The school summer holidays are fast approaching which means that you teachers have some organising to do! Aside from all the planning and preparation needed in order to ensure that the new school year and class get off to a good start, you’ll also need to consider your supplies. Cast your mind forward; do you have enough paper to see you through the year? How are the colouring pencils looking, running low? Have you lost one too many pencil sharpeners and now finding one when you need it is a mission? Have the children snapped the rulers and how are the erasers looking? Printer cartridges run low pretty quick, have you stocked your store cupboards? The list of supplies is never ending.

Your class are likely to create project books; do you have enough treasury tags? Have you checked your glue sticks recently, are they looking dried up? It’s impossible to address an entire class without a whiteboard or blackboard; do you have the chalk or markers?

Office 365 is a website which caters to all your school needs. We really do have everything you need and more besides. From your trimmers and guillotines, to staplers and staples, we even have a great range of electrical’s for your convenience! Office 365’s range even stretches to furniture so that you can purchase classroom desks, receptions furniture, canteen tables and even lockers at the same place you’ll find your filing supplies so that ordering can be done with just one company; us!

But it doesn’t stop there! We’ve carefully considered further incentives so that we can be sure that we’re bringing you the best deal and a service which far exceeds that of our competitors! We’re so confident of our low prices that we even offer a price match policy! Further to this, if you’re ordering from a school we can accept official purchase orders faxed to our FreeFax 0800 612 9524 or sent via email with the order attached to sales@office365.co.uk! Ordering in bulk can often mean you’ll qualify for further discounts too, so don’t forget to ask.

Finally, all new customers will earn an additional 10% off their first order, plus every order over the value of £60 qualifies for a free chocolate gift! Think of it as bribery for the school kids! You can pay using credit or debit cards, or even using PayPal when you buy online! However if you’d like to discuss payment methods further, then do feel free to contact us on 0870 766 1624.

Not long now until the new school term starts and it’s not just the kids who need to get organised! As a teacher, professor or lecturer, you’ll need to make sure you have all the right supplies to perform your job well. This will mean checking current stock levels and checking the condition of the supplies you currently have. Do you have enough flip chart pads? Are you in need of whiteboard cleaner to refresh your boards for the new term? Have your whiteboard markers run dry? Maybe you need to replenish your OHP film stock or could you be ‘old school’ and require chalk? Whatever it is you need to get September off to a flying to start, you’ll find it here at Office 365!

Take our Whiteboard Markers for example; we have a whole range of different brands available such as Bic, Paper Mate, Sharpie and Staedtler, however the widest choice comes from our Bic brand with an assortment of colours such as black, green, blue, red and assorted packs. You will also find bullet and chisel tips, as well as retractable and low odour options. All of our whiteboard supplies are available at the cheapest UK prices on the net, we’re so confident of this in fact that we back this up with our price match guarantee!

Not only do we boast the widest choice and the smallest prices, but we can assure you that all orders placed before 4:30pm will be despatched for next day UK delivery! Please note that for urgent orders we recommend you phone to check stock! Now accepting Pay Pal for your added security, Office 365 are offering all our new customers and added 10% off their first orders with us, plus any orders placed between the 27^th August 2012 and the 4^th September 2012, that exceed £60 are illegible for a free gift! Please see our home page for more information!

Remember, Office 365 are also the favourite for stocking up on all your children’s stationery supplies too. So when the time comes and your child is moving up into top school, make sure they have all the essential stationery to get them off to a good start. Check list includes:

• Calculator
• Colouring supplies
• Pen (and spares!)
• Eraser & correction fluid
• Pencils
• Sharpener
• Ruler
• Geometry set
• Compass
• Binder (and pockets)
• Lined & plain paper
• Highlighters
• Stapler (not essential)

Ok, so you’d like to impress these new prospective clients you have coming in next week so you aim to make the meeting one that will stand out and will wow them with not only your professionalism, and fabulous business assets, but with your organisational skills too. You plan to make them feel as at home, welcome, comfortable, and yet ‘blown away’ as humanly possible and are pondering quite how you’re going to pull this one off. The idea is to have them as enthusiastic as you are about being onboard with your company and so now’s the time to pull out all the stops to make this happen.

