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Primary-to-secondary transition faces new challenges as a result of the Covid crisis but recent research can help ensure schools make the best of it. Ellie Mulcahy explains

Research suggests that most children anticipate transitions in positive terms and successfully navigate them. However, the primary to secondary school transition nonetheless presents a variety of challenges, many of which will become more acute in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Fortunately, recent research can point schools and policy makers towards evidence informed approaches to minimising disruption and securing positive transitions.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Dundee was one of the first to take a longitudinal approach to examining pupils’ attitudes to transitions. Pupils were surveyed over three years across their primary to secondary transition. At the end of primary school, social concerns – including losing old friends and bullying – are at the forefront of pupils’ minds. Yet pupils also express excitement about the opportunity to make new friends.

Fortunately, social concerns fall away over the first year of secondary school, but for now, pupils starting year 7 this September are likely to be worried about the impact of missed induction days on their ability to meet new classmates, particularly after struggling with a disrupted ending at primary school. Transition support over the summer and during the first term should therefore address this and capitalise on pupils’ excitement to make new friends by providing opportunities for them to build networks and have positive shared experiences, online or in person.

Over half of teachers had not previously visited classrooms in the other key stage

Although pupils’ pre-transition worries focus on social concerns, other research finds that academic challenges present themselves in the first years of secondary school. A 2019 survey of 500 teachers highlighted a lack of continuity in the curriculum with only 21 per cent of secondary and 12 per cent of primary teachers ‘agreeing’ that there is a fluid transition between Maths curricula. Limited knowledge of the primary/secondary curriculum and a lack of communication between teachers from different key stages were the most commonly identified issues.

Based on studies such as this, a transition project in North Yorkshire brought key stage 2 and key stage 3 teachers together to address this issue in the Maths curriculum. Over half of teachers involved had not previously had the opportunity to speak to or visit classrooms in the other key stage and the project led to almost all of the participating teachers adjusting their curriculum. With most pupils likely to be absent from school this summer term key stage 2 and key stage 3 teachers will need to come together so that year 7 teaching can pick up from year 6 teaching pre-lockdown. Any schools holding ‘summer camps’ might want to involve teachers from both phases if at all possible.

A third study, led by a team of academics at the University of Leeds, is investigating literacy and language challenges associated with transition. Researchers analysed worksheets, assessments, textbooks and lesson recordings. This flagged-up stark increases in the use of technical vocabulary which makes life difficult for pupils struggling to bridge the gap to key stage 3. In particular, the quantity of vocabulary pupils are exposed to increases by three to four times compared to primary school and the characteristics of language also change.

As subject experts, secondary school teachers tend to explain technical terms, but more general academic vocabulary sometimes falls through the cracks. The authors give the example of Science teachers explaining ‘photosynthesis’, but in so-doing, using unfamiliar terms such as ‘influence’ and ‘factor’.  Schools and teachers would therefore do well to ensure year 7 pupils are equipped with the language they need to access the secondary curriculum, something for which numerous word-lists and strategies are available.

Finally, research suggests we need a shift from the common perception that transitions occur at a single point in time. The Dundee study conceptualised primary-secondary transitions as occurring over a period of two years, showing that some issues do not arise until well into year 7 or even year 8. Additionally, whilst much thought is currently being given to pupils moving into year 7, it is worth noting that important transitions take place across all phases, especially in early years and further education. Over the next few weeks at CfEY we will therefore be doing more work to highlight good practice in these critical phases too.


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Ofqual has today published a consultation on how it proposes to award vocational and technical qualifications this summer. Here’s what you need to know

The new framework’s ‘key principles’

Ofqual is proposing a new “extraordinary regulatory framework” to let awarding organisations deliver results “using approaches that would not be allowed in ordinary circumstances”. It will be based on “key principles” for AOs to prioritise, and will be “designed to give awarding organisations the flexibility they need to deliver results”.

The principles are that an awarding organisation must seek to:

• issue results to as many learners as possible in spring/summer 2020, provided that those results are based on evidence which ensures that they are sufficiently valid and reliable

• ensure that each result it issues is as reliable as possible

• ensure that its approach minimises burden and maximises deliverability as far as possible

• maintain standards, as far as possible, within the same qualification in line with previous years

• maintain standards, as far as possible, across similar qualifications made available by the awarding organisation and by other awarding organisations

Where there is conflict between two or more principles, the awarding organisation “must consider the principles in the order in which they are set out here”.

So what qualifications are covered?

The framework will cover vocational and technical qualifications and any general qualification which is not covered by the government separate plan for GCSEs and A-levels.

Where a qualification isn’t in scope, AOs will determine whether they should offer learners a “calculated result”, adapt their assessments or delivery models, or delay assessments.

Ofqual plans to produce some guidance to “support awarding organisations in their decision-making in these circumstances”.

