• Urban Academy 452 pupils (oversubscribed) in West Northamptonshire
• Ofsted rating: Requires improvement
• FSM: 21.1%

Review rating:

Average rating across all Discovery Espresso reviews: 3.7/5

How well does it match the curriculum?

Brilliantly: There is more content (eg support / extension activities) than we expected

Excellent videos which bring a topic to life. The website is well organised too. I like how each key stage is well laid out too.

How well does it support adaptation for different groups of pupils?

Brilliantly: There is a wide enough range of resources to provide a good range of options for all pupils

A wider range of worksheets and other resources needed. This would help many teachers to plan a whole lesson around the resources instead of just one off videos which I sometimes use.

How well does it engage and motivate pupils?

Brilliantly: Pupils love using and are excited when they know they are going to do so

The resources are well differentiated and provide challenge to all year groups and ability types. I’d like to see worksheets to accompany the resources too.

How well supported is it by any included formative assessments?

Reasonably: There is some formative assessment included, but its usefulness is a bit limited

There’s not much formative assessment that I could find. I’d also like some more summative assessment activities too.

How well does it support planning?

Badly: It takes a lot of time or additional resources to use it in the classroom

I didn’t find any planning on their website. Something like TES is much more comprehensive and easier to pick up and teach for supply teachers etc.

How well does it support home use / independent learning?

Reasonably: It could be used at home or independently, but pupils would need some extra support or resources

The resources are very good in video format. I don’t think it would relate well to home learning because there’s not enough content to make a whole lesson around it.

How would you rate it for value for money compared to similar resources?

Reasonably: It represents about the same value for money as similar resources I’ve seen

I don’t know how expensive it is so I don’t feel I can comment about the pricing at this point. If I knew the pricing I’d be able to pass judgement on this.

Would you recommend it to a colleague in a similar school to yours? 9/11

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