First of all you need to think about meeting room furniture. Do you have current meeting room pieces already in place? Are you likely to be holding many meetings with prospective clients or with this particular client once they accept your proposition (thinking optimistically here!)? If so you may want to look at the state of your existing furniture; is it suitable or will an upgrade be needed?

Next you need to look at some way you can tell the rest of the office that you are holding a meeting; the last thing you want is for your staff to come bursting into the meeting room – not very impressive! Think about whether you would prefer a floor standing sign which displays that there is a meeting in progress or whether you would prefer a sliding door sign which indicates ‘meeting room engaged’ or ‘meeting room vacant’. There are plenty of meeting rooms signs available to choose from, you just need to consider your budget.

You will obviously need to make sure you have all the essential presentation supplies, whether this be flipcharts, flipchart markers, OHP machines, projection screens, interactive copyboards, pointers, whiteboards and so on. Do remember to prepare for your meeting; will you be using flipcharts, whiteboards, OHP’s or copyboards to broadcast and present your ideas? Whichever you choose prepare before you get in!

Last but not least, please them! It’s so true, the way to a person’s heart is through their stomachs and so what better way to put a smile on their faces than to give them tasty food and beverages! We have plenty of meeting room drinks at Office 365 including tea’s hot chocolates, coffee’s, juices, soft drinks, milk, soup, squashes and water! Our range of meeting room biscuits includes options such as HobNobs, Fox’s assorted biscuits, chocolate digestives, Cadbury mini fingers, Crawford teatime varieties, Oreo biscuits and so many, many more! So stock up on all the goodies and give them a tasty selection that is sure to sweeten them up before you even get started!

Wall and notice boards are an essential part of any business or public building. They are almost solely responsible for keeping staff, visitors, members and customers up to date with the ‘goings on’ and upcoming events of your establishment. Wall and notice boards can include drywipe boards, white boards, pin boards, letter boards, display boards and so on. Depending on what message you need to give, these useful boards are used to ‘speak’ where you cannot. You cannot be there at all times to give each and every person of relevance to your establishment the information you wish to require. A notice board allows you to put up (or write, or display in some way) your messages so that at your audiences desire, they may read this information leaving you to get on with the running of your business.

A very useful aspect of wall and notice boards is their interchange ability; whether it is a pin board, a whiteboard and chalk board, a foyer board, a letter board or a display board, at any time you can go and adjust the message as you please. You can leave your board open to changes so that other staff members, or those of relevance to your ‘group’ can add and change what it displays. Whatever your need and whatever the style you require, here at Office 365 we will have an option for you.

Letter Boards – These freestanding fabric boards come complete with chrome removable letters which will give a smart, professional look for your foyer or lobby. Many people use these when visitors or prospective customers and clients are visiting in order to direct them to the right place and to give an impression of their value.

Noticeboards – Notice board is the general term we give to a collection of boards which are designed to give information. They are available in drywipe, magnetic, felt, pin, cork, framed, and cabinet options and in a huge selection of colours, sizes, wall hanging, freestanding and frame finish options.

Display Boards – Our Display boards are a very popular option for companies who are likely to be changing the messages on their board frequently. If your business premises is used for a number of different events and seminars, then it will be necessary to guide various people to various different rooms and various different times during the course of a day. Our display boards are available in IN-Out board, foyer board, foam board, felt board and cabinet options each one boasting a smart finish, perfect for giving the best impression.

Use a display board at home or in your work place as a tool to record, brainstorm and even present yours and your colleagues ideas. They make fantastic organisational tools when they become the focal point in the office or office cafeteria, as they become the place to go to find out what’s going on with the business, what the goal and targets are or which teams performed best last month etc. You can choose from many different options when it comes to display boards, with lightweight cork, felt and foam boards which are ideal for when you’re on a budget or you’re intending on buying a few, dry wipe boards for writing messages on directly, magnetic boards for writing on and using various magnetic accessories and framed and lockable door display boards for smartly posting awards, achievements, notices, work, reminders and other important information.

