Great Chart Primary
Vitalize has partnered with the fabulous team, headed up by Jo and Shelley at Great Chart school for a number of years now and delivered a number of joint events on how Google can be used as an effective digital learning platform in primary schools. Great Chart is an excellent example of how a primary school can use Google as a digital learning platform.
We include more information below on how Google and complimentary solutions such as Lightspeed filter have made a positive impact.
Great Chart School rated Outstanding again in Dec 21 inspection!
Great Chart Primary School
Great Chart Primary School
Pupils engaged using Chromebooks at Great Chart Primary School
Great Chart Goes Google
Great Chart primary Google for Edu journey + how it is invaluable during the lockdown.
Vitalize support Great Chart to get the best out of Lightspeed to protect students on line at any location
We first started to use Lightspeed Relay for students in September 2020. As a Google Education School our user configuration meant we could apply the filtering by class so we started implementing in stages, beginning with Year6. Once the 'Rules' had been determined and set, the switching on of the software was extremely easy - a simple application of a Google Extension on the OU.
Over the next 6 months we applied the filtering to all year groups. We have also activated the 'Safety Check' and 'Flagged Terms' features and included our DSLs in monitoring the alerts. Both features have highlighted issues with different pupils - not many, but just having these two features active means we are carrying our duty of care to another degree being able to monitor our pupils internet activity outside, as well as during, school hours. Concerns are then raised with parents where it is deemed appropriate.
Relay filtering helps us ensure our students are keeping to task during lesson time and not distracted by the lure of YouTube, gaming websites or just generally doing things on the internet that they shouldn't be doing during lessons. We follow up misdemeanours with a ban on using the internet for a set period of time, anything from a day to a month. We have found that the pupils now keep to task and are much less likely to stray off their given task as they know that their internet usage can be monitored, right down to specific Google searches.
Headteacher reporting to the Governors is also greatly eased by using Relay - we are able to provide clear reporting and follow up steps with regards Safeguarding issues where required.