The consultation applies to three categories of qualifications. These are:

• qualifications used for progression to further or higher education

• qualifications serving a mixed purpose

• qualifications signalling occupational competence

Ofqual is proposing different approaches to qualifications depending on which group they align with.

The postponement of assessments, leading to a delay to results, should be a last resort, Ofqual says.

Use ‘trusted’ evidence for results

Calculated results must be based on “at least one source of trusted evidence”, Ofqual says. This could include a centre assessment grade, or a sufficient percentage of banked evidence.

There also needs to be a “sufficiently robust means of quality assurance”.

It will be up to AOs to decide what’s appropriate, but Ofqual is proposing to implement “a range of technical requirements that will support their decision making, secure that results issued under the framework remain valid and trusted, and that this summer learners receive grades that fairly represent their expected level of attainment”.

AOs will have to provide “effective guidance” to centres on what information they require to calculate results.

AOs could be forced to provide autumn assessments

The government’s policy is that learners who don’t feel this year’s results reflect their ability should be given an opportunity to compete another assessment.

Ofqual says that for many vocational and technical qualifications, another assessment opportunity “would typically be available in the autumn term in any event”.

The regulator is proposing that where an AO normally provides an assessment opportunity between September and December, it “should be obliged to continue to provide that opportunity”.

Where awarding organisations do not normally provide an assessment opportunity in the autumn term, Ofqual thinks additional assessment opportunities “should be made available where sufficient demand exists and where meeting that demand would not create a disproportionate burden on awarding organisations or centres”.

If no assessment opportunity is made available Ofqual “may require that an additional assessment opportunity must be made available”. However, relevant AOs would be consulted on the feasibility and impact of such an imposition.

No change to appeals policy, but extra guidance

Ofqual says its existing rules are in line with the government’s policy on appeals, which gives learners the right to appeal “if the relevant process was not followed correctly by the awarding organisation”.

But Ofqual plans to publish additional guidance to “promote consistency in approach and to make clear what awarding organisations should consider in relation to the conduct of appeals this year”.

In particular, the guidance will “make clear that awarding organisations are not obliged to consider appeals submitted by individual learners or their representatives unless that is the only way to secure an effective appeal”.

What about private candidates?

Where learners are private candidates and studying qualifications independently, AOs should seek to issue results in the same way as they will for other learners “where possible”.

Calculated results should only be issued to private learners “where sufficient evidence is available and where the right detail can be properly submitted on the learner’s behalf”.

Where learners don’t have sufficient existing evidence, have not engaged sufficiently with centres, or where assessment adaptation is unsuitable for private candidates, it is “likely then that the most appropriate option may be for those learners to wait until the next opportunity provided by the awarding organisation to take their assessment”.

And functional skills?

The government’s policy is that learners due to take functional skills tests before the end of the summer should receive “a calculated result rather than an adapted or postponed assessment”.

But Ofqual recognises AOs may not be able to issue safe and valid calculated grades for all learners.

AOs should “work towards” providing a calculated result, but where this is not possible, they will be allowed to offer adapted assessments.

“We recognise that there will be some functional skills qualification learners who still will not receive a result this summer, because they are unable to receive a calculated result, cannot access an adapted assessment, have had their apprenticeship suspended, and/or have decided to delay taking their assessments.

“We expect those learners to be offered opportunities to sit their assessments at a later date, and as soon as reasonably possible, ideally no later than in the autumn term.”

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Book Review: Inside, Dan Morgan (1971)

(Richard Powers’ cover for the 1974 edition)

3/5 (Average)

Dan Morgan’s output appears to have been mostly forgotten even by the most dedicated fans of the genre.  And unfortunately, no collections of his short stories (he published around 40) were released in his lifetime.  John Clute’s assessment of his work — “Though he was not a powerful writer, and though he never transcended the US action-tale conventions to which he was so clearly indebted, it is all the same surprising that Morgan has been ignored” — rings true in regards to the sole novel of his I have read, Inside (1971).

Inside is a tightly-plotted action tale that plays out layered (almost painfully entropic) levels of delusion.  The neatly packaged premise never goes beyond the strictures of the plot, never delves into the philosophical and more intellectual realms that it could indeed approach, and lacks the surrealistic touches that make Philip K. Dick’s reality questioning SF so poignant and haunting.  This is an action story but even the action is on the pallid side.  What remains is a powerful concept but little more.

Brief Plot Summary/Analysis

Earth in the future is wrecked by the unchecked hells of overpopulation — the most devious (branded psychotic) individuals who are unable to live in such a restrictive lifestyle are shipped off to an asylum complex on Mars.  The Domed City of Mars is subtropical enclave controlled by a power hungry man named Moule.  The ostensible purpose of the inner complex where the inmates are housed, dubbed Inside by those who operate the external control room (Control), was to play out in the inmates implanted memories of a nuclear apocalypse on Earth.  Via a commonality of experience the inmates (who think they are on Earth) were expected to work together in a war-torn (simulated) environment hence, theoretically, to overcome their psychosis: “It was [Moule’s] initial theory that the provision of a common hinterland of experience would serve as a unifying influence on the people Inside, and also have the added advantage of making them accept the necessity of life within the environment” (95).  Thus, program them for life without violence in a restrictive environment.

