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FEATURE: SOFTWARE IN SCHOOLS
Utilising software for a smarter school run
fact that technology can play a crucial role in the safety and wellbeing of children on their journey to and from school, contribute to reducing both vehicle emissions and a school’s carbon footprint, plus save valuable time for staff. Additionally, as the cost of living rises, and the
price of owning and operating a car continues to increase, many parents will be seeking additional support with the school run, making investment in this area critical for attracting pupils moving forwards. Particularly in the current climate, wherein there is increased competition for students, as fewer overseas pupils are travelling to the UK, schools are having to work harder to attract and retain pupils and must stand out from the crowd. As a result, some schools are expanding their
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n our final feature this month we take a look at the use of software in schools in the
company of Godfrey Ryan, CEO of school transport specialist Kura, who explains how, in a time of ever-increasing fuel and energy costs, software can help to improve the efficiency of the school run.
When it comes to technology in schools, transport is an area that is often overlooked and underinvested in. In fact, less than a quarter of schools have invested in tech to improve school transport over the last 10 years. This is despite the
catchment area, meaning also that students may have longer journeys to get to and from school. Therefore, it’s important that this journey is made as easy, efficient and comfortable as possible, to reduce stress associated with the school run, improve student wellbeing and reduce the demands on parents. Despite these pain points, software for school
transport remains a long way down the priority list, unlike school management and lesson delivery, which have continuously evolved in line with digitisation. However, encouragingly, we’re starting to see increased attention paid to the school run, and how software can be used to improve the experience for all involved. With 40% of schools believing that technology is the key to
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www.education-today.co.uk
running a school more efficiently, it’s time to incorporate it into transport.
A safer school run Technology can play a vital role in increasing student safety and wellbeing on the school run, reassuring parents and leaving them feeling confident to allow their children to use school transport, and leave the car at home. One example of this is tracking technology, which enables parents to receive real time boarding and alighting notifications via an app, so they know when their child has got on and off the coach. Parents can also receive updates via
notifications from the driver or school if there is a delay or change to the service and can see via the app when the coach will be arriving, allowing them to get their child to the pickup location on time and stay informed on when they will be home. For parents, knowing where their children are,
and that they’re safe, is of the utmost importance. Therefore, offering a reliable school travel service, which is enhanced by technology, takes the stress out of the school run and gives parents one less worry in the morning. Satisfied parents mean less stress for staff managing the school run.
A smarter school run The lack of modernisation of school transport processes means that school staff are still spending far too much time organising school
June 2022
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