SCHOOL CASE STUDY: Pinders Primary School in Wakefield

We talk constantly about how LbQ is beneficial for teachers and their pupils, so we thought it would only be right for you to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. We sat down with Sam Firth, Year 4 Teacher at Pinders Primary School to see how they use LbQ in the classroom.

What were your first impressions of LbQ?

Our first impressions of LbQ were very positive. We could see that LbQ provided a whole plethora of prepared lessons that link well to the topics we are learning about in class. Staff liked the fact that it is quick to find content and makes lesson planning much easier given that children are able to access the lesson at their own pace. As staff we are able to monitor the children's work live and are able to use the live data to intervene either on an individual or whole-class basis. The automatic marking and prompts lessens our workload and enables children to work more independently.

How did you think LbQ could help your particular class/school?

As a school with high proportion of children with English as an additional language and with diverse needs LbQ allows easy differentiation with the inbuilt levels system - LbQ automatically works out which level a child needs to be on. Similarly, LbQ allows groups of children to work independently whilst staff work closely on a task with a focus group. Other staff at our school use LbQ regularly to assess and plug gaps in prior learning, to baseline children's prior knowledge and for revision. Most classes also use LbQ as a morning task to kickstart children's learning whilst staff take the register.

Do the children like using LbQ?

The children all love using LbQ. They particularly enjoy the instant feedback and been able to complete questions quickly.

Any particular cases (individual or whole class) where it has made a big difference?

We have used LbQ and our LbQ tablets heavily in UKS2, this has enabled staff to easily fill gaps in knowledge and provide opportunities for revision and intervention when preparing for SATs in Year 6. It also works well in our split classes when one year group can complete a relevant LbQ class whilst the other group receive direct input from the teacher.

Why do you think LbQ is so effective? OR What boxes does LbQ tick for you?

Staff describe LbQ as "Quick, effortless and purposeful". It allows all children to engage in the lesson and appropriately sets the pace, using small steps. It is also different to a standard lesson and our children enjoy using technology - many often don't realise they are learning as they complete the tasks.

How has it been working with the team at LbQ?

Initially, we had visits from the LbQ team and as staff we quickly picked up how easy it was to use. After that, the staff have used LbQ without issue and without the need for any technical support.

What would you say if I were to take away your LbQ licence tomorrow?

It's clear that our staff would not be happy if our licence was to be taken away - learning would be heavily impacted as would the work-life balance of staff.

Is there anything you would like to say to others who might consider LbQ?

LbQ is a wonderful learning tool that keeps children engaged. It's well worth the investment and allows for revision, recapping and setting independent challenges. As a school, we have embedded LbQ into our teaching and removing it would leave a big void to fill.

Want to see a live lesson of LbQ? Contact the team who will arrange for you to see LbQ in action at Pinders Primary School.