Those in Control are to facilitate this treatment of the inmates via individuals who know what is actually happening who play particular roles Inside.  However, many of these Role-Players become too attached to individuals (with programmed memories) and prefer the constructed reality over what they know to be real.

Eventually the situation Inside spirals out of control.  Factions, based on the US vs the Soviet model that resulted in common programmed memory of a non-existent nuclear apocalypse, emerge.  Control attempts to maintain control of the situation by giving one side (the Soviets) strong leadership and insufficient supplies while the other (the West) receives inept leadership and substantially more supplies.  Also, a renegade element of guerilla warriors are introduced to add another leveling element.

Moule is theoretically only answers to the “Socio/Pysche Council back of Earth” (94) and in the breakdown of Inside from its original plan of rehabilitation, he resorts to increasingly draconian methods to keep the powers that be Inside in check.  Of course, the the possibility of the “Insiders breaking out and discovering instead that instead of living under a protective dome on a devastated Earth, they were in fact some sixty million kilometers away on another planet, was a potentially disastrous one” (74).  Those that die in the endless fighting Inside are resurrected and reintroduced into the environment with different memories.

The members of Control who disagree with Moule’s techniques, but secretly as do all the human factions within the novel obsessed with the notion of domination and control, seek to introduce elements on the Inside that will result in peace.  The plan is then to overthrow Moule.  The key element, and one of the central characters of the narrative, is Gerry Clyne.  Clyne is supposedly a brilliant psychotic (who of course acts little differently than Moule or other members of Control) who is programmed to swiftly seize control of one of the factions.  He is motivated in part by memories of a beautiful love interested who died in a horrible while they were cooped-up in a smaller bomb-shelter.  Little does Clyne know that the real Laura, whom his memories of previous love were based on, exists outside and is a key player in the experiment.

Of course, there are more layers, and complex intrigues…

Final Thoughts

The premise is filled with some noteworthy touches — although they are all insufficiently throughout/developed to rise beyond fleeting concepts doled out where the plot demands.  Firstly, the premise that the “psychotics” on the Inside are rather similar to those in Control attempting to control them is standard but brilliant.  One almost wishes that Morgan did not have to repeatedly go out of his way to make this comparison for us.  Clyne in his rise to power an realization that his experience was a programmed action will logically make these observations on his own…

Secondly, the delusion that this type of rehabilitation would actually work is deployed to great effect when the conclusion wraps up all the loose threads.  Everyone is busy looking Inside to realize the powers that play Outside.  And thirdly, the idea that some of the Role-Players become more attached to individuals Inside weakens the notion that there is any division between those who control and those who are controled.

A frequent reader of SF will see the ending from a mile off.  And here Clute’s assessment of Morgan pans out — despite the fantastic paranoid delusion of a premise, Moran is wedded to the “US action-tale conventions.”  Regardless, Inside (1971) is worth picking up for fans of early 70s SF (especially of the paranoid variety) and Richard Powers covers (the 1974 edition).

(Solution’s cover for the 1971 edition)

For more book reviews consult the INDEX

12 thoughts on “Book Review: Inside, Dan Morgan (1971)

  1. Even though you were disappointed with the book, your review makes it sound worth reading. The plot and situation appear intricate and inventive. Thanks for the intro to Dan Morgan. I had never heard of him until now!

    • It’s an average one-sitting type SF thriller laden with paranoia and a fun premise which touches but does not engage in any meaningful way with some cool ideas — nothing less, nothing more.

    • How so? There are many disappointing books out there… Theodore Sturgeon’s famous law comes to mind — “Using the same standards that categorize 90% of science fiction as trash, crud, or crap, it can be argued that 90% of film, literature, consumer goods, etc. are crap. In other words, the claim (or fact) that 90% of science fiction is crap is ultimately uninformative, because science fiction conforms to the same trends of quality as all other artforms.”

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text:
Moles smell in stereo

That cute little nose is more powerful than we thought. Photo: Mick Talbot/Flickr

That cute little nose is more powerful than we thought. Photo: Mick Talbot/Flickr

It seems a bit strange to associate the word “stereo” with your schnoz, but that’s exactly how blind moles use their noses with such finesse. Led by Vanderbilt University neurobiologist Kenneth Catania, a group of researchers found that each mole nostril works independently to better assess where the food is located. If the scent is stronger in the right nostril than the left, the mole knows that the food is to the right, and vice versa.

