Kentmere accredited by NAACE Excellence in Education

Kentmere Academy and Nursery has been accredited with a highly-regarded accolade for the quality of its teaching around technology.

The Smallbridge primary school has received a NAACE Mark for Excellence in Education Technology from the National Association for Education Technology.

Kentmere received an excellent report with positive feedback after being assessed earlier this month. Assessors spoke with pupils and staff as well as looking at school resources and assessment processes.

The report says “there is a good range of technology that is readily available and embedded in all curriculum areas,” adding that the school is “very well resourced with a wide range of hardware, software, technological tools, and apps.

“Committed” staff were praised for “detailed planning covering both subject teaching and cross-curricular units of work” allowing teachers to identify strengths and areas for development.

The school, which was awarded an Online Safety Mark in 2018, was also praised for “strong” online safety and safeguarding: “Digital Safeguarding is very strong. Children are enthusiastic and clear about safe use - they are able to articulate what constitutes safe and unsafe behaviour.”

Pupils are encouraged to use ICT to support and enhance their learning. They “are confident users of technology” and “extremely enthusiastic” when asked to speak about the work they have been doing.

During the visit, a group of pupils – of all ages – were “highly articulate” when asked to describe some of the activities that were being undertaken, show their work and explain the activities they have been undertaking.

 

 

Kentmere was also lauded for an immersive sensory room with 360-degree projection, sound, lighting, and smells, allowing teachers to “maximise the learning experience afforded by technology.”

Conversations with staff found the sensory room is “well-used across the school with examples including the creation of an Egyptian tomb and battlefields to promote learning across the curriculum in ways that would otherwise be difficult to replicate.”

Assessors also noted that students “spoke with a mature appreciation” of how technology can be used to develop and research work, adding that Kentmere’s Digital Leaders group is “a real strength of the school.”

The report concluded: “The school prepares children with digital skills for life; children are proficient with the technology that is fundamental to this world and supports learning at greater depth.

'Children are clear about why and when to use technology; it is ubiquitous and well embedded. They are enthusiastic users of technology and consistently produce work of high quality.”

Several suggestions were given by NAACE for the future, including extending the Digital Leaders scheme, develop further STEM opportunities and further developing the immersive classroom.

NAACE is a community of teachers, school leaders, advisors, consultants and commercial partners who share a vision for the developing role of technology in education.

As a professional association, it represents the voice of the UK education technology community in the schooling sector at a national and international level and provides resources for courses and research.