FREE CUP OF CUT CUT ME &!'% 3 ME TEA OR COFFEE OUT OUT ND UT A CUT ME O FREE CUP OF TEA OR COFFEE . USE THIS COUPON TO REDEEM YOUR STAND 211 THIRD DRIVE ON 1ST AND 2ND JULY 2015 AT THE ROYAL NORFOLK SHOW AT VISIT THE EDP AND EVENING NEWS STAND Wednesday, July 1, 2015 www.edp24.co.uk 80p THE COUNTRY’S BIGGEST-SELLING REGIONAL MORNING NEWSPAPER Wednesday, July 1, 2015 Eastern Daily Press Celebrating I Wendy Laight, Celebrating SUCCESS from Boston, 2015 Lincolnshire, Success: Some washing her We showcase some of Norfolk’s brightest business stars as they share 14-month-old of our brightest with us the story of their success... Spire Solicitors B2B Cashflow Solutions City College Express Service British Blue. Sowerbys Norwich Practices Health Centre entrepreneurs Leathes Prior Simpsons Motors Minors Estate Agents Constitution Motors Birketts Fendercare Picture: ANTONY Mattressman GT Morrison Cooper Lomaz Armill Lift Trucks Jordan Fencing Price Bailey KELLY share their Kingsley Healthcare Eastern Daily Press Norfolk and North secrets Suffolk’s Commercial Property Experts Wednesday, July 1, 2015 In association with arnoldskeys.com Business editor Ben Woods Business writer Jessica Staufenberg INSIDETODAY The rise Iconic hotel has PLUS: £500,000 revamp Page 5 and rise of The remarkable story of Norse I Managing director of Bertram Books Justin Adams. Norse, in your Picture: SIMON FINLAY Pages 8 and 9 Apprentices step Book firm is aiming for back in time leaner, meaner future One of Norfolk’s biggest compa- Jessica Staufenberg own data. The future may include nies and a major UK book whole- Business writer using data from Bertram’s elec- We’ve got £20m brilliant 16-page [email protected] saler has begun a new chapter tronic point of service (EPOS) worth of books sitting in with a leaner, meaner business system, Bertline - which is used by model. many of its booksellers - to read that warehouse. But are Bertrams is now part of the “In books, the margins are very the market more quickly. they the right £20m? umbrella company Connect Books thin. The difference between “It’s got to be all about the Page 12 following a re-structuring in April making and losing money is very customer and knowing what they That’s what I want to get 2014, which later saw a new tight,” said Mr Adams. “We’ve got want,” said Mr Adams. “We’ve got absolutely certain. managing director brought into to be clever about costs. We need £20m worth of books sitting in Justin Adams post to spearhead change. to make a net profit of 3pc, other- that warehouse. But are they the An app-y future The new name - and support wise we’ll leave that business right £20m? That’s what I want to from plc holding company relationship.” get absolutely certain.” were. The company supplies Connect Group - has seen the The changes will also include Rather than stocking books and bookshops, online retail giant company launch new strategies to revising the number of staff it waiting for orders, there needs to Amazon, public and academic help it read the market more employs during busy times of the be a shift to a “print-on-demand” libraries. quickly and keep a tighter focus year. Its 650-strong workforce at its set up, said Mr Adams. According to Connect Groups’ on costs – including ending distribution warehouse on The new managing director 2014 annual report, the Connect Business unprofitable partnerships within Peachman Way at the Broadland joined the company in November Books division made an underly- three months if necessary. Business Park maybe bolstered to last year after being headhunted ing operating profit of £2.5m, Justin Adams, the new manag- 800 in the pre-Christmas rush, to turn around Bertrams and down 65.7pc on the previous year. ing director of Connect Books, before being shrunk back again improve its business models. Connect Group recorded a 1.2pc said the overall aim was to move thereafter. He said it was important to rise in revenues to £909.9m, and the company from a traditional The company will also look to streamline parts of the company 0.2pc growth in pre-tax profits to stock wholesaler to a “nimble” avoid millions of pounds worth of because in the past the diversity £24.1m, in its unaudited interim Page 7 trading entity that was beating stock sitting in its warehouse for of its business meant it did not results for the six months ending www.edp24.co.uk/business section competition like Gardners Books. too long by closely analysing its always know who its customers February 28 2015. It’s Show time and things are hotting up for visitors and animals alike Pages 2 & 3 A WARNING TO SCHOOLS Scores could be branded ‘coasting’ and turned intoCambridgeshire academies would also be results for 2014, 2015 and 2016 are rated “coasting” if their 2014 Martin George known, but an EDP analysis has The government has fired a warn- results were repeated in both of Education correspondent revealed that 100 Norfolk primary ing shot across the bows of more the following years. [email protected] schools, and 17 high schools, met than 100 schools in our region However, some have recently after announcing new rules that the criteria for the first of those could see them branded years. No schools will formally receive I Turn to Pages 6 and 7 “coasting” and subject to outside Other schools in Suffolk and the new designation until exams intervention. 