But since we can’t think like moles, a little experimentation was necessary. Catania’s team placed some of the furry diggers in an enclosure surrounded by 15 wells, one of which contained a tasty live earthworm. With both nostrils open and snuffing, the mole found the earthworm easily, but when scientists plugged up the left nostril the mole immediately started moving right, searching for the worm. The opposite happened when the right nostril was plugged. Researchers then put in tubes that crossed the nasal chambers and mixed the moles’ smell signals. When that happened, the moles were completely at a loss and often didn’t find the earthworm at all. Researchers then conducted the same experiments in a more life-like underground tunnel and still observed the same results.

The mole might not be the only mammal with stereo smelling. Some scientists posit that rats and even we poorly-smelling humans exhibit the ability, but perhaps it’s best to leave the navigation-by-nose to the adept little moles.

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How the U.S. Became an Inferior Communication Nation

The Republican-controlled FCC has not only removed nearly all regulations but is allowing private companies to take over state utility wired networks.

By David Rosen | Nov 9, 2020 Original The Progressive article here.

On October 27, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) met to address a number of goals of the Trump Administration. These included:

  • Blocking efforts to reestablish net neutrality
  • Privatizing public utility networks
  • Blocking cities and states from dealing with wireless issues
  • Providing $9 billion to private telecoms for rural 5G upgrades

The Commission is composed of five members, three Republicans and two Democrats.

During the meeting, FCC commissioners voted 3-2, along party lines, to conclude that there was no basis to alter the agency’s stand against net neutrality. Strong opposition to the majority vote came from the two Democratic members.

As Trump’s presidency draws to an end, the Republican-controlled FCC has moved not only to remove all regulations but also to allow private companies to take over state utility wired networks.

Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel argued that “FCC data show that our broadband markets are not competitive. Most households in this country have no choice of broadband provider.” She called for broadband services to be regulated similarly to utilities, such as water and electricity.

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks was particularly concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telecom services. He noted that “30 percent of Black, Latinx, and other non-white households earning less than $50,000 a year have missed at least one payment on their Internet bill since the pandemic.”

The meeting vividly demonstrated how Trump-appointed bureaucrats systematically sidestep critical issues in order to legitimize corporate interests. It’s worth watching.

Sascha Meinrath, PhD, Palmer Chair in Telecommunications, Penn State University, was even more critical of the meeting’s outcome. He insists, “Tuesday’s party-line vote is a shameful example of exactly why former telecom lobbyists and lawyers should be barred from running agencies in charge of reining in corporate malfeasance.”

He argued, “broadband connectivity in the U.S. is increasingly sub-standard vis-a-vis other highly industrialized nations—and that consumers are increasingly agitated by the poor speeds and high prices we pay — Chairman [Ajit] Pai has endeavored at every turn to gut oversight and accountability of telecommunications providers.”

Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the telephone in 1876 and forming the Bell Telephone Company the following year. In 1885, the American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) was incorporated as a subsidiary of Bell to build and operate the first long-distance telephone network.

In 1899, AT&T bought Bell’s assets and became the parent company of the entire Bell system. AT&T operated as a monopoly until 1984 when, following the settlement of a Justice Department civil antitrust suit, it was split into seven regional operating companies, dubbed “Baby Bells.”

AT&T kept Bell Labs, telephone equipment manufacturer Western Electric and long-distance service; the regionals got the Yellow Pages and local service. In 1995, it formally restructured.

In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act, arguing it would promote “competition as the key to opening new markets and new opportunities.” He insisted, “it will protect consumers by regulating the remaining monopolies for a time and by providing a roadmap for deregulation in the future.”

Now, nearly a quarter-century later, telecommunications consolidation is once again reaching monopolistic proportions. How did this happen?

Over the last decade, a series of major mergers and acquisitions reconfigured national telecommunications and, increasingly, entertainment industries. Today, the telecom industry is dominated by a handful of huge conglomerates.

  • In 2019, the top three telecom providers in the United States had total revenues of nearly $400 billion.
  • Together, these conglomerates forged the “telecom trust.”

The telecom trust controls not only the “pipes” — the wired and the wireless networks — that link the nation’s homes, businesses, schools, and people, but it increasingly controls the “media” content creation companies as well. The combined influence of the telecom/media trust on American society has reached the level of the great oil, banking, and railroad trusts of the Gilded Age more than a century ago.

The consolidation of the telecom trust has had disastrous consequences for U.S. communication services.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ranks the U.S. twenty-fourth out of the thirty-four OECD countries in terms of internet access. In terms of mobile service speeds, the United States didn’t make the top twenty-five countries assessed.

And Americans pay more for their inferior services. Fees for a gigabyte of data range from $0.26 in India to $6.66 in the United Kingdom and $6.96 in Germany. Costs in North America were the highest, averaging $12.02 in Canada and $12.38 in the United States.

