1. Now Press Play
Reviewed by: Martin Bailey, digital enrichment leader and ICT specialist at Lanchester EP Primary School
Aim: To engage and hook children into the various topics which we teach throughout school, so they immerse themselves in learning
Why did you choose Now Press Play?
Not all children can access or retain information from text-based sources and so we wanted something that stimulated a wider range of senses. At Lanchester EP Primary School we really value the ‘student voice’ and ensure that our pupils are at the centre of our decision-making process. The children discovered Now Press Play during a visit to the Bett Show and loved how it engaged them in the curriculum through sound, story and movement.
How is Now Press Play used?
By using Now Press Play, pupils are instantly engaged in a wide range of curriculum topics. Vocabulary is introduced in a contextual way, and we have found that through physically acting out the ‘experiences’ - linked to more than 80 curriculum topics – pupils then use and understand a wider range of verbs, adverbs and specific vocabulary.
What impact has Now Press Play had?
The experiences are now mapped to our curriculum from EYFS – Year 6 and there is always great excitement whenever the pink headphones make an appearance!
All children are fully immersed in the experiences, and this removes both any low-level behaviour issues and also any embarrassment or reluctance that there may be from certain pupils to partake in drama-based activities.
Find out more about Now Press Play
2. CPOMS
Reviewed by: Corrine Latham, Bett advisory board member and headteacher at Seaview Primary School
Aim: To find a digital solution around the area of safeguarding and child protection that was compatible with our school systems.
Why did you choose CPOMS?
We use a platform called My School, the digital gate to pupils and teachers accessing a range of free applications. However, this did not cover safeguarding and child protection. The main objective in our search was to ensure real-time safe and secure sharing of information. We discovered that CPOMS is the market leading software solution for monitoring Safeguarding, SEN, wellbeing and all pastoral issues.
How is CPOMS used?
The first step was to establish confidence in its use. Our safeguarding team was trained by CPOM staff and created their own ‘how to’ guide. We needed to get staff on board. This was challenging initially as many preferred pen and paper but soon a coalition of the willing were modelling and singing its benefits.
The main objective in our search was to ensure real-time safe and secure sharing of information. The system integrated well with our school information management system, and we now had a portal to share information.
What impact has CPOMS had?
It has kept many of our children safe and provided a space for staff to report concerns of any nature to the management. It has served us well both in school and during periods of remote learning. We believe that a happy child learns best. Due to the CPOMS data, we are now able to target interventions such as Lego/play therapy and counselling to ensure children feel noticed and loved in our school.
3. Office 365
Reviewed by: Sarah Dawkins, Headteacher at Danesfield School
Aim: To engage pupils in their learning so they achieve their full potential, using the most up-to-date technology
Why did you choose Office 365?
At Danesfield, we made it a priority to branch into the world of technology because we saw that it was an integral part of our children’s development, preparation for the real world and future careers. The most important and beneficial technology we implemented is Office 365.
How is Office 365 used?
It has allowed our teachers to deliver creative and engaging lesson ideas that give children knowledge and skills to support them in their future lives both in secondary school and in the workplace. The children see the staff at school using the same applications that they are learning to use and therefore understand that what they are learning has real purpose.
We introduced Teams with pupils as young as five, who were able to find their way around the platform and access applications and websites safely during lessons. This implementation put us in a very fortunate position when the pandemic hit and schools were closed.
What impact has Office 365 had?
We saw how it inspired our children - especially boys - demonstrating a thirst for knowledge that had not been previously evident. This drove us to continue embedding technology further and to ensure that we stayed ahead and up to date with any new technology that was available to supplement and enhance our curriculum. It allowed children to continue their learning alongside their peers if unable to come to school and to ensure that there was no lost learning. The impact of this has been evident in our year 2 and 6 SATs results, which have been some of the best ever.
Find out more about Office 365 for schools
