VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM


up exciting opportunities for schools that have now been implemented, tested and proven to work. The pandemic has also backed up our view


that schools’ technology infrastructure shouldn’t just be the responsibility of the head of IT. Times have changed, significantly and no more so that during this past year! Network rooms now need to be web-based with content in the Cloud to be accessed wherever the learning takes place. The role of the IT technician has to change and if they can embrace that, then it’s an exciting time for them. Rather than sitting in the server room this person now needs to be the Cloud service manager either in the school or working remotely. And this person is just one within a larger Ed Tech team. We use the analogy that getting the balance


started this journey six years ago we are able to share our experiences and successes with other schools that we are working with under this demonstrator school programme. Access to support from us is available to all


schools until April 2022 and any school regardless of location can contact us for this government funded support. It is not about these schools being seen to fail, it’s about them being sensible to recognise that we can all share ideas and learn from each other. I don’t believe there has been one school that


we have worked with that has wanted us to come in and tell them what they need to do – progression doesn’t have to mean prescriptive. We strongly believe that they shouldn’t be told


what to do as they will all have their own individual areas of excellence; it’s about understanding their pain points and supporting their journey to a more effective way of working. Today schools want bespoke support led by people who have experienced a similar journey and can talk with school-based credibility to showcase what works well. The first step involves us carrying out a positive,


constructive audit which provides us with a starting point for further discussion with everyone at the school.


Do you feel schools should be more open to learning from each other? Absolutely! Over the past decade, various government schemes have been designed to encourage schools to share best practice; something that is becoming increasingly widespread and valued but, like young children, I think schools still need to learn how to share! One of the most powerful tools we have at our


disposal in the education sector is the ability to collaborate and share; one thing is certain, schools understand each other. All schools want to do better and achieve more


for their pupils and to this end, working with other schools to ‘share’ ideas and insight is a highly valuable process. The most important thing to recognise is that


this is not simply about schools of excellence helping failing schools. Once a school takes the initiative to invite other schools in to share their quality practices and soak up ideas, the visiting school will also benefit from the experience by simultaneously re-affirming their own


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infrastructure and practices. Schools moving to cloud-based platforms has further enabled such collaboration.


We’ve all been through a challenging year. Looking ahead have you experienced any positive outcomes from the pandemic? Yes. We all had to move quickly when the first lockdown was announced, to put initiatives in place to allow for some form of continuous learning which of course included the use of technology for remote learning. When you bring together the well quoted


statistic that 65 percent of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist and pair this with the pandemic, we are reminded that we could be working anywhere in the world. It is certainly time that schools adapt to and reflect today’s rapidly evolving landscape. One part of this new landscape is the creation


of a bridge between home and school, which supports continuous work, not just homework! It brings in technologies such as digital textbooks and marking systems. Schools that already had this in place spent the early weeks of lockdown with their students learning, rather than other schools who were having to rush to set up a remote learning infrastructure. In the past year we have experienced the potential benefits of hybrid working and it would be a waste to ignore this valuable opportunity. Covid-19 has opened


and aspects of technology right in schools is like cooking the perfect meal; the ingredients have to be exactly right, and the quantities have to be accurately measured. Because we have worked with hundreds of schools, we have a list of potential ingredients and quantities for success, that can be applied to other schools depending on their specific situation.


What’s been the highlight of your work to date? There have possibly been two main highlights. In 2014, Ofsted inspectors stated that Pheasey Park Farm School, Walsall ‘Required Improvement’. I was brought on-board to transform the school to its much-improved ‘Good with a strong drive towards excellence’ status. Of course, I’m delighted to see this progress but more importantly it has been the most positive experience working with such an accomplished and dedicated team. “I couldn’t have done it without them,” is a well-used phrase but it is so appropriate for our work over the past few years. Another highlight was receiving a letter from


Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP which stated that through our ‘EdTech Demonstrator School’ Covid support, we have, “undoubtedly helped to inspire, motivate, and instil confidence in thousands of school leaders to strengthen their remote education and catch-up plans.” It’s not just about post pandemic teaching, it’s about how hundreds of schools are benefiting from the DfE’s funding to develop sustainable plans to put the right technology infrastructure in place for now and the future.


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