The services Americans have are inferior to other advanced nations — a situation made worse by the pandemic. In addition to a lack of connectivity, many poorer families with children tend to be dependent on smartphones — as distinguished from Internet-enabled devices like a desktop or laptop PC or tablet — to get online. Now the provider-established data caps on broadband services are forcing low-income subscribers to ration their online access.

In addition, an increasing number of hospitals and medical centers are relying on telemedicine to safely screen and treat patients (especially those with COVID-19), and the lack of Internet connectivity will restrict access to these remote services as well.

The career paths of recent FCC chairpersons from both parties show how the telecom industry has captured the regulatory process:

  • Current FCC chair Ajit Pai, a Republican appointed by President Trump, previously served as Verizon’s associate general counsel from 2001 to 2003.

  • Former FCC Chair, Thomas Wheeler, a Democrat appointed by President Obama, was chair from 2013 to 2017. He was a longtime Obama fundraiser who previously served as CEO of the wireless industry group CTIA.

  • Former FCC Chair, Michael Powell, General Colin Powell’s son, was appointed by President Clinton and was chair from 2001 to 2005. He now heads the cable industry trade association, NCTA.

    • William Barr, a Republican, the current U.S. Attorney General, served as general counsel for GTE and its successor, Verizon (1994-2008); from 2009-2018, he served on Time Warner’s board of directors. Forbes reported that he made $50 million as a Verizon executive and director.

The FCC has privatized communications services in the United States. This development has had two critical consequences that led to the country’s inferior communications services.

  1. First, in 2000, the FCC “froze” cost-accounting rules and permitted states to no longer publish their telecom data, thus allowing the telecom companies to engage in bookkeeping sleight-of-hand practices that cost telecom users, states, and taxpayers across the country dearly.

  2. Second, in 2007, the FCC declared that wireless broadband Internet service was an “information service” like cable modem service thus removing it from much of the regulatory oversight that applies to traditional landline telephone service.

These developments culminated in the effort to adopt “5G” — i.e., “Fifth Generation” — wireless technology. It is being promoted as cheaper to install and a more profitable substitute for fiber-to-the-home. However, to be deployed, the system requires the installation of a greater number of cellular transmitters and receivers that are located closer to the ground and to customers’ homes.

As Trump’s presidency draws to an end, the Republican-controlled FCC has moved not only to remove all regulations but also to allow private companies to take over state utility wired networks. The consequences of these efforts are simple and profound: The U.S. telecom trust will provide Americans with inferior communications services at higher fee for generations to come.


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Rush – “ABC 1974” RSD Brown/Orange Double Vinyl

CAD $99.99

Only 1 left in stock

A1 Finding My Way
A2 The Best I Can
A3 Need Some Love
A4 In The End
B1 Fancy Dancer
B2 In The Mood
B3 Bad Boy
B4 Here Again
C1 Working Man
C2 Drum Solo
C3 What You’re Doing
D1 Garden Road
D2 Anthem
D3 Beneath, Between & Behind
D4 Fly By Night

Released on Record Store Day 2013. Comes in a gatefold sleeve.

℗ Leftfield Media 2011. © Back On Black 2012.

The last three tracks (D2, D3 and D4) were not played at the 1974 Agora show. They are from another, later show.

Contact us using the form below for prodcut or shipping questions:

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Campus News News

Carol Mitchell Shares Humanics Through Film

Although Springfield College holds a strong heritage in sports and the prestigious health science programs, there is a heritage that is even stronger: Humanics.

Andrew Gutman
Features Editor

Photo Courtesy: Marketing and Communications
Photo Courtesy: Marketing and Communications

Although Springfield College holds a strong heritage in sports and the prestigious health science programs, there is a heritage that is even stronger: Humanics. This year Carol Mitchell, professor of English, received the Springfield College Distinguished Professor of Humanics award by displaying Humanics through the arts. Mitchell will be presenting her speech Tuesday, April 22 at 4 p.m. in the Fuller Arts Center.

Mitchell has been at Springfield since 1975, having served as a department chair for 11 years and also currently serving as the chair for the film portion of the William Simpson Fine Art Series.

In addition to being an avid lover of the arts, specifically film, Mitchell has a passion for her profession.

“I always wanted to teach. That has been my primary goal in life, to teach,” said Mitchell. “I took a lot of classes at the graduate level and I knew that I wanted to make that a part of my teaching career.”

Mitchell shows many films to her vast array of classes, including Last Call of the Oasis, which talks about worldwide water shortage and New Year Baby, which covers the topic of the Cambodian Genocide.

“The definition of Humanics is educating students in spirit, mind and body for leadership and service for humanity,” Mitchell stated. “I feel that over the years, in many of my classes I have used films to display some of the prime, positive characteristics of Humanics, such as being good citizens, being caring individuals and being responsible while doing service to others.”