006 Page 13/Fuel voucher – page 38 Rail chaos across region at rush hour 6 Wednesday, July 1, 2015 Eastern Daily Press Like us at: NEWS local www.facebook.com/edp24 New scoring system could mean I We are not a coasting school From page one been rated “good” by Ofsted, expect better exam results this summer, or Bignold Primary School, in have a good reputation among Norwich, is one of more than parents. 100 schools in our region whose Those that still meet the coasting results last year mean it could criteria in each of the next two years eventually be classed as a will have to come up with a “credible “coasting school”. plan” to improve and ensure all their In fact, no school will officially children make the required progress, receive this designation until or be turned into academies under after 2016’s results are known, new leadership. and only if they meet the A Department for Education criteria in 2014, 2015 and 2016. spokesman said “coasting” acade- In Bignold’s case, it only just mies could be transferred to a differ- slipped into the danger zone: ent academy sponsor. although the 63pc of pupils The criteria for being “coasting”, reaching Level 4 in their final announced yesterday, has two I Tim Coulson, regional schools year exams was well below elements: one based on the propor- commissioner for the East Of England the new target of 85pc, the tion of pupils achieving target and North East London. proportion making the expected grades, and the other on how much Picture: JAMES BASS level of progress in maths was progress they have made during their only one percentage point below time at school. is there is an expectation that the the national median. The new category, introduced in plan works one way or another and Headteacher Clare Cook said: the Education and Adoption Bill, has we use every tactic available, and “We are not a coasting school. proved controversial because of that might include moving to an We are a school that, over the claims it would particularly hit academy status if that was neces- three years I have been here, schools with many pupils from disad- sary,” he added. has gone from potentially vantaged backgrounds, and will The NASUWT union accused the special measures to hopefully include some schools judged “good” government of “selecting criteria to ‘good’ soon.” She said schools by Ofsted. define coasting schools to maximise were still unsure whether Tim Coulson, who currently moni- the opportunity for extending they would be caught by the tors local academies as our region’s academisation”. criteria, due to changes to the schools commissioner, will be given Kevin Courtney, deputy general assessment system. She thought expanded powers to assess whether a secretary of the National Union of government’s ultimate goal “coasting” school’s plan is credible. Teachers, said: “Very many good was to increase the number Yesterday, he told MPs not every secondary and primary schools – as of academies, and said: “Any “coasting” school would become an defined by Ofsted, and as defined by school is going to be made into academy. parents – will now be classified as an academy, because if they are He added that while failing schools coasting. They will now stand the not good enough they are going were likely to become academies, risk of losing their heads and other to become an academy, and if coasting schools would see a “wider staff as uncertainty reigns in their they are good enough they are group of possible interventions”, school.” going to be expected to become including interim executive boards Education secretary Nicky Morgan I an academy to sponsor other Clare Cook, headteacher of Bignold Primary School in Norwich. and insisting they join up with strong said: “I’m unapologetic about shining Picture: schools.” SUBMITTED partners for support. a spotlight on complacency, and I “The important thing about the bill want the message to go out loud and Primary schools in danger of being classed as coasting Based on Department for I Cobholm Primary School I Heacham Junior School I Parker’s Church of England Junior School Education data for 276 Norfolk I Colman Junior School I Henderson Green Primary Primary School I St Peter and St Paul Church of schools in 2014.