On November 29th schools from across the Northern Grid region came together at the launch event of the Northern Grid Lead Schools Network. Only 14 schools had been invited to participate in this network to work with schools which, like them, were doing exciting and innovative things with educational technology.

Northern Grid has been working with schools to provide broadband connections since 1999. Many people don't realise that when it started there was no technical infrastructure in place and our priority wasn't to provide the regional network but to work with teachers and local authority advisors to look at how the technology could be used to support teaching and learning and make a difference in the classroom. This clearly demonstrates that Northern Grid's two priorities were improving teaching and...

All Saints School opened in 2003 to provide a mixed 11-16 comprehensive school, with a capacity of 600 students, aided by the Diocese of York. The school is within the Parish of St Francis of Assisi and is within easy walking distance of many of the students who attend the school. There are now 632 students on roll in Years 7 to 11. The school has been oversubscribed each year since opening.

All Saints is unique in many ways and student leadership is a strength which is rapidly becoming the main driver for change within the school.

We work each day with a wonderful group of young people whose academic excellence and commitment to learning seem limitless;

Cullercoats Primary School, North Tyneside won the Personalisation Primary Award at the 2011 Northern Grid ICT in Education Awards

Emerging technology can often be more commonly associated with a secondary learning environment, and Gavin Storey, (Headteacher, Cullercoats Primary School), and Roger Neilson, Director at Marden CLC, North Tyneside, were keen to investigate if handheld devices could have a positive impact in a primary school learning environment.

The school were eager to move to a child-centred, personalised learning environment, and away from a traditional teacher-centred approach. The CLC provided the school with 60 iPod Touch devices, one for each child in year 5, and the school installed Wi-Fi across the school site as part of...

St Peter’s C of E Primary School won the Collaboration through Technology Primary Award with their Partner School, Kilton Thorpe School

The School

St Peter’s C of E Primary School is a large primary school located in East Cleveland, incorporating two SEN bases. We deliver a broad and balanced curriculum to pupils aged 3-11, giving opportunities to go on residential trips to the Lake District and local youth hostels for the year 3-6 pupils, as well as a range of after school activities for all pupils until 6pm every evening. We are located by the North Sea and have a vast field and woodland area which can be used as an outside classroom. We are an eco school, and have been awarded Green Flag status. We even have our own wind turbine on the school field, which was the first wind turbine for...

Redcar Community College was the Winner in the Overall Excellence Category of the Northern Grid Awards 2010. This Case study looks at what they achieved and how they accomplished this, giving valuable insight for schools wanting to improve their ICT integration.

You can view the Case Study below or download it as a PDF.

Tuned In! won the PSHE Secondary Award at the Northern Grid ICT in Education Awards 2011.

Tuned In! is a local authority wide project involving students from a number of secondary schools across the Borough of Redcar and Cleveland.

Cockerton Primary School, Darlington

Cockerton Primary School was Highly Commended in the Overall Excellence Category of the Northern Grid Awards 2010. This case study describes their journey from a school with little ICT equipment and very little enthusiasm for ICT to one where ICT is embedded across the whole school. There were challenges along the way and more to come but the dedication of head teacher Chris Metcalfe and the school staff ensures that they find solutions. In the case study they share these solutions and advice for other schools.

You can view the Case Study below or download it as a PDF.

A pilot project / case study facilitated by Northern Grid for learning and Lush Places Media.

Northern Grid is always keen to promote and facilitate the use of cutting edge technology in its partner schools. Lights Camera Action is a unique and interactive TV workshop using a portable television studio with the latest 'virtual' computer generated set which gave the pupils and staff at Normanby Primary a rare opportunity to experience life in the high pressure world of broadcast news.

The pupils were engaged right from the beginning of the session and were keen to investigate how everything worked. The level of interest and skills shown by the pupils was of a very high standard. The...

UPDATED: 13th May 2011

Woodlawn School, North Tyneside

One of Woodlawn's primary aims is to increase their children's participation in and enjoyment of learning. They recognise that that getting parents involved with their child's learning is one of the best ways to ensure that child is successful. Woodlawn School has been involved in the Becta Parental Engagement Project and has developed a wide range of methods for working with parents. As a special school Woodlawn deals with a wide range of special educational needs and all schools can learn from their experience.

This case study gives an overview of what the school did, what the benefits of better engagement with parents were, what they plan to do next and tips for other schools.

Woodlawn School, North Tyneside

Download this Case Study

About the school

Woodlawn is an all-age school for pupils with broad range of severe or complex special educational needs often linked to a medical condition or a physical disability: other needs include speech and communications problems, sensory impairment and other complex needs. The school is able to cater for pupils who are working below their chronological age as well as those with mainstream ability but with other complex needs.

The school was designated as a specialist special school for communication and interaction in September 2009. It has a national reputation for work with...

This Case Study by St John's Primary School, Darlington, details how the school have developed ICT. The Case Study includes samples of work and some example policies for schools to use.

Shaping Learner Landscapes is a project set up by North Tyneside School Improvement Service to allow schools to explore enquiry based learning over an extended period of time supported by ICT.

This case study looks at one particular Shaping Learner Landscapes project with Norham Community Technology College’s Y7 history students.

Hypotheses explored included:

• Enquiry based learning, supported by ICT over an extended period of time improves learner skills dramatically!
• Free, easy to access 24/7 ICT tools aid understanding, creativity, communication and
• engagement.
• Student understanding and skills are deepened by utilising extended periods of time.

The students worked in groups of four to explore whether e...

The Learning Platform Network is an ambitious initiative to connect and support schools in their use of learning platforms.

Schools improve when they effectively use their learning platform to support leadership, innovative and appropriate teaching and learning, assessment, data management and communication with all members of the learning community.

The Becta Learning Platform Model was developed by a national group who represent schools, LAs and RBCs and the members are Sally Elding – Cambridgeshire Senior Adviser for ICT (Primary), Stephen Schwartz – Croydon ICT Strategy Manager Department for Children, Young People and Learners, Ian Usher – Buckinghamshire eLearning Co-ordinator, School Improvement Service,...

This Case Study by Redby Primary School, Sunderland, looks at how their school went about holding an E-Safety Week.