Springfield College prides itself on its strong commitment to developing students. Humanics in Action Day is a staple at Springfield, and it is no secret that students on this campus are actively involved with a wide variety of clubs that benefit the community of Springfield as well as the campus. Mitchell, who has been practicing her speech for a while now, is a little nervous but is excited to express her gratitude and ideals.

While the arts may not be the most popular of topics at Springfield College, professor of Spanish and chair of the Humanities Department, Joyce L. Szewczynski, believes that it is Mitchell’s strong commitment to the arts that has made such a large impact.

“Throughout her career at the college, she has worked tirelessly to promote the arts, both as a committed member and as chairperson of the William Simpson Fine Arts Series,” Szewczynski said. “Through her teaching and the series, she has brought appreciation and awareness of both the Humanics Philosophy and of current global issues through the medium of the arts. Carol is most deserving of this award.”

While it is no surprise to Szewczynski as to who the award was given to, Mitchell relays that she is ecstatic to have received such a high honor, an award that signifies a payoff of all of the work she has put in towards getting a message of Humanics across through film.

“I was very, very happy to receive it; I was overjoyed. It is a great honor and something I really wanted,” said Mitchell. “I’m hoping that some of my messages in film have gotten through to people and that they have appreciated and enjoyed the things that I have done and learned from them.”

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Set and Service Resources Retail Merchandiser in Columbia, South Carolina

BE A TRAVELING Retail Merchandiser! *Must be willing and able to travel out of state over 60 to 1000+ miles. *

Are you wild at heart? Adventurous? Hard-working, disciplined, self-motivated, organized, artistic, free-spirited and friendly?

Then we just may have the perfect career for you at SASR! SASR is looking for experienced professional Retail Merchandisers to join our traveling retail merchandiser teams!

Here are some the current travel opportunities!

WA, TX, MO, MI, AR, WI, TN, CO, NH, GA, FL TRAVELING RETAIL CHAMPIONS HAVE AWESOME OPPORTUNITIES Here is what our High Performers say they love about our Traveling Retail Merchandiser Jobs! * It's a perfect fit for those who love to travel and stay on the road! * It's a perfect fit for those who are looking for that sense of adventure! * It's a perfect fit for those who love the specialized part of retail-setting planograms, building and moving counters and more. * It's a perfect fit for those who love creating the perfect looking store. * It's a perfect fit for the Night owl; those who enjoy working the night shift. BENEFITS * SASR has a wide range of job opportunities across the USA * Potential for Long-term work * Higher hourly pay: base rate for this program is $14 per hour * SASR Provided Lodging options for travelers over 60 miles from the job site * SASR uses a point system that helps with automatic pay raises and other job benefits such as more work opportunities and preferred status. REQUIREMENTS * Travel is required 75-100% of the time and may include out-of-state travel. * Preferred candidates should have a minimum 6 months merchandising experience. * Lift, carry or move bulky equipment, fixtures and supplies, up to 50lbs. * Handle light power tools, (drills), and manual tools, (hammer, screwdrivers etc.) * Reliable transportation. THE SASR COMMITMENT If you qualify as a SASR Traveling Retail Merchandiser, here is what you can expect from us:

  • Career advancement opportunities, including pay increases
  • Peer to peer training
  • Competitive pay

    Get Qualified Today!


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High Quality Standard of Cleaning with competitive prices

Domestic and commercial cleaning solutions available across Hastings

Welcome to S D H Cleaning, Hastings’ premier cleaning company. We operate from our office in nearby St. Leonard’s. From here, our team of professional cleaners provide effective cleaning solutions to people and businesses across Hastings. From window cleaning to carpet cleaning, and everything in between, we are your ideal home and office cleaning company.

What S D H Cleaning can do for you

As the number one cleaning company in Hastings, we have much to offer individuals and companies across the town. Here are some of our more popular services.

Cleaning services

We provide an extensive range of cleaning solutions for our customers across Hastings. Our team of professional cleaners will tackle windows, carpets, and floors for domestic and commercial clients alike. We offer both pure water and traditional window cleaning services. Every job is completed to a perfect finish and include deep cleaning, and more. We will even clean out your gutters for you.

Commercial cleaning

A clean business premises is essential to maintain the health and well-being of your employees. It also ensures that you make a positive first impression on any visitors to your building. We clean offices, retail premises, warehouses and surgeries. Our commercial cleaning service includes cleaning desks, chairs, work areas and other services, as well as carpet cleaning and window cleaning. We will also clean any staff bathrooms and kitchen areas.

Window Cleaning

When you have your window cleaning performed by S D H Cleaning, you are guaranteed a quality job. We ensure that all windows are completed to a bright and gleaming sheen. We offer both pure water and traditional cleaning services so however many windows you need cleaning, you will find us capable of handling them.

