Case Studies

What did Branscombe C of E Primary School have to say?

Branscombe C of E Primary School is a small, three classroom, rural primary school in Devon. The school PTFA initially raised enough money to purchase one interactive whiteboard which was purchased and installed by SMARTeducation. The school immediately built up a good rapport with the company and were keen to work with SMARTeducation again. When further funding was available the school wished to install whiteboards in the remaining two classrooms. A site visit was made and the school were very impressed with the considerable effort that went into suggesting more appropriate products for the school. A few years ago a mezzanine floor was built in the school. If projectors were installed from the ceiling these would have moved every time children walked around upstairs. SMARTeducation suggested installing a new product. The SMARTboard SB660i all in one solution. This is an interactive whiteboard system which combines two products - a SMART board interactive whiteboard and the Unifi projector with integrated audio system. This solved the issue of 'moving' ceilings as everything is fitted to the wall instead.

Whilst being installed the engineers were keen to ensure the school staff were pleased with the finished result. They worked hard to overcome minor hitches during the installation linked to the old structure of the building and were prepared to stay and finish the job despite working long hours and travelling long distances.

The children and staff were so excited about the added learning opportunities the boards can provide. The children also thought that the 'space age' look of the projector was great fun!The school continues to have a good rapport with the company and knows that if any after sales care is needed support is just a phone call away. SMARTeducation also organised a very helpful staff training session to take place. The school has held a parent workshop to demonstrate the way the whiteboards can be used within lessons. The parents found this informative and enjoyed having a go themselves!

Small rural schools like Branscombe often have obstacles to overcome to ensure they can provide the latest resources for the children. For example, the small amount of space and the Victorian structure of the buildings. SMARTeducation understood our needs and put in a lot of time and effort to ensure the products we purchased were appropriate. We are now very proud to be able to show prospective children and parents around our lovely little school in the knowledge that we are able to provide the latest in ICT provision.

Katie Gray,
Head Teacher