntao told the South China Morning Post. And he isn't bluffing—China is currently developing several fusion projects across the country. For instance, IEEE Spectrum notes that the country is building an x-shaped facility in Sichuan that resembles the U.S. National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory—the first lab to achieve fusion ignition (net energy output) back in 2022. They're also building a 40-hectare complex for fusion research, along with a fusion-fission hybrid power plant in central China. As IEEE Spectrum notes, fusion is the perfect technology for fulfilling President Xi Jinping's 'Great Rejuvenation' agenda, which focuses on securing domestic energy, reducing emissions, and leading the world in advanced technologies. The U.S., on the other hand, is taking another approach by largely letting private industry invest in fusion, which is why the South China Morning Post compares China's BEST reactor with the reactor built by Commonwealth Fusion Systems—a spinoff from MIT. The company's reactor, SPARC, also aims to demonstrate net output by 2027. The oft-quoted phrase related to fusion development is that 'it's 30 years away—and it always will be.' However, with a technological race heating up between the U.S. and China, that phrase might soon need revising. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
The National
23-04-2025
- The National
See inside Crieff Hydro in Scotland after major revamp
The revamp of Crieff Hydro has seen the creation of six new bars and restaurants as well as a total rethink of the menus on offer at existing spots. The owners hope that by positioning the hotel as one of the "most exciting" culinary locations in Scotland, it can meet the needs of younger visitors. See inside Crieff Hydro after Scottish hotel given massive revamp Crieff Hydro's "signature" restaurant - EAST is described as an Asian-inspired dining spot (Image: Crieff Hydro) The new food and drink venues on offer at the Crieff Hydro in Scotland range from Asian restaurants serving small plates to elegant and relaxed cocktail bars. The hotel's signature restaurant is EAST, an Asian-inspired dining spot offering "sizzling" sharers and a menu that is perfect for mixing and matching. Dishes on offer here include Javanese Sticky Chicken with a Gooey Sweet Sauce, Korean Fried Chicken, Spicy Gochujang Sauce, Slow Cooked Cambodian Spiced Lamb Shoulder with a Masala Sauce and a Hong Kong-Style Whole Pan-fried Seabass. The Ballroom Bar (Image: Crieff Hydro) The Ballroom Bar, which is set in a "totally remimagined" space, is said to be a nod to the hotel's heritage while still offering a "relaxed, elegant and contemporary experience." For some "feel-good" food, guests can check out The Brasserie, where rustic, bistro classics await, including burgers, fries and pies. The Winter Garden (Image: Crieff Hydro) The Winter Garden, another new location at the lodging, retains all the elements of a traditional Victorian Winter Garden, making it an "airy" and "elegant" space Guests can enjoy coffee and pastries in the morning, as well as light lunches and drinks in the evening. The Winter Garden, looking away from the greenhouse (Image: Crieff Hydro) A wee brew or two can also be enjoyed at Tea at Loggia, a lovely spot that draws on Scotland's traditional larder. Dishes here include Gazpacho Soup with a Chorizo Bon Bon, Cullen Skink Quiche and Mini Venison Cottage Pie. Dishes available at Loggia include Chorizo Bon Bon (Image: Crieff Hydro) Finally, there is The Hermitage, a spot which has been described as a "speakeasy-style, decadent, low-lit, grown-up hideaway." It is said to blend mixology with a "bit of mischief," thanks to its curious cocktails, non-alcoholic creations, and rare whiskies, including six exclusive Diageo bottlings locked behind a private keep-safe. Recommended Reading: Discussing the changes, Stephen Leckie, CEO of the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said this is a "significant" chapter in the hotel's 157-year-long history. He added: "For us, investment large and small is always about creating something better for our guests and for our team here. "This is no exception, but the scale of the transformation, I believe, will really put us on the map for food and drink in Scotland."
Scottish Sun
21-04-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Inside new £5m restaurants and bars at iconic Scots family hotel, including a hidden speakeasy
Interesting artefacts from the archive have been used in the design. AN ICONIC family hotel has had a massive £5m makeover. Now bosses say the big budget transformation will really put the destination 'on the map' for food and drink in Scotland. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Bosses wanted to bring the hotel up to date for a new generation 5 The Winter Garden is an airy Victorian heritage space 5 EAST is a new Asian small plates concept And guests can now discover a hidden speakeasy behind a bookcase as part of the major revamp. Crieff Hydro has completed its bumper dining refurb project, which sees the creation of six new bars and restaurants and refreshed menus for its existing eating spots. New venues include EAST, an Asian small plates concept, The Ballroom Bar, an elegant day-to-night bar, and The Winter Garden, an airy Victorian heritage space which has been modernised and offers all-day dining. A new panoramic brunch and afternoon tea destination with views over Strathearn Valley, Loggia has also been introduced. Menus across all the new restaurants focus on the very best of Scottish produce, with Crieff Hydro's team of chefs working with the long-standing suppliers to bring as much local and regional food to the heart of the menus. The Ballroom Bar has an impressive oak stained, glass and metal work gantry while a bookcase wall has a hidden door leading to an adults-only speakeasy bar - a completely new concept for the hotel. And inspiration from some of the new venue designs came from the Crieff Hydro archives, with curios dotted around the new spaces, including historical documents, such as one penny payment stamps, wax seals and old share certificates. Richard and Charlie Leckie - the sixth generation of the family to be involved at Crieff Hydro - worked alongside Fiona Leckie, the longstanding Head of Interiors, to complete the massive project. Stephen Leckie, CEO Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said: "This is our single biggest project in decades and opens another significant chapter in Crieff Hydro's 157-year history. "For us, investment large and small is always about creating something better for our guests and for our team here. This is no exception, but the scale of the transformation I believe will really put us on the map for food and drink in Scotland. W Edinburgh Crowned Scotland's Hotel of the Year 2025 "We're incredibly excited to share these new spaces with our loyal guests and those discovering Crieff Hydro for the first time and we're confident that the variety and style of the new venues will broaden our appeal and create even more memorable experiences for guests staying or dining with us. "It's fitting that as we look to fulfil the needs of a new generation of Crieff Hydro customers, that this project has been driven by the next generation of my own family. "We know that our guests are looking for unique experiences, not just any standard hotel restaurant and bar. As an independent business we have more freedom and flexibility to create something really unique.' Meanwhile, Charlie Leckie, Associate Director Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said refurbishing the restaurants and bars was a chance to bring the hotel right up to date. He added: "Like many of our guests, we enjoy the variety of interesting places to eat and drink around Scotland or further afield. So, we wanted to bring some of the best of that to Crieff Hydro. "We really believe that a wide choice of food and drink is such an important part of a guest's experience and shouldn't just be 'ok' – it needs to be right up there with what people expect of their favourite West End eateries whether that's in Edinburgh, Glasgow or even London. "So, we've tried to take the best of all that but deliver it in a way that is uniquely Crieff Hydro and fits in with all the history and tradition we're both so proud of.' 5 Loggia is an afternoon tea destination with stunning views
