schools

New education sector insight report published by IMP Software

Authored by Phil Smith
Posted: Mon, 02/06/2023 - 4:21pm

A new report commissioned by Exeter-based IMP Software has highlighted “very opposing views” among Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) leaders around centralising functions, GAG pooling and top slice mechanisms as trusts are directed to step up their efforts to expand.

The 2030 MAT Growth Challenge: Effective Strategies and Systems offers expert insight on how trusts can grow effectively to at least 10 schools or 7,500 pupils. It includes the perspectives of those who have already hit that target set out in the Schools White Paper and smaller MATs who are starting their growth journey. It...

New brand identity for IMP Software as company steps up mission to support smarter MAT finance

Authored by Phil Smith
Posted: Thu, 01/05/2023 - 7:26pm

Education sector leader IMP Software, which supports over 220 multi-academy trusts (MATs) with its budgeting, forecasting and reporting software, has unveiled an exciting new brand identity as it approaches its fourth anniversary.

The company, which was co-founded by Will Jordan and Dave Hall in February 2019, has revealed a new logo, brand colour scheme and fonts, and website to reflect its transition from “a plucky start-up” to a fully established systems provider now serving one in three large Trusts and around 20% of the overall MAT market.

Having doubled its customer...

New speech and language courses to help young children catch up after COVID-19

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 11/03/2022 - 4:41pm

Research conducted in schools last year revealed that the coronavirus pandemic, with its lockdowns and restrictions, held back many young children's speech and language development.

So, Devon County Council has created new courses which are available to parents and carers, and staff who work with children and young people, to help children catch up and reach their potential.

The Education Endowment Foundation research suggested that measures taken to address the pandemic deprived young children of social contact and opportunities that would normally have helped develop...

NSPCC on the lookout for new volunteers

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 10/14/2022 - 9:06pm

The NSPCC are searching the South West for volunteers to help keep children safe in the region.

The charity, which has two buildings in the South West, helps thousands of children a year with its Speak out Stay safe programme which is delivered in schools.

Speak out Stay safe helps children identify a trusted adult who they can speak to should they have any worries or concerns and teaches them how to contact Childline.

The programme also educates children on how to recognise different types of abuse, from neglect to sexual abuse.

To date, over 90% of...

Warren Porter, newly-appointed MAT Product Specialist at IMP Software

Major hires at IMP Software, as Multi-Academy Trust CFO joins the ranks as MAT Product Specialist

Authored by Phil Smith
Posted: Thu, 08/25/2022 - 6:51am

Education company IMP Software, specialists in budgeting, forecasting and reporting software for multi-academy trusts (MATs), has made a number of key appointments as it reports a 100% increase in customer growth in 12 months. IMP, which is based in Exeter but operates as a virtual team nationwide, has boosted its headcount by 60% to support its work with 198 MATs and 1,750 schools.

The latest key addition is Warren Porter, who joins the company as MAT Product Specialist. Warren was previously Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Nottinghamshire-based Esteem Multi-Academy Trust. A...

Broadclyst Pupils Celebrate Platinum Jubilee

Platinum Jubilee: Devon pupils take centre stage in news video

Pupils at a Devon Primary School took centre stage in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations this week – with a starring role in a children’s news video.

Children from Broadclyst Primary School in Exeter were filmed for a special video in Discovery Education Espresso, the award-winning digital learning service used by thousands of schools across the UK.

Broadclyst pupils were interviewed about their Jubilee celebrations, which included learning about the Queen’s reign using resources from Discovery Education and hosting a huge tea party at the school. Year 5 and 6 pupils...

Over £1 million pledged to new Fund to transform children’s mental health support in Devon schools

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 05/16/2022 - 1:08pm

A new fund, launched in memory of Juliet Garmoyle, aims to transform children’s mental health support in Devon and the South West of England.

The Juliet Garmoyle Fund was launched in March at her memorial service held at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, attended by over 600 people. The Fund will enable leading children’s mental health charity Place2Be to extend its vital school-based support into the South West of England for the first time.

Hugh, Juliet’s husband, has already pledged £1 million to help establish the fund. An additional 136 donors have already...

SplashLearn Announces SpringBoard Maths Challenge 2022

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 03/10/2022 - 11:17am

The popular game-based learning programme SplashLearn has announced the second UK edition of its massively popular SpringBoard Maths Challenge. The maths competition is a calendar marked event and is highly anticipated by teachers across the US and Canada. TheSpringBoard Maths Challenge 2022 is open to all classes from Year 1 through Year 6 in the UK and will run from March 1 - May 8, 2022.

Participation in the challenge, which is free , is designed to give teachers and schools the opportunity to engage their primary school students through fun maths challenges aligned to the...

Stronger Than Hate Challenge

Anti-Hate Challenge Launched for UK Secondary Schools

A powerful challenge which empowers secondary school students to tackle hate within their communities is being launched across the UK this week.

The annual Stronger Than Hate Challenge encourages students aged 13-18 to use their creativity to show how testimony can bring communities closer together. Entries can take the form of a video, poem, song, blog or piece of art and a first prize of £5000 plus iPads is on offer. Full rules and submission details are available here.

The Stronger Than Hate Challenge demonstrates the power of learning from the past and raising one’s...

More Devon families get first preference secondary school

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 03/01/2022 - 10:21pm

More families in Devon will receive their top preference secondary school this year.

Devon County Council announced today that 92.6 per cent of families who applied for a place next September have been offered their first preference - up more than one per cent from 91.5 per cent last year.

In all, 97.6 per cent of families will get one of their three preferences.

On top of the first preferences, 4.1 per cent have been allocated their second preference and 0.9 per cent their third preference.

This year the county council received 7,697 applications for...

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