Our display boards provide the perfect opportunity for showcasing results, brainstorming ideas, and displaying goals and targets. Where better to place one of these boards than in the office? A well placed display board will not only encourage and inform staff, but will also boost morale and increase team playing spirit.

Keep on top of your display board; regularly update it, consider what information should make its way to the board, what information would make your staff feel as valued as they are. Do not let its contents become out of date as this will only loose enthusiastic readers and your staff will stop referring to it for important information. Check it daily, remove old notices and pin up new, exciting and informative ones. You could also use this as a way of starting up a new rewards scheme. The best performing team each month are treated to lunch or something similar, or maybe the best performing individual received a dinner for two. Alternatively create targets and goals and display these; that way your employees have an aim to work towards.

At Office 365 you will find a selection that includes;

• Aluminium Frame Display Boards – Including various sizes, lockable options, felt, hook and loop and various brand options.
• Cork Boards – Including various different sizes, whiteboard/cork combinations, wood, plastic and aluminium frames and various brand options.
• Felt Boards – Including various sizes, framed and unframed boards, aluminium and wooden frames, felt/dry wipe combinations and various brand options.
• Other Display Boards – Including various sizes, Foamboard display boards, Nobo Tuffboards, Post-it adhesive boards, Diamond mesh boards from Nobo Quartet, Nobo Quartet high density foam boards and more.
• Unframed Display Boards – Nobo fabric unframed notice boards.
• Wood Frame Display Boards – Display cabinets, lockable doors, oak and teak finishes and various size options.

10 Reason Why Dry wipe Markers Are Better Than Chalk…

1. Their Mess Free! – No chalky dust, no messy fingers.
2. They’re Ear Friendly – No nasty screeching down the chalk board.
3. They’re Bold – Drywipe markers stand out from a distance on their white surface.
4. Their Refillable – You can now get eco-friendly refillable markers!
5. They Don’t Leave Residue – Unlike chalk on a chalk board, drywipe markers rub off the board with ease leaving the board fresh for new applications.
6. Colours – They’re available in a large variety of different colours which is great for diagrams and charts.
7. Accuracy – Due to their shaped tipped, drywipe markers produce neat writing and accurate illustrations.
8. Variety of Tips – They also come in both bullet and chisel tip!
9. Lids – They have lids to prevent them from marker other objects.
10. No Breakages – They don’t snap or crumble!

Here at Office 365 we just love the Artline range of whiteboard markers, they seem to be designed with the consumer in mind! Take a look at these for example. Our Artline 2-in-1 whiteboard markers featured to your right are perfect for every whiteboard! They feature;

• Two points in one pen – 2.0mm Bullet Tip and 5.0mm Chisel Tip
• Eight contrasting quick dry colours
• Transferable cap storage
• Anti roll bar fitted to cap
• Ideal for all whiteboards, glass, plastics, and laminates
• Three line widths
• Bullet Tip: 2.0mm
• Chisel Tip: 3.0×5.0mm
• Assorted pack contains one each of black, blue, red, green, brown, orange, purple and pink
• Packed 8
• Now with 25% off – Just £14.03!

Artline are an international brand made by the Japanese organization, Shachihata. In 1999 Shachihata obtained the ISO 9001 Quality Assurance System Certification for its marking pens and stamps and in 2000 was also awarded the ISO 14001 Certification for its environmental management system. Also, Artline no longer uses Xylene in most of their products and have instead substituted this traditional yet harmful solvent with an alcohol. The only difference that is obvious is the smell; where the Xylene has a strong scent, the alcohol has a more neutral one. The reason for this change is the increasing concern amongst some community members that the product could cause negative health effects. Artline also have an Eco Green range. These are recycled, general purpose markers made using a unique dry safe ink formula. These pens are made using at least 74% recycled material.

