| User feedback |
| Research |
| Ambassador schools |
| Case studies |
| Video testimonials |
| Awards |
Reviews: User feedback
Espresso makes an impact across the school, from Teaching Assistants to Head Teachers. Here is what some of our users had to say about their personal experiences of Espresso.
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"I have already recommended Espresso to other schools as it is a resource which is effectively organised and saves teachers time."
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"Espresso is a great resource for teaching all key stages and I would be lost without it."
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"Children particularly enjoy video clips and they lead to lots of discussion. It is particularly useful that children are able to access resources safely."
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"There are so many superb resources in one place which are easy to embed in other media to produce excellent resources which can be shared via the school server or on the learning platform."
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"Safe, uncontaminated and appropriate resources that are quicker to find than the broader web."
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"I have found Espresso to be extremely beneficial in the classroom and am able to incorporatate it in to every lesson where appropriate. It has enhanced learning tremendously."
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"The resources are interactive and 'real'. The children are very enthusiastic and more engaged when this resource is used during a teaching session. Children will independently choose to use Espresso during their own time. Resources are stimulating not just for the learner but also the teacher."
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"A very useful tool for teaching and for parents to use at home. It allows for the children to learn at their own pace at home."
Reviews: Research
Lancaster University conducted an independent academic evaluation of Espresso using evidence from over 330 user schools. Findings highlighted three key positive effects.
- Espresso resources encourage deeper and wider learning
Espresso resources enable pupils to think beyond the simple fact, generating interest, questioning and discussion - these outcomes impact strongly on megacognitive, cognitive and social aspects of learning. - Earlier use of Espresso is associated with higher achievement in Key Stage 2 SATs results
In the schools studied, Espresso was embedded into the school's longer term plan. At the same time teachers were able to use Espresso for targeted support to children's learning. - Espresso takes 50% less time than Internet resources when selecting, vetting and preparing lessons
Espresso resources are pre-selected by educationalists and provided in ways that allow teachers to find them with relative ease compared to finding, vetting and assessing a resource on the Internet.
Download the Espresso Summary [PDF], visit our press release to download the full versions.
"Resources often support certain areas of learning better than others. The width of learning aspects covered by a resource enable teachers and learners to engage more widely and in different ways with those resources. In this respect, Espresso offers the widest overall picture of a set of resources that I've ever evaluated."
Don Passey, Senior Research Fellow, Lancaster University
Research from the USA
Espresso has a significant positive impact on pupil performance in maths
Some very positive findings has published about our sister service in the US, Espresso Elementary. They are the results of an 18-month, mixed methods study regarding the efficacy of Espresso in 10 classrooms conducted by MIDA Learning Technologies, an educational consultancy organisation. Findings showed:
- The pupils in the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group on the standards-based post-test
- The pupils in the experimental group also significantly performed better on the standards-based post-test than the standards-based pre-test
The statistical data suggests that the use of Espresso as part of the everday curriculum, even when used for little more than one hour per week, helped pupils to achieve at higher levels than their counterparts who were taught without Espresso.
All participants in the research study observed that Espresso increased pupil engagement and focus on the mathematical topics being taught in the classroom. Pupils were very excited when their time came to work on Espresso and it provided a meaningful learning context resulting in a classroom climate promoting higher student achievement.
Visit the Espresso Elementary website or Download the Espresso Summary [PDF] | Download the Executive Summary [PDF]
Reviews: Ambassador schools
Our Ambassador schools are enthusiastic users who have found Espresso to be an invaluable service. Although our Ambassadors come in all shapes and sizes, there is one thing they all have in common: passion and commitment to integrating ICT and Espresso across the curriculum.
Ambassador schools are willing to be contacted by other schools to share how they are using Espresso and how the service has made a difference in their school.
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In 2007, Albany Primary became our first Welsh Ambassador school. They use Espresso to support the curriculum for Wales including Curriculum Cymreig with our Welsh module.
Read more: Visit Albany Primary School
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Bedford Primary is a forward-thinking school that uses a wide range of ICT to increase interest and aid learning. The pupils and staff were featured in a BECTA video that showcased Espresso as a result of our BETT Award for Best Early Years Solution.
Read more: Visit Bedford Primary School
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Ben Jonson is a modern three-form entry community primary school located in inner city London. They have been using Espresso to support the diverse learning needs of their pupils and one of them was shortlisted in our digital video competition!
Read more: Visit Ben Jonson School
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Cockerton Primary is a newly rebuilt school that received their Ambassdor status in 2009. They have combined their impressive ICT facilities with enthusiatic use of Espresso and ICT. They have recently introduced a creative curriculum and have been working with our INSET team to support this with Espresso.
Read more: Visit Cockerton Primary School
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Court Lane Junior first came to our attention as a prolific provider of lesson ideas to our Ideas Exchange area. Their use of Espresso is firmly embedded into their curriculum planning and their teachers share how they achieved this in our Staffroom area for teachers.
Read more: Visit Court Lane Junior School
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Edwalton is a unique school that has its own farm and nature reserve. As well as receiving Espresso Ambassador status, it has achieved the Green Flag National Accreditation for Eco-schools. The school and their sheep, Molly, were featured in an Espresso News Bite.
Read more: Visit Edwalton Primary School
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Gorsemoor is large school situated near Cannock Chase, an area of outstanding natural beauty. They have been an Ambassador School for many years now. The pupils enjoy the outdoors and can seen pond dipping and exploring the woods in our Minibeast module for KS1.
Read more: Visit Gorsemoor County Primary
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With over 800 pupils, Highighfield School is our largest Ambassador schools. Nearly all pupils have English as an additional language, but the commitment of staff and the use of visual resources, like Espresso, has enabled them give them the best start to their education.
