New Products & Services (65)
Working together to support children with learning difficulties
By Dore on 16 May 2013, 11:54am
The involvement of parents in their child’s education is recognised as hugely beneficial: it promotes important two-way communication between the school and the family, fosters common aims and provides all-round support for the child. Ofsted recommends that schools should “engage parents in supporting pupils’ achievement, behaviour and safety and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development” (The Framework for School Inspection, Ofsted, Jan 2013).
For pupils with Special Educational Needs, this involvement is critical. The Lamb Inquiry looked into the most effective ways of increasing parental confidence in the SEN assessment process, stating that, “Good communication is not just better for parents and professionals, it is better for children. In the most successful schools, the effective engagement of parents has an impact on children’s progress.” (Lamb Inquiry, Crown Copyright 2009)
Schools encouraged to explore British Sign Language in the classroom
By SignSpell on 13 May 2013, 14:05pm
Schools are being encouraged to think beyond standard phonics-based teaching in early year education by exploring a new teaching resource based on British Sign Language (BSL).
Told through a combination of books, online games and videos of words and phrases, SignSpell is the first holistic educational resource of its kind, designed to help hearing children in their early years to read, spell and remember words through basic BSL.
Collaborative e-learning platform from UppCast
By UppCast on 07 May 2013, 10:57am
If you’re responsible for e-learning in a school, college, FE, or university you probably want less complexity, reduced costs, cast‐iron security, and a smart answer to new challenges such as the growing pressure to reduce the cost of IT operations.
Based on extensive research with schools worldwide, and experienced technology partners, UppCast has been developed to help education institutions move towards collaborative e-learning by providing a flexible platform that addresses today’s technology challenges.
Lavdim Cena, Managing Director, UppCast, said: "UppCast enables educational institutions to establish a vibrant, connected learning community for students, staff and teachers by providing creative tools and collaboration technologies along with insightful performance reporting – all on a trusted, familiar IT platform that’s cost-efficient to manage and secure."
Walk the Camino for an educational, fun, spiritual & healthy break
By Follow the Camino on 01 May 2013, 10:32am
Follow the Camino have just launched the EDUCamino™ - the first ever organised guided tour on the last 100km of the Camino de Santiago.
Walking the Camino de Santiago is a wonderful inner and spiritual experience, but unfortunately it has always proved difficult for group leaders to organise educational trips along the Camino. With a different hotel every night, impossibility to book dormitories in advance, the language barrier, too many choices of suppliers, and difficulties to book groups ahead, planning a school trip was a headache.
Interactive ear provides new resource for students
By Amplifon on 30 April 2013, 16:51pm
Teachers can now offer a fully interactive view of the human ear in class, thanks to a new educational resource released online which details each part of the ear in detail. The tool explores the outer, middle and inner ear and the cochlea, and gives clear descriptions of each, explaining how the ear controls hearing and balance and what can affect its ability to do this effectively.
The website, created by hearing experts Amplifon, offers a highly-stylised 3D diagram of the human ear, with each part labelled with its name and a description to allow users to explore in as much or as little detail as they wish. The piece also includes an animated feature which follows the movement of sound waves from the outer to the inner ear.
Langeroo relaunches with new website and membership levels
By Langeroo on 26 April 2013, 10:31amLangeroo have relaunched their website and introduced a greater choice of membership levels for schools, nurseries and home users looking to teach English to Early Years, EAL, SEN and ALN.
Monthly and annual subscriptions are now available online (and payment by invoice is still possible with annual subscriptions for schools and nurseries).
Track Pupil Premium spend and effectiveness with Provision Map Writer
By EduKey on 22 April 2013, 13:10pm
There is a burden of accountability placed on school leaders and governors on how to spend the Pupil Premium (set at £900 per pupil from April 2013). In particular, there is now an Ofsted focus on Pupil Premium spending and it’s effectiveness, with schools now expected to show how they have spent the money and the impact it has had on raising attainment in the school. Additionally, all schools are now legally required to publish a report on Pupil Premium spending on their website.
So how do you track how Pupil Premium is spent and how effective it has been in terms of outcomes? EduKey offer a solution through their unique online IEP and Provision Map Writer.
For an inspiring school trip take the plunge in the Cayman Islands
By Oyster Diving on 12 April 2013, 10:53am
Diving offers children as young as eight a unique and unrivalled experience combining adventure, adrenalin, exercise, exploration, tranquillity and relaxation.
Professional diving specialist Oyster Diving has years of experience offering scuba diving courses, and has established itself as the premier provider of diving holidays to schools and colleges.
This year the highlight of Oyster Diving’s school trips is an itinerary to the legendary dive destination of the Cayman Islands located in the Western Caribbean. The Cayman Islands was the birthplace of recreational diving and today the trio of islands provides first class professional diving schools with stringent safety requirements and excellent infrastructure. Regularly cited as one of the world’s top diving destinations, Cayman is famed for its pristine coral reefs, an undisputed track record in marine conservation and of course idyllic conditions that are highly conducive to learning and enjoyment.
New resource website for GCSE, A level and beyond
By Getting-In on 05 April 2013, 10:45am
Getting-in is a new educational resource website based around a ground-breaking principle: a one-stop shop for students’ educational needs as they make the crucial, potentially life-changing transition from school to university and beyond.
Getting-in offers a uniquely broad range of services, from GCSE and A Level revision materials to university guides and course listings. From articles on how to writie a great personal statement to tips on applying for apprenticeships and the graduate job market, Getting-in caters for everyone.
Stephen Newall, CEO, commented: "Rather than focusing narrowly on one specific age group, we cater for the whole spectrum of students from secondary school all the way up to and beyond university graduation. Our catering to this broad church is based on the belief that students ought to be able to have access to guides and resources that will help them make the transition from one stage of their education to another before finally entering the job market.
Create interactive audio-based lessons with Audio Notetaker 3
By Sonocent on 04 April 2013, 10:23amSonocent have announced that Audio Notetaker Version 3 for PC is now available. The new update to the software now includes many new features aimed specifically at aiding the teaching of oral language skills and literacy in the classroom.
Sonocent Director, Dave Tucker, explains: "Audio Notetaker is designed to help students significantly improve a broad range of cross-curricular study skills, from note taking to speaking, listening and comprehension skills. For teachers it can be used to create interactive audio-based lessons and simplify the gathering and assessment of audio work by students. Additional uses include lesson capture and CPD."
