How edtech can be an enabler for transformation

Northern Education Trust have been on a journey of rapid improvement over the past three years and are using digital monitoring technology in new and innovative ways.

Following the appointment of a new CEO (Rob Tarn), Northern Education Trust began to implement a number of innovative systems to improve the outcomes and life chances of the students across the trust. Part of those developments was the implementation of trust-led IT /edtech systems, one of which was a trust-wide digital monitoring solution.

Northern Education Trust use edtech to identify children who may be at risk and execute early interventions and also use it to increase targeted teaching and improve learning outcomes not just for children at risk but the whole school community. An at-risk child identified through monitoring, may have their teaching adjusted. This may be a 1:1 or a different learning environment according to their needs. But more unusually, the trust identify risk trends captured each month and use them to inform topics for special assemblies, to empower teachers to address the topic in class and to initiate additional support initiatives.

Monthly reports are shared across the schools and with the trustees and CEO. This flow of information means everyone becomes better informed of online dangers and how to stay safe online.

In the first year after implementation there was a 400% increase in number of detections of seriously at-risk pupils. Events that may otherwise have gone unnoticed or been detected too late. Ofsted ratings across the trust have dramatically improved in schools with Ofsted often citing digital safety knowledge as a contributing factor. 

In 2020 Northern Education Trust won the BETT ‘Impact in Education’ award which recognised the trusts innovative work in implementing a trust-wide digital monitoring system to help safeguard students online. The award was presented by The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP, who was at the time responsible for education technology in his role as minister of state for universities, science, research and innovation. He said: “This award recognises those leveraging EdTech to deliver positive learning outcomes. It celebrates an institution for not only the investment they have made, but also the implementation and the way they have embedded the solution to deliver meaningful results, supported by robust evidence.  Northern Education Trust is leading the way and are an impressive demonstration of how technology is being used to improve safeguarding.”

The seminar by Mark at EdExec LIVE will explore how technology has transformed the trust’s outcomes and go through the journey Northern Education Trust have been on over the past three years. Click here to book your ticket now or email us at [email protected] for a discounted ticket.