School suppliers School suppliers
This month, in our first feature, we offer a selection of suppliers to the education sector here in the UK, ranging from assessment providers to suppliers of software and classroom resources. Whatever your requirements in the classroom, you’ll be sure to find something of interest!
Think-IT
WCL delivers the E2BN Think-IT procurement framework for IT products and services in education. Think-IT is the “Department Store for Schools’ IT”. Like a department store, we offer products and services from the top brands, under one roof. We help you select what you want and need, offering the level of support appropriate to your needs. It’s then managed under one simple-to-administer contract: at prices up to 30 per cent cheaper than going direct to each individual supplier. Because Think-IT is an EU tendered procurement framework, it is a purchasing route recognised by the DfE, enabling schools to buy with confidence and
without the need to get three quotes. “The Think-IT framework is a god-send for anyone tasked with buying IT because they do it all for you,” said Paul Turner, assistant headteacher, at The
Swinton High School. Think-IT covers 18 product and service categories, including: Connectivity; VoIP; Single Sign-On; Virtual Desktop; Classroom Management; Printers; Hardware;
Finance; Integrated MIS & VLE; Safeguarding; E-Safety; Mobile Device Management; and Learning Content. We make IT easy to understand: Educational IT is constantly changing; we make it easy for schools to decide what they want and need. We make IT easy to buy: Think IT is a DfE recognised EU tendered procurement framework, so schools can buy with confidence without needing a procurement exercise or three quotes. One simple-to-administer contract for everything makes it quick and easy to buy what you want and need. We make IT easy to implement: Think IT brings together over twenty of the best educational suppliers in the UK and internationally to work with your internal team. Our solutions are pre-integrated; schools need their IT to work, first time, every time. We make it easy to be successful: Success is not about hardware or software, it’s about people. Our team creates a
change programme specific to the challenges in your school.
uwww.think-it.org.uk
B Squared
B Squared is a market leader in assessment software. With nearly 20 years’ experience of working with schools, its products are used in over 3000 schools across the UK. Its Connecting Steps V4 assessment software spans the EYFS framework; P Scales; the 2014 National Curriculum; and the Adult Curriculum covering
Milestones and Pre-Entry levels. B Squared has recently created breakdowns for all National Curriculum subjects: one based on levels and the other on end of year outcomes. In addition, its
new Connecting Steps Analysis Module offers unsurpassed ability to compare data across different student cohorts and diversity groups such as Pupil Premium, and English as an Additional Language. It is highly effective in assisting in the creation of reports essential for Ofsted, Governors and Senior Management. For those subscribing to Connecting Steps V4, B Squared can also provide hosting of data on its own dedicated servers, easing pressure on school networks, and allowing remote access to all information. Data is backed up every 15 minutes, stored in a secure data centre and all servers are monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by B Squared staff. As schools move towards data analysis, the Connecting Steps V4 software, which can be accessed via an iPad app, allows teaching staff to easily record and
monitor results wherever they are: the iPad app is free for all B Squared hosted customers. Depending on each schools budget and needs, B Squared can also provide training and support, to all users. During 2015, B Squared has also been developing a new autism assessment, in conjunction with
Autism Progress. The new assessment tool will enable superior profiling of individuals with autism, and guide the development of targeted support strategies. The new autism descriptors will be available as part of its Connecting Steps software.
uwww.bsquared.co.uk Groupcall
Co-founded by Sir Bob Geldof, Groupcall is one of the education sector market leaders in communication and data extraction tools since launching in 2002. Its product portfolio comprises of Messenger, Emerge and Xporter. Groupcall was initially created to improve general and emergency communication
between a school and its parents. Its parental communication system, Messenger, enables schools to send personalised SMS, voice or email messages instantly to parents/staff/students or other contacts in a variety of languages. Messenger is currently used in more than 5,000 schools and sends over 4 Million text messages every month. The system includes the Groupcall Xpressions app, providing an inbox for emails and a history of texts received with additional information along with a
timeline, allowing push notifications to parents so they can keep up-to-date with their child’s activities throughout the school day. Emerge is the powerful app enabling schools to have an up-to-the-minute copy of their MIS data instantly and securely available in the palm of their hand for access anytime, anywhere. Student information including timetables, attendance, assessment, minutes late, absence notes, medical information, behaviour and achievement data can be accessed wherever the teacher is located. Groupcall’s automated data solution product, Xporter is used in approximately 17,000 schools, and by over 65
education authorities and academy groups. This represents around 50 per cent of English schools and the system is known to move information on approximately 5 Million students every day. In addition, its Identity-as-a-service product (IDaaS) is used in many schools across the country.
uwww.groupcall.com 22
www.education-today.co.uk July 2015
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