BESA CORNER
This month in our ongoing feature highlighting the work of the UK education suppliers’ trade body BESA, we find out about Purple Mash and BBC micro:bits; and ONVU Learning.
How Cornerstone Academy Trust uses Purple Mash and BBC micro:bits to build confidence, engagement, and inclusivity
Across the Cornerstone Academy Trust, primary teachers are discovering the impact of integrating Purple Mash’s 2Code tool with BBC micro:bits. In a recent trust-wide survey, teachers shared how this integration boosted their confidence, increased student engagement, and supported all learners, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN). For many of these schools, it has
been their first time exploring physical computing and Purple Mash has offered an easy, accessible starting point. Quick highlights • 80% of teachers felt more confident teaching coding • 100% reported higher engagement through hands-on coding • 80% agreed that the tools were accessible to SEN pupils • Majority saw no gender gap in coding confidence Building teacher confidence
Before implementation, most teachers described having low confidence in teaching coding, especially with physical devices like micro:bits. Purple Mash’s structure and ease of use has helped to bridge that gap. “Purple Mash is quite straightforward to use when introducing micro:bits. I don’t have experience with micro:bits previously to this year, but the resources have helped my understanding and allow me to help the children.”
— Gigi Labram, Yeo Valley Primary School Hands-on coding brings engagement to life
Integrating micro:bits into lessons transforms abstract coding concepts into tangible experiences. With Purple Mash’s 2Code, students write code and see immediate results on their micro:bits, whether creating a name badge, step counter, or simple game.
Educators across the Trust observe increased enthusiasm when students code using micro:bits. “They far more enjoy the hands-on part of using micro:bits – it makes coding real and visible,” notes Kerry Jackson from Monkerton Community Primary.
Jessica Johnson from Countess Wear Primary School adds: “This has helped my children go from novice coders to more fluent in their understanding.”
Supporting SEN learners effectively
Teachers highlight the accessibility of Purple Mash’s interface, which makes it particularly helpful for pupils with additional needs. “My children with SEN are confident using the site. It’s familiar, easy to navigate, and supports independent learning.” — Gigi Labram, Yeo Valley Primary School
“I am able to provide ample support and challenge for my range of students.”
— Niamh Evans, Westclyst Community Primary School Growing independence and confidence in the classroom Even teachers who were initially unfamiliar with micro:bits find that Purple Mash’s resources make the integration seamless. The step-by-step guides, lesson plans, and support materials are instrumental in building teacher confidence when delivering coding lessons. The benefits aren’t limited to teacher confidence. Across the trust, teachers report pupils becoming more independent coders, too. “Children seem more confident working independently.” — Ciara James, Broadclyst
Importantly, teachers note that coding confidence spans across genders. “There are a couple of children in my class who are more confident with code; it is a mixture of boys and girls.” — Jessica Johnson, Countess Wear Primary School Trust-wide success
The Cornerstone Academy Trust’s experience demonstrates the real impact of combining Purple Mash with BBC micro:bits. By enabling students to see real-world outcomes from their code, this powerful pairing makes learning tangible, exciting, and relevant. Over 80% of teachers in the survey report feeling more confident teaching coding with the support of Purple Mash. They appreciate how quick and easy it was to set up. With clear teacher guidance and pre- built activities that work seamlessly with micro:bits, Purple Mash removes the technical barriers often found in other platforms.
6,000 students across Leicester to benefit from better teaching and learning
Discovery Trust is set to improve teaching standards and pupil outcomes for thousands of pupils in Leicestershire, thanks to new video technology in their schools.
The cameras, from ONVU Learning, are designed to record how teachers teach and how pupils react to their teaching through a bird’s eye view of the classroom. Teachers then use the clips to reflect on what they could have done differently or try out new teaching methods with a view to improving pupil’s enjoyment and engagement with their learning. Paul Stone, CEO of Discovery Trust, said: “Ensuring young people are enthusiastic and engaged in their learning is key to improving student outcomes.
“Teachers have complete control over what they record on the cameras and own their video recordings. The footage is purely for their benefit so they can improve their teaching and understand more about how the class is learning.”
All 182 classrooms in the trust’s 20 schools will be equipped with specialist cameras after a successful trial of more than a year in 60 classrooms.
The first schools to have the camera technology this autumn will be the trust’s 15 primary schools. By spring 2026, the trust’s secondary school and four special school will have cameras installed in all their classrooms. Jo Stone, Ped Tech Lead at Discovery Trust, said: “We piloted the technology for a year and during that time, teachers could analyse what
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they were doing in class and be reflective about their own practice. They became more self-aware and able to recognise when something went well and understand the reasons why.
“Throughout the pilot, staff were sharing clips of their practice with other teachers to discuss how they could improve their teaching or engage children in a different way.
Before rolling it out to all 20 of its schools, Discovery Trust put in place a comprehensive consultation and training process. Policies and protocols were outlined explaining how the cameras would be used and they made it clear to staff that no one else in the school could view the footage unless the teachers wanted to share it. They informed parents about the cameras and explained that the recordings would be used only for teacher training and not for any other reason.
Matt Tiplin, vice president at ONVU Learning and a former school leader and Ofsted Inspector, said: “We are seeing more and more schools wanting to change the way they develop teaching skills in their teams. There is a shift from the old style ‘this is what good teaching looks like’ type learning to a more collaborative way that allows for much more innovation that ensures children want to learn.
“Part of this process is giving teachers more of a say in their own professional development. Video technology is a great way to do this and allows for huge leaps in teaching skills for a fraction of the cost of more traditional methods.”
September 2025
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