Halifax software firm lands first council contract

Halifax-based educational software outfit has secured a deal with Buckinghamshire County Council to provide student progress tracking technology.

Formative Data Solutions, founded by former teacher Scott Parkin, have pioneered a system that provides teachers and parents with instant access to pupil data allowing them to track individual student progress and development.

The Buckinghamshire Primary PRU will use the system to monitor the progress of its pupils who are experiencing significant social, emotional or behavioural difficulties.

‘Early to Primary Essence’ is designed to replace paper based systems in schools and nurseries, and encompasses a multi-lingual management tool.

Scott Parkin said: “We are delighted to work with Buckinghamshire County Council to deliver our online data tracking system across their 3 Primary PRU settings. We are confident that teachers, management, parents and pupils alike will benefit from instant access to information quickly and simply.

“As a former teacher with responsibility for data management for many years, I understand how schools need their data presenting and analysing and how parents want to access information about their child’s development and our simple software has been designed with that in mind.

“It is my ambition to see more data smart schools delivering pupil progress in an age where the intelligent use of data has become central to the work of educational professionals,” continued Scott.”

Stuart Cateridge, executive head, Buckinghamshire Primary Pupil Referral Unit said: “With Primary Essence being an online tool, it means staff are no longer reliant on a time rich paper-based system.

“They can access information about a pupil’s progress at any moment in time and yet have the ability to change this very easily and as frequently as is required. It also means that the senior leadership team can more easily access all pupil data on one system and compare progress across sites, year groups and subjects.”