Gone are the days of the blackboard, and thank goodness for that! No more chalky mess, no more illegible black boards, no more messy cleaning and better still, no more squeaky chalk down the blackboard! Phew! We have progressed; we evolved by moving onto the whiteboard which allowed better legibility, bolder writing, chalk powder free demonstrations and easy cleaning! However we have progressed further still! With more and more offices and classrooms across the globe now using magnetic whiteboards, it makes you wonder how we ever put up with anything less. The magnetism of the board means that we can use it to its full ability, applying additions such as graphs, charts, categories, pin up notes (or rather magnet up notes), magnetic erasers and pens trays and so much more. The possibilities are endless! Unlike the old white boards, there is no need to purchase a separate plain whiteboard from a gridded one, you simply purchase cheap magnetic board accessories and create your own temporary grid, or lines etc.

Our featured Nobo Classic Magnetic Drywipe Board has one extra special bonus feature – it comes complete with a free starter kit! The offer is available at Office 365 from May-September 2011 while stocks last, so get in there quick! This set features;

• Classic magnetic board
• Aluminium trim
• Secure through board mounting
• Complete with pen tray
• Fixing kit included
• Single colour corner caps
• Size: 600 x 900mm
• Starter Kit contains three drymarkers, 125ml board cleaning fluid and an eraser
• Drymarkers are black, blue and red
• Additional 27% off – Now just £53.97!
• Free Delivery!!!

So if your business or school frequently brainstorm ideas, jot down menus and lunch orders, organise staff holidays, dish out targets and goals, give presentations and meetings, rota shifts, educate groups of people and basically give notices and display information, then maybe a magnetic board is the way forward for you. The Nobo brands simple, stylish range of aluminium trim whiteboards are designed to ensure maximum writing area, and ease of use, perfect for all your basic interactive writing needs. For a chance to get your hands on this offer, or any other whiteboard for that matter, look no further than Office 365!

I actually remember an English lesson one day at school (this is going back 13 years now), if I remember right, we were learning about the incredible and very ‘real’ war time Poet Siegfried Sassoon. Our wonderfully eccentric English teacher (who was from Bolton and loved Greenday!), rather caught up in the fascinating and extremely dramatic life story of this amazing poet, was desperately trying to scribble something down on the whiteboard. He went through pen after pen, he must have tried seven or eight whiteboard pens – all of which were empty – before he gave up, blew a fuse, threw the final whiteboard pen on the floor and jumped on it! You may laugh now, I do, but at the time, we were all speechless!

I’ve seen this many a time, not the furious jumping on the empty whiteboard pen, but the failed attempts at using dried up pens. You must remember to stock up people, it’s obviously very frustrating to find you haven’t one that works so be prepared! Alright, so maybe you’ve forgotten again; but all is not lost, jumping on your pen will not revive it I can assure you, however we have a few of tricks that may help should you get caught out again:

• Try dipping the tip briefly in nail polish remover, then put the cap back on for a few minutes. (Remember to test in a corner of the whiteboard to make sure it doesn’t damage the surface.)
• If you have a water-based, low odour, whiteboard marker, this can just be dipped in water like a regular marker. Make sure you check which kind you have!
• Fasten a piece of string to the end of the marker, (you may need to tape a knotted string to your pen for extra security) then spin the marker over your head several times. Centrifugal force will allow any remaining ink to flow to the marker tip. Make sure you secure the cap tightly first! When removing the cap, do it over a sink or a wad of paper towels as ink can pool up in the cap.
• Purchase refillable whiteboard pens and have a selection of refills to hand

If you’ve tried all these and they haven’t worked, or you tried them, they worked and now they really are empty, then it’s time to buy your new whiteboard pens. Try our Pentel Easyflo whiteboard pens featured above which are top choice as far as I’m concerned as they produce vibrant bold colour, have a tip and go recharging system, last longer than the standard whiteboard pen, but more importantly as far as we’re concerned; they contain over 94% recycled content. Key features include:

• Tip and go recharging system
• Dry erase
• Longer writing time
• Durable medium bullet tip
• 800 metres writing distance
• 94% recycled content
• Black
• Packed 12
• 25% off! – Now just £15.86 for a pack of 12!

