School happy to help with educational technology support
A primary is proving to be at the cutting edge of educational technology support after helping other schools with remote learning during the pandemic.
Pheasey Park Farm Primary School, part of the Elston Hall Learning Trust, is one of just 42 EdTech demonstrator schools selected by the Government nationwide.
The EdTech Demonstrator Programme provides support and expertise to schools and colleges for both face to face and remote education.
This has been particularly important for schools where pupil attendance is affected by Covid-19.
Pheasey Park Farm Primary in Wimperis Way, Great Barr, became a Demonstrator School in April 2020 and began supporting schools during the first Covid-19 lockdown.
At that time, the support to schools was more reactive in order to ensure that education was available to the children staying at home.
Now, in the programme’s second year, support is proactive and aims to embed the good practice learned during lockdown.
The focus of the support can include recovery, teacher workload, school improvement plans and resource management.
One of the schools which Pheasey has provided support to is the University of Wolverhampton Smestow Academy.
Jonathan Stokes, assistant headteacher at Smestow Academy, said: "At Smestow we have used the Demonstrator Programme to build links with industry and through that we are currently working on a project with Viewsonic using SENS units to provide data on classroom environments and how these be developed to improve the classrooms for better learning and health requirements.
"Even though we are proficient in the use of technology at Smestow it has been of great benefit to use the Demonstrator Programme to share ideas and discuss potential benefits and pitfalls of IT solutions in schools."
