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Halifax educational software developers celebrate growth

Formative Data Systems, the Halifax-based educational software developer, says sales of its online data tracking tool for nurseries and schools has grown well in the last quarter.

The firm say 14 independent schools have adopted the technology an international school in Thailand is also trialling the software.

Scott Parkin, Formative Data Systems director said “As a start-up business we are delighted with the progress we are making to introduce our pioneering software packages to nurseries and schools in the UK and overseas. We are particularly pleased with our initial success in the independent schools sector. Our distributor, Double First’s knowledge of this marketplace in the UK is invaluable and its infrastructure and significant relationships with overseas British curriculum schools is opening classroom doors.”

Commenting on the software system, Sharon Hogan, head of school/centre at Midland Road Nursery School and Children’s Centre, Bradford said: “We have been very happy to be part of the pilot stage of Early Essence. It has provided the opportunity to both influence its design, but also to develop staff engagement. Currently it has a radical potential to improve our assessment systems on both a strategic and operational level and importantly for us create new ways of communicating with parents.”

Rebecca Casey, Early Years Foundation Stage phase leader, St John’s CE Primary School, Bradford said: “Early Essence has really helped us improve our practice. The features of the package have enabled us to monitor the children’s progress really closely and identify areas within our provision that need improvement or more focus. It brings everything together and cuts out the need for unnecessary paperwork; minimising time away from the children.

“The APP is very simple to use and means that records are updated instantly. Tagging images to statements has taken away the need to cross reference at a later date and the whole team is now much more skilled at making judgments and planning next steps. We have had lots of positive feedback from parents who are grateful for the opportunity to see what their child has been doing on a daily basis,” continued Rebecca Casey

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