Alternatively take a look here and choose your own black whiteboard pens so that you can decide for yourself which features are important to you.

Can you imagine going back to the messy old days of the black board? A classroom full of children on the edge of their seats just waiting for that awful ‘SCREECH’ as the chalk scrapes the board, *shudder*. I never understood it at school, why some of our teachers clung onto their blackboards for dear life while all the others moved with the times and replaced theirs with these fabulous whiteboards which gleamed with life, drawing us in. I have very good eyesight, was even better at school, yet even I struggled sometimes to read the scribbles on the black board, particularly during Geography I think it was, where our teacher just wouldn’t clean the old thing! She was using white chalk on what had become a white board and instead of learning where you’ll find the capital of Egypt or where Pompeii was, you’d spend the entire lesson dreaming of how satisfying it would be to get a nice wet rag and drag it across the board leaving a lovely BLACK trail behind it. So that explains my very poor knowledge on Geography and why my 9 year old has to teach me the capitals and flags of each country… Thank heavens for Google is all I say!

Anyway, enough about blackboards, we have now finally transgressed to the beautifully clear and elegant whiteboard. With vibrant pens and a gleaming back ground, whatever is marked upon the board will be legible from some distance! And when you’re done, one wipe with the whiteboard eraser and it’s all gone! Lovely jubbly. At Office 365 we have a great variety of whiteboards available in many sizes and from some top quality brands. Our cost effective models offer you a choice of surfaces, not to mention a full selection of useful accessories. Choose from surfaces such as melamine which is ideal for general use, magnetic steel which is as versatile as you could need it to be and enamel for its durability. If you’re looking for value and you’re on a smaller budget, then 5 Star are the brand for you, however is quality and a top Guarantee is what you have in mind, the Nobo are the brand you’re looking for. If you’re not really all that fussed on the brand and are searching for a particular size, select from the appropriate size below;

• Whiteboard 900 x 600
• Whiteboard 1200 x 900
• Whiteboard 1800 x 1200

The standard wall and notice board is used to display information in a community building, workplace, meeting room or any public building for that matter. They are used to display information and instructions like for example in the office there may be a board stating what the sales target is for the day, what the ‘calls’ target is for the day etc. In a theatre you may find a notice board in the foyer displaying the performance dates and times, performer’s names and charges. You may find notices in public buildings directing customers and visitors on where to go, say for example, ‘Meeting in Progress’, ‘AA Meeting This Way’, ‘Pottery Classes Here’ etc. In a school or educational building you are sure to find the chalk board and the whiteboard which are both used as educational tools using imagery and text when teaching certain subjects. Alternatively, you may find a notice or pin board in the home with messages like ‘Shopping List’, ‘To Do’, ‘School Play’, ‘Dentists 3:30’ etc. There are so many uses for wall and notice boards that today we would be lost without them! At Office 365 you’ll find a choice of the following;

Chalk Boards – With or without stands, rounded corners and wall mountable options. All made by Bi Office.

Drywipe Accessories - A drywipe board requires specialist accessories and care. To make proper use of yours, you will need items such as cleaning and erasing accessories, magnetic markers and strips and all sorts of others.

Drywipe Boards – We have both magnetic and non magnetic options here made by 5 Star, Nobo, Quartet and Stabilo.

Info Letter Boards – For a more superior finish, our info letter boards cleverly allow you to adjust the message. They are available in glazed options, landscape, portrait and various others.

Notice Board Accessories – Here you will find the characters needed to use your info letter boards, available in chrome look and in 19mm and 28mm options.

Notice Pin Boards – Choose from board varieties in either pin, or pin and whiteboard combo’s. Also available in aluminium frame, cork, felt, magnetic, unframed, wood framed and a variety of other options.

Whiteboards – You’ll find the whiteboard in every office, board room and educational facility, with magnetic, mobile and doors options. Available from brands such as 5 Star, Artline, Legamaster and Nobo.