At Redgate Community School in Liverpool, pupil voice is at the heart of their curriculum. The school wants its children to have a say in their learning, which is why, after their free two-week trial, they did a student survey to decide whether or not to subscribe to now>press>play.
Curriculum Lead Gill Stratton explains how the school got on and why they chose to go ahead with a full subscription.
Rationale: Why we booked our trial
Across the board, classes have found lockdown has affected writing in particular. Children have had little or no opportunity for independent writing. Writing is rooted in experience and children have not been able to visit, go on holiday or experience much other than their own homes and locality. Less mixing with peers has increased language and vocabulary issues and this was the most difficult gap to address once we returned from lockdown.
We are aiming to enrich our curriculum through the learning experiences we can offer our children. If we are spending money, we want to spend it wisely. So of course, asking the children how best we can do that is always a priority. They are the ones who know best how to support their own learning — pupil voice is key.
Pupil voice: Impact report created by Year 6 Digital Leaders
Our Year 6 digital leaders surveyed the school following the two-week trial and staff training. They asked students in every KS1 and KS2 year group what they thought of using now>press>play:
“I loved it, it was exciting!”
“It was the best lesson ever.”
“I wish we could have it all the time. It was so fun and it made me really listen to what was in my ears on the headphones and I remembered it better.”
“We all really enjoyed it. I could remember the facts I needed easier, I am not sure why but when we came to the task I could focus on what I needed to do better than I normally can.”
“It made our lesson really interactive. I think we remember more because we are actively learning but also you have to really stay focused. We all said afterwards that we really liked the Experience and it brought our learning to life.”
“We all want to keep it and use it all the time. It boosted our learning and made it quicker. I think this is because, through the individual headphones, you are being spoken to as if you are the only one in the room and involved in the learning so you get really involved in it. It really improved our listening and focus. In preparation for SATs, it made learning more enjoyable and really refreshed how we could revise key facts but in a fun way.”
Staff voice: The Redgate teachers’ response
All teachers agreed that it was a useful resource and across the board children had fully engaged in learning; often those who struggle the most to engage, particularly in our KS1 classes, were engaging. Teachers commented that the Experiences “provoked very good discussion, especially the Stone Age and PSHE topics.”
Often those who struggle the most to engage, particularly in our KS1 classes, were engaging. In our Complex Needs Base, the children benefited from using the equipment and were engaged in the activities.
Staff enjoyed the reduced workload the tool offered, as lessons are planned, resourced and delivered on the scheme. There are a variety of Experiences available; all staff would like this increased in the future.
After each Experience, children completed the accompanying sequencing tasks and quizzes provided by now>press>play. Older students also completed the SATs maths code-breaking activity and several reading comprehensions. One teacher said, “It was really easy to use and the resources were of a high quality.”
All staff, particularly our Mental Health and Wellbeing lead, would be interested to see how the app could be used in terms of boosting pupil wellbeing. now>press>play are offering training on this later this year.
“I found it easy to use and applicable to our curriculum, it was a resource I could trust to leave with supply/PPA time. In a short time, the children and staff got used to it and understood the resource.”
“It focused the children on punctuation but using a motivational ‘lived in’ experience.”
“It focused the children on punctuation but using a motivational 'lived in' experience.”
“I found it easy to use and applicable to our curriculum, it was a resource I could trust to leave with supply/PPA time. In a short time, the children and staff got used to it and understood the resource.”
Evaluation: Why we subscribed to now>press>play
Pupil voice is key to the decisions we make. If we are spending money, we want it to be used for what the children feel helps them to learn. This, and the staff feedback, engagement and excitement that was brought to lessons, combined to us reaching the decision to buy into now>press>play for a year.
The impact over time will be monitored and developments and regular meetings will take place between us and the now>press>play team to ensure that, as they develop their resources, it aligns with what our staff and children require to enhance their learning.
How did staff describe the children’s experience of now>press>play?
“Excited, amazed, intrigued.”
“Excited, loved, enjoyed.”
“Engaging, energetic and motivational.”
“Fun, active, educational.”
“Enthusiastic, engaged, focused.”
Many thanks to the pupils and staff at Redgate Community School for giving us feedback on their now>press>play journey so far. If you’d like to find out more, read our blog on what to expect from your now>press>play free trial.
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