• Rural Academy 191 pupils in Redcar and Cleveland
• Ofsted rating: Good
• FSM: 19.8%

Review rating:

Average rating across all Discovery Espresso reviews: 3.7/5

We really enjoy using espresso and so do the children!

How well does it match the curriculum?

Well: It covers the curriculum as well as we expected

The spag units are very thorough and evolve as you go through them - year on year on each element of spag.

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

Reasonably: Essentially there’s enough for most pupils but there isn’t enough support, extension or challenge. Generally the resources are videos and activities which are not differentiated. However, as they become more and more complex, they can be differentiated in their application.

Would like a star system to show easier, tricky and more difficult etc. This would allow staff to allocate resources appropriately.

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 videos are engaging, thorough and humorous for the children. The games and other activities engage the children well too, who love the competitiveness of them.

How well supported is it by any included formative assessments?

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

The assessments generally come through the activities so you can see what the children have recalled. There are no more formal assessment activities.

How well does it support planning?

Brilliantly: It has everything you could need and is straightforward to use with classes

Especially spag, the videos and activities are perfect for introducing a theme, applying and then developing into independent writing.

How well does it support home use / independent learning?

Brilliantly: We’d have very few reservations about using this extensively to support home learning

Videos and activities that are available can be embedded to school portal if required. In addition, children logins allow them to access at home, with activities set for them to complete.

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

Brilliantly: It’s possibly the best value for money of any similar resources I’ve seen

Continue to develop resources to further develop elements of curriculum not yet covered - such as further spag elements, reading techniques and handwriting.

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

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