Introduction Why a LP? Why UniServity? What’s happening in Blackburn with Darwen? Supporting local priorities through the LP Next steps Learning Platform Showcase

WHAT IS A LEARNING PLATFORM? A Learning Platform is a set of online tools and services to support schools in delivering and managing teaching and learning.

WHY A LEARNING PLATFORM? Schools have been advised by DCSF (Department for children, schools and families) that they should provide a Learning Platform to support teaching and learning by The specific targets are: Every learner in school should have access to an online personalised learning space with the potential to support e- portfolios by This must conform to Becta (British Educational Communication and Technology Agency) guidance. Each school should have access to an integrated learning and management ICT system that provides a full range of functionality across every aspect of school life and conforms to Becta guidance by Strong advice has been given through the DCSF that Local Authorities should aggregate demand and recommend a single solution to schools. This is so that best value for money can be obtained, training can be more efficient and so that pupils transferring between schools or working at more than one site can use a single service.

WHY A LEARNING PLATFORM? Real-time reporting Real-time reportingReal-time reporting gives parents secure online anytime/anywhere access to information on their child’s progress, achievement, attendance, behaviour and special educational needs. This new way for schools to communicate with parents leads to improvements in achievement without imposing extra burdens on teachers! By September 2008 all secondary schools will be expected to provide information to parents on their child’s achievement, progress, attendance, behaviour and special needs at least once a term. By September 2010 all secondary schools will need to offer parents real- time access to this information (including the opportunity for secure online access) wherever and whenever it suits them. Primary schools must meet the basic requirement by September 2010 and the real- time requirement by 2012.

WHAT ADDED VALUE CAN A LEARNING PLATFORM BRING? PublishingReflecting Collaboration Learning Capturing the Learning Journey “The Learning Footprint” Developing Sharing

WHY UNISERVITY? As a company, UniServity’s approach puts a real emphasis on teaching and learning – not the technology – and it was obvious that UniServity listens to their customers and develops the product in response to their needs. The UniServity Learning Platform offers good functionality that links in to the way young people today use technology, and the product can easily be customised to meet individual school needs. UniServity made it clear they really wanted to work with us and so far our experience of working with them has lived up to all of our expectations.

UNISERVITY & THE UNISERVITY LEARNING PLATFORM UniServity is an education company Learning Platforms are our core business UK hosted – comply with Data Protection regulations Won BECTA contracts – Blackburn, Bolton, East Sussex, Halton, Jersey, Portsmouth, Rochdale, Suffolk, Warrington, Wokingham Long-standing customers – Cheshire, West Berkshire + 78 others 14 countries + 6 pending Engagements at ministry level in many countries 2,000 schools Over 1,500,000 active users Unique strategic partnership with Capita

UniServity cLc – connected Learning communities BECTA Framework – standard tools to support teaching and learning Everyone is a learner, everyone is a teacher cLc used for CPD and mentoring support Transformation… leading to improvement “Doing new things in new ways in order to do them better” Michael Fullen Empowering learners Fully-resourced transformational cross-curriculum projects from local to global

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN BwD? Phased Roll Out Phase 1 – Autumn 2007Phase 2 – Spring 2008 Phase 3 – Summer 2008Phase 4 – Autumn 2008 Across all infant, junior, primary, secondary & special schools. Largely self selecting to groups or where no preference indicated a group has been allocated. All schools receive: Invitation to a Roadshow event UniServity roadmap to success document Individual consultancy meeting in school with SLT and key players Initial training for2 people for 2 full days Follow up support by link E learning consultant Support re: administration on request from Carole Bond First line telephone support from UniServity Invitations to attend drop in workshop sessions

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN BwD? Des Callaghan, Deputy Headteacher, St Bede’s RC High School

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN BwD? Fran Bennett, RE Teacher, St Bede’s RC High School

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN BwD? Gary Gornell, Headteacher, Hawthorns Junior School

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN BwD? Natalie Watts, E learning manager, Hawthorns Junior School

CONTENT IN THE LEARNING PLATFORM Blackburn with Darwen Hubs E learning Service SEMA Service Content Knowledge Box Roar English & The Media National Digital Resources Network

ISSUE Narrowing the gap – the effects of deprivation & low-performing groups HOW MIGHT THE LEARNING PLATFORM HELP? By breaking these barriers down and supporting disassociated groups if used as a mechanism for broadening choice. Student Voice/ Student Ownership Peer assessment more influential than teacher assessment Access to expertise and support from within own communities Parental Involvement Anytime/anywhere 24/7 access SUPPORTING LOCAL PRIORITIES THROUGH THE LEARNING PLATFORM

Student Voice / Student Ownership

Peer Assessment more influential than Teacher Assessment

Peer Assessment – Proof is in the Pudding

Support from within their own Communities

Megan (Age 5): Parents “ When we were learning about toys from the past my Mum could write on the forum about the toys from when she was little. All the class saw! Otherwise she couldn ’ t come to talk about it because she was at work ” Parental Involvement

Parents Supporting Learning

Parental Involvement

ISSUE Performance at higher levels HOW MIGHT THE LEARNING PLATFORM HELP? Changing the audience- connecting to audiences who can enhance learning – Olympic student magazine- GOING GLOBAL Access to experts- Architect project Students Managing own communities AS experts Personalised learning – BwD G&T communities, Support within similar communities cLc supports autonomous learners – on demand, asynchronous learning, deep thinking, deeper learning rather than extra work SUPPORTING LOCAL PRIORITIES THROUGH THE LEARNING PLATFORM

British Council Climate Cool Launch Changing the audience

British Council Climate Cool Changing the audience

Charlie: Logo Expert Children as the experts

Ask an Expert – Authentic Learning

Personalised Learning

ISSUE Girls do better than boys in every single measure of reading & writing and Maths at Key stage 1, yet…. Relatively our boys do better than one would expect, while our girls do not do as well HOW MIGHT THE LEARNING PLATFORM HELP? Giving boys a reason to read and write Sharing best practice – A range of different Communities to suit purpose Parental involvement – Allow parents to interact and take part in the learning SUPPORTING LOCAL PRIORITIES THROUGH THE LEARNING PLATFORM

Giving boys a reason to read and write

Sharing Best Practice – A range of Communities to suit purpose

Parental Involvement in Learning

ISSUE HOW MIGHT THE LEARNING PLATFORM HELP? Using learning platform tools to engage learners- Blogs / Web 2 technology Peer and self assessment Support networks At Key Stage 2, girls do better than boys in English, worse in Maths and similarly in Science. This reflects the national picture, but again relatively our boys do better than expected and our girls not as well SUPPORTING LOCAL PRIORITIES THROUGH THE LEARNING PLATFORM

Engaging Learners – Web 2.0 / E-Portfolios

Peer and self assessment

Support networks

HOW MIGHT THE LEARNING PLATFORM HELP? Improving communication between teams and schools ‘Virtual’ support for school Use existing data to identify schools who are bucking the trend and share effective practice - SUPPORTING LOCAL AUTHORITY OFFICERS

Improving communication – LA Staff

Improving communication - Teaching Staff

Improving communication – Sharing resources

‘Virtual’ support for school

Sharing effective practice across Communities

NEXT STEPS Look at the roadmap document: Read prologue Appendix A – The Learning Matrix Complete questions for consideration Consider how you might use the learning platform in your role. How can you make this happen? For further advice contact E learning Service