Carpet Cleaning

Whether you’re a domestic customer or a commercial client, nobody wants to set foot on a dirty carpet. Not only does it look unappealing, dirty carpets can be home to bacteria, germs, and other contaminants. Our carpet cleaning service will see to it that your carpet is left smelling fresh and looking good as new.

Other cleaning solutions

Our commercial cleaning services also include cleaning the communal areas of shared living complexes. Whatever your cleaning needs might be in or around the Hastings area, give S D H Cleaning a call. We guarantee no other cleaning company will offer a better service or price.

Why choose S D H Cleaning?

With a well-deserved reputation for excellence across the Hastings area, there are many reasons to choose us. Here are some of the more common ones, based on feedback from our customers.

An experienced cleaning company

When you hire S D H Cleaning, you’re getting two decades of relevant, on-the-job experience. Yes, our team of cleaners have been part of this industry for more than twenty years between them. They have extensive expertise in domestic, commercial, and office cleaning. This is how we can guarantee a job well done, each and every time. Their years in the business ensure quality work completed to a spotless finish.

No job too big or small

Here at S D H Cleaning, we pride ourselves on never saying no to a cleaning contract. Whether you are a private customer with a one-bedroom flat, or a commercial client with a multi-storey building. Every customer is guaranteed the same high standard of service and cleaning from our team of professional cleaners. We are happy to perform a one-off deep clean, or commit to a long-term regular cleaning contract.

A cleaning company you can trust

At S D H Cleaning, we have spent the last five years building up a reputation for hard work and flawless cleaning. It is a reputation we deserve, as any of our customers will happily attest to. Not only do our cleaners perform a fantastic job, we are also fully insured for your peace of mind. In addition, we do our part for the planet, by only using ecologically-friendly products, wherever possible.

Your local cleaning company

The main S D H Cleaning office can be found in St. Leonard’s, which is barely a stone’s throw away from Hastings. We love this part of the country and are proud of our association with both towns. Our cleaners cover a 10-mile radius around the office, providing essential domestic and office cleaning services. This takes in the whole of Hastings, as well as some of the outlying areas.

Get in touch

For the most efficient and reliable cleaning company in Hastings, call S D H Cleaning today on 01424 554 116. A member of our team will be happy to provide you with a free, no-obligation quote for our services.

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Learn The Pitches

Baseball Pitches

4 Seam Fastball

This is the most common pitch in baseball. It is thrown for velocity and is the most straight forward pitch. It has a back-spin rotation. Also known as “ 4- Seamer”

2 Seam Fastball

The Two Seam is another fastball with backward rotation. It is thrown for velocity but depending on the pitcher can have a slight tail to the pitch (left or right). Also known as “2-seamer

The Curveball is an off-speed pitch that first moves up out of the pitcher’s hand. When thrown by a right-handed pitcher the curveball breaks across and down to a right-handed hitter and down and in on a left-handed hitter. Vice versa is correct for a left-handed pitcher. There are many different Curve balls out there, but they all have the same general characteristics.

The slider is pitch thrown with velocity that has a similar path as the curveball but does not move up out of the hand at first. Instead it may look like a fastball at first but has a signature red dot on it. This pitch is faster than the curve but slower than a fastball and has a more lateral break.

Change up

A good changeup in baseball is hard to identify by rotation because it will have the same spin as a Four Seam fastball or a Two Seamer. Ways to help identify a changeup early are a palmed grip from the pitcher or a slowed arm motion.

Softball Pitches

4 Seam Fastball

This is the most common pitch in softball and is thrown the straightest. The pitch has forward rotation and is thrown for velocity. Also known as “4-seamer”.

2 Seam Fastball

The Two seam is a less common fastball found in softball, but some pitchers throw it. Depending on the pitcher the “2-Seamer” can have a tail left or right. This pitch is also thrown with velocity.

A softball curve can be thrown with some variations, but all curves have a certain circle look that the Seams make. A curve ball from a right-handed pitcher will break away from a right-handed hitter and in on a left-handed hitter. Vice versa is the same for a lefty pitcher. This pitch is thrown with medium velocity.

The screw ball is like the curve with its velocity (medium) and that it has some variations. It differs with its rotation, breaking in on a right-handed batter from a right-handed pitcher and away from a lefty hitter.

The rise balls Seams give the pitch a distinctive red dot. The pitch is thrown with velocity and rarely as a strike. Elite pitchers can start the pitch low enough so that it breaks as a strike.

Change Up (Back-Handed)

There are many variations of this pitch with similar spins. The back-handed changeup has a unique spin, like a sideways 2-seamer. This is thrown to deceive the hitter by looking like it has velocity but really is the slowest pitch.

The drop ball is a tricky pitch for hitters to identify because it has similar spin to a four-seam fastball. Like the rise ball the pitch is rarely thrown as a strike and is thrown with velocity.

