360 Learning Lab
Michelle Swallow, Amanda Leary and Louise Dean, from Bradford College, are developing the innovative 360 Learning Lab which aims to use immersive technology to boost engagement and literacy skills among disadvantaged students. The project brings outside environments into the classroom using 360-degree videos and virtual reality (VR) headsets. It will create a free online library of 360-degree videos that can be used to immerse students in real-world settings. By virtually ‘placing’ students in these environments the project hopes to spark pupils’ imagination, and provide the sensory inspiration needed for creative writing tasks.
A-Level Up
Grimsby teachers Sam Stenton and Aaron Lewis are developing A-Level Up, an app aimed at aiding A-Level maths students in exam preparation. The new app will guide students towards relevant questions, helping them identify and fill knowledge gaps efficiently.
Better on the Big Screen
Better on the Big Screen is the brainchild of Matt Harte, from Leeds City College. The project, which combines the magic of movies with the convenience of AI, aims to inspire students resitting their English language GCSE. The project blends communal cinema trips and online clips of famous films with AI-generated prose to spark the imagination of students who may have otherwise struggled to engage with the subject.
Fixing Fluency
Fixing Fluency, led by Jessica Mellor from the Great Heights Academy Trust in Halifax, has been designed to develop the fluency of primary-age pupils – particularly those aged between 7 and 11 years. Fluent readers can read aloud accurately, and quickly, in a natural way, without stumbling or hesitating. The project involves teachers leading their whole class in daily activities based on that week’s chosen text, culminating in Readers’ Theatre – a performance of the text.
Integrating Retained Primitive Reflexes
After COVID-19 disruptions, Watercliffe Meadow Primary School, in Sheffield, observed significant unpreparedness in its early years cohort – physically, emotionally, and educationally. In collaboration with a kinesiologist, the school identified retained primitive reflexes and movement-related dysfunctions as key factors. This project aims to integrate these reflexes, helping children better prepare for school and engage with their education, leading to improved attainment over time.
One Tool – All of the Facts
Amy How, a teacher trainer based in West Yorkshire, uses the innovative rekenrek – a wooden counting frame similar to an abacus – to transform number sense among young children.
The Oracy and Reading Project
Wingfield Academy in Rotherham leads The Oracy and Reading Project to improve speaking skills and reading fluency for disadvantaged children transitioning from primary to secondary school. Year 6 students are mentored by Year 12 and 13 peers in sessions celebrating each child’s background, aiming to build self-confidence and raise aspirations.
The Story Project
Olivia Richards is developing a programme in Bradford schools to address both literacy and wellbeing, recognising that children in deprived communities are less likely to meet literacy expectations and more likely to face mental health challenges. Through carefully selected stories, teachers encourage children to discuss interpretation, vocabulary, and character emotions, helping them build literacy skills while connecting with their own feelings and experiences.
United Learning x Boys’ Impact
This project, led by Richard McNicholas, Vice Principal at Barnsley Academy, Barnsley Academy, aims to support boys at the school in developing positive self-identity and successfully forging a pathway to their future career of choice. The initiative centres on how boys can take a more active role in their own development to effectively reach their goals.