Impact and Effectiveness of Games & Activities at Pendle View Primary School in Colne, England.
Pendle View Primary School, based in Lancashire, is a vibrant hub where every child is celebrated for their unique talents and abilities. This local authority special school welcomes youngsters aged 2 to 11, from nursery to Year 6, who have a wide range of special educational needs. Whether it's moderate, severe, profound, and multiple learning difficulties, physical disabilities, or challenges on the autistic spectrum, Pendle View embraces each child and fosters a nurturing environment that ignites their potential. With its commitment to specialised teaching areas, including a physical development room and an ASD intensive support base, Pendle View goes the extra mile to ensure every child receives the support they need to thrive. It's a place where even the most complex needs are met with a smile, and where learning feels more like a joyful adventure than a chore.
At Pendle View Primary School, technology is paramount and fully embraced to enable the children to communicate and access their learning in a way that works for them. However, catering to the diverse needs of students with a wide range of learning styles and abilities presents a significant challenge. Specifically, the school encountered difficulties in locating software programs that comprehensively addressed the medical, physical, emotional, and social needs of their students. This challenge was particularly acute when designing group activities and encouraging participation in circle time and group settings. A core priority for Pendle View was ensuring accessibility of all software programs used in the classroom. Unfortunately, finding software that caters to a wide range of access needs, such as touch screen, switches, or the latest eye-gaze technology, proved to be a challenging task.
The search for the perfect learning software led Pendle View Primary to a solution that has transformed their classrooms – HelpKidzLearn's Games & Activities. The school's dedication to fostering a truly inclusive environment found a powerful ally in this engaging and accessible software. Teachers at Pendle View also quickly recognised the potential of Games & Activities to address a critical need: engaging students in group activities as well as individually. This has been particularly important when children first come to the school, and they want to get the students used to group activities and circle time.
Rhyme-based games proved to be a big hit, offering a fun and interactive way to build foundational skills like number recognition. The combination of music, song, and rhyme raised a sense of community and encouraged participation in circle time. Props and laminated sheets further enhanced the learning experience, adding a tangible element to the activities. One area of particular focus at Pendle View is developing cause-and-effect understanding. Games & Activities proved to be a game-changer. The interactive nature of the software allowed children, like Elijah, to approach the screen with a newfound sense of independence. The experience of seeing their actions cause a reaction on the screen was a powerful motivator, promoting not only cause-and-effect understanding but also vital listening and attention skills. Beyond cognitive development, HelpKidzLearn's software also contributed significantly to communication, language, and social-emotional development. The accessibility features, such as touch screen capabilities, allowed children like Elijah to refine fine motor skills like isolating one finger and scrolling. Hayley continued: “By having HelpKidzLearn’s Games & Activities available through the interactive board, it’s allowed Elijah to develop skills such as isolate one finger, scroll and really focus on which one he wants.” The positive impact of Games & Activities on the Pendle View community is undeniable. Teachers have witnessed a significant leap in student engagement and skill development, while students themselves experience the joy of learning through interactive and inclusive activities. This software has become a valuable tool in Pendle View's ongoing mission to empower every child to thrive.