Mental Approach

Before one understands what pitches look like it is best to understand the Seam Readers Process. This is the correct approach to be a Seam Reader and never be fooled at the plate again.

1. Think Fastball, React to everything else

This is the first step in the Seam Readers Process and should be the first thought in a batter’s mind when they approach the plate. The reason we want to Think Fastball and React to everything else is because the fastball is the most common pitch and the only one that can blow right by a hitter. If one is thinking curveball or any other off-speed pitch for the matter they would not be able to react to the fastball.

PRO TIP- “Fastball first”

2. Hard Focus on Release Point

Hard Focus on Release Point is the second step in the Seam Readers Process, this is the first physical step the hitter will do. We say there two types of focus, first is Soft Focus. This is the state of focus the batter will naturally be in at the plate. Hard Focus is for a short amount of time and comes right as the pitcher begins their wind up or a little after and remains until the ball is hit or crosses the plate. Hard Focusing on release helps one pick up the ball and in turn the seams, as soon as possible.

PRO TIP- A good way to get a head start on this process is in the on deck circle. As we all know, it is a work station.

3. Load to Read

Almost simultaneously as finding the release point comes the third step in the Seam Readers Process. Load to Read is what will trigger the brain to start Seam Reading and will generate timing while in Hard Focus. The Load is done right at release or right before or after depending on the hitter. One should already have a general idea of where the release is, in the Load step.

PRO TIP- Just like the tip above, a good way to practice the load and Seam Reading is in the on deck circle. A lot of practice is needed to develop the trigger from Load to Read, but it is done daily.

Ready For More?

Get updated when our app launches and be the first to learn all the pitches!

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Savills | Wormleybury Manor, Church Lane, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN10 7QE | Property for sale
4,571 sq ft(424.66 sq m)
Guide price £1,600,000(€1,852,278)

Wormleybury ManorChurch Lane, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN10 7QE

  • New

Key features

  • Period conversion with views over parkland and lake
  • British heritage paintings, ornate features and detailing
  • 2 grand reception rooms and 3 bedroom suites
  • Allocated parking and two double garages plus visitor spaces
  • Ideally located for A10 access to London
  • Set in over 50 acres of grounds
  • Lake with fishing rights

Impressive period conversion of a Grade I listed manor house set within beautiful grounds with fabulous views, ideally located for access to London.

About this property

  • The impressive Adam Suite, entered via a grand communal entrance hall, is arranged over the lower and upper ground floors of Wormleybury Manor and offers over 4500 sq ft of accommodation. Set in communal grounds of approximately 54 acres, this stunning Grade I listed, 18th Century manor, enjoys a unique setting surrounded by parkland with views of the lake, to which residents enjoy fishing rights.

    Two grand reception rooms have ornate detailing and original British heritage paintings by Angelica Kaufmann and Robert Adam marble fireplaces. A private access has steps leading down to the rear gardens. The expansive contemporary kitchen/breakfast room overlooks the surrounding parkland and lake. Passing the guest cloakroom, stairs lead down to the bedroom accommodation. The three large bedroom suites all have en suite facilities and dressing rooms. The main bedroom also has fabulous views. A utility room and plenty of storage areas complete the accommodation.

    Outside the gardens wrap around the Manor providing an air of exclusivity with delightful walks in various areas to enjoy the views over the lake and barbeque area, perfect for entertaining. Nestled to the side of the main house is an additional parking area for visitors and access to the garage blocks where there are two double garages for the sole use of this apartment.

    View payable Stamp Duty for this property

As impressive as this is, Adam Suite feels like a home in a wonderful friendly community

Hannah TomlinProperty agent

Local information

  • Adam Suite provides the commuter with a peaceful country refuge within easy reach of London from a choice of rail stations (25 minutes from Broxbourne to Liverpool Street) and convenient for major road networks including the A10 and M25.
  • Wormleybury is a delightful small village steeped in history and conveniently located close to Broxbourne with a wide range of amenities including the large shopping centre at Brookfield Farm.
  • Wormleybury Manor was built by Robert Mylne in 1767-1769 and embellished by the renowned architect Robert Adam, whom this apartment is named after, in 1777-1779. It is located in grounds and gardens of approximately 54 acres.
  • Adam Suite is one of nine apartments created from the original Grade I listed country mansion and was converted in 1996.

Additional information

  • Directions: From Bishop's Stortford head west on the A120 towards Standon and the A10. At the A10 roundabout take the first exit towards London. Proceed for approx. 15 miles and exit at the slip road for Broxbourne/Wormley. Take the first exit at the roundabout and then again at the next onto A1170. After a short distance turn left onto Church Lane and proceed over the A10 bridge. After a short distance the entrance to the Manor will be on the left. Proceed along the private gravel driveway bearing left to the main house.
  • EPC Exempt