How can technology enhance teaching in rural schools?

Using technology to teach in a rural school

With rural schools facing pressure from low pupil rolls, budget cuts and declining birth rates many small schools are struggling to maintain high standards. Kendra Bolton, headteacher at Stewartstown Primary, recognised internationally for its excellence in mathematics, explains how technology has helped her school meet these challenges and embrace its rural environment...


Melissa Würtz Azari, co-founder and CPO at Tiimo



The verdict is in…no phones before bed!

Students with no phones before bed poster

Pupils at Weaverham Primary Academy have pledged to ditch their phones and smart devices before bed.

Research has shown that using the technology at the end of the day can cause poor-quality sleep, which is linked to a decline in mental health.

Pupils at the school debated over whether smart phones should be used in their bedrooms before going to sleep.

And the resounding verdict was ‘NO’!

Now the Year 6 children have promised to shut down their screens earlier in the day.

Executive Head Teacher, Fiona Whittaker, said: “It was very clear from the arguments for and against, that mobile phones and smart devices should not form part of a night-time routine.

New AI software from Lexplore helps identify struggling readers in minutes

Lexplore can detect dyslexia - children reading in class on carpet

Showcased at Bett 2019 for the first time, Lexplore (stand B303) has brought 30 years of research into reading development to create a new tool that will help teachers accurately pinpoint children’s reading attainment. The artificial intelligence software in Lexplore highlights specific eye movement patterns in children which can suggest reading difficulties including dyslexia. This can help teachers identify children who may be struggling with reading in a matter of minutes.

Technology from Twinkl brings never seen before objects to the classroom 

Technology from Twinkl

What would happen if you showed a 3D dinosaur to a classroom of children?  Thanks to the team at Twinkl and a new Apple technology called AR Quick Look, you can.

Twinkl has created the largest collection of educational digital models that you can view in the classroom in 3D through augmented reality (AR). 

AR brings the real and virtual world together by superimposing computer generated images into real-world environments. 

The collection of over 100 models includes planets, animals, parts of the human anatomy and even a unicorn or Santa Claus.

The models are free to access and can be used on the latest Apple devices, on the iOS 12 operating system.

Edtech opens up the possibility of an Eton education for all

Edtech - a phone with books illustration




Technology’s place in the classroom 

Technology to help fight off loneliness

Companies such as Oslo-based start-up No Isolation are leading the fight in using technology to help find a solution for lonely groups of people within society. Their first product, a telepresence robot named AV1, has been designed to help a vulnerable section of society that sometimes is overlooked in the media. Children who suffer from long-term illness and cannot connect with their friends and school-mates, often suffer from depression as a result of their isolation. With doctors’ appointments and treatments sometimes taking over the lives of these children, it can be a relief to chat to their friends and learn alongside them at school using simple technology.

Virtual Reality Learning

Virtual Reality

The role of virtual reality in classrooms is providing adjustments for students struggling with their mental health.

Mental health problems, such as anxiety, can inhibit someone’s ability to get to school and be physically present during lessons. Here, Sam Warnes, a former teacher and founder of EDLounge, a unique platform that gives students who struggle with mainstream education the opportunity to access learning, explains how virtual reality in classrooms can offer a solution for accommodating pupils with mental health issues.

Autism East Midlands Wins Charity Times Award with Brain in Hand