Read more: Visit Highfield Junior & Infant School
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Kings Furlong is an infant school and nursery that have been using Espresso for many years. The pupils from age 3 upwards all enjoy using Espresso and some of them are also featured in our KS1 Electricty module.
Read more: Visit King's Furlong School
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Milton Mount was one of the first ever users of Espresso. They use the service in all areas of the curriculum and age phases on a daily basis. Read their Success Story to see how they incorporate Espresso into different subject areas.
Read more: Visit Milton Mount First & Middle School
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Norwood Green is an outstanding Ofsted school and a long standing Ambassador for Espresso. They have a Centre for the Deaf so support pupils with either severe or profound hearing loss. Espresso is used with all pupils as teachers can make use of the different accessibility features to meet particular learning needs.
Read more: Visit Norwood Green Junior School
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Pembridge Hall, part of the Alpha Plus group, is a prestigious independent prep school for girls in Notting Hill. It is also our newest Ambassador school. They have used Espresso for the last five years with all age groups to engage pupils and foster a love of learning.
Read more: Visit Pembridge Hall
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Sheringham is a large school situated in the very north of Norfolk that makes excellent use of ICT throughout their school. They came to our attention because of the way they integrated their usevof Espresso with their learning platform to extend learning opportunities for their pupils.
Read more: Visit Sheringham Primary School
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Trinity is a vibrant school that serves the needs of a diverse community in Wolverhampton. This Creative Partnerships School has embraced the arts and Espresso. As you might expect, it is used very creatively and with great effect.
Read more: Visit Trinity CE Primary School
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Grays is an infant school that makes impressive use Espresso and ICT. They also have a Success Story which demonstrates how they use Espresso as a stimulus to develop literacy through podcasting. They are twinned with an Espresso Elementary user school in Pennsylvania with whom they share ideas and work on joint projects.
Read more: Visit Grays School
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St Aidan's is a small school in the village of Skelmansthorpe who are enthusiatic users of Espresso. Their recent Ofsted report states 'Pupils' achievement is outstanding because they reach high levels of attainment, particularly in English'. Read their Success Story to see how they use Espresso in their English teaching.
Read more: Visit St. Aidan's CE First School
Reviews: Case studies
We would like to share with you a series of case studies highlighting schools that have successfully implemented Espresso. Written directly from the schools' perspective, our case studies discuss the positive difference Espresso has made within schools across the UK.
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Since having access to Espresso, St. Aidan's CE First School has seen an improvement in their children's writing. Teachers plan to incorporate more speaking, listening and drama into their literacy lessons and Espresso will be part of this development.
Read more: St. Aidans CE First School Success Story [pdf]
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Brooke Hill Primary School has been following a topic-based framework for their teaching. Certain Espresso resources will always be used when teaching a certain topic so these will be incorporated into the teachers planning.
Read more: Brooke Hill Primary School Success Story [pdf]
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Teachers at Milton Mount Primary search Espresso's wealth of resources without the worry of authenticity. Once they have found a suitable resource, it is incorporated into all their planning and future time is saved when the subject is taught the following year.
Read more: Milton Mount Primary School Success Story [pdf]
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Grays School have found that pupil achievement has improved noticeably with the use of ICT and Espresso. They use Espresso across the curriculum to bring subject matter to life.
Read more: Grays School Success Story [pdf]
Reviews: Video testimonials
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Christine Terrey, Head Teacher, Grays School
"Videos stimulate the discussion and talking which is so important for children's learning."
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Brooke Penrose, Teacher, Anson Primary School
"It encourages the children to really think about what they are learning."
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Chris Metcalfe, Head Teacher, Cockerton Primary School
"It helps them to visualise what they are finding out about."
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Mark Jaycock, Teacher, Edwalton Primary School
"You know that Espresso is a site where they are going to find things that are relevant to them."
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Nicola Padget, ICT Coordinator, Normanby School
"It allows us to embed video into the curriculum in all subjects areas."
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Brook Penrose, Teacher, Anson Primary School,
"Espresso is really good value for money..."
Reviews: Awards
Over the years, Espresso has won a number of awards for educational, technological and customer support. We are proud to have been recognised by the following organisations:
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This award celebrates UK-based companies and educational organisations that provide effective services, support and professional development to ensure that ICT really makes an impact in the classroom.
Read the press release. -
The award recognises excellence in the provision of effective services, support and professional development to ensure that ICT really makes an impact in the classroom.
Read the press release. -
We won our fifth BETT Award for Espresso Primary. This award recognises our commitment to early learners, and the importance of stimulating and engaging children with ICT from a young age.
Read the press release. -
We were thrilled to receive this award. Judges recognised that Espresso Education best promoted inclusion through providing a resource that is accessible to all pupils.
Read the press release. -
We were very proud to have been honoured by BAFTA members in the Learning Primary category for an excellent service that "reflects the rapid changes in teaching methods." Read the press release.
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The Educational Television Awards recognises the best in audio-visual support for learning. Judges commended Espresso's winning Toy Design Module as it 'supports an area of the curriculum which has often been neglected by software designers and developers.'
Read the press release. -
We were delighted to be named the winners in the Primary ICT category for our Espresso Primary service. This award recognises innovative products that impact learning and the work of the teacher in the classroom.
Read the press release. -
This award required entrants to demonstrate that their product or service was successfully developed for and promoted to a particular market. We were able to prove that Espresso Primary is developed to enhance the UK curriculum, often reflecting the feedback that we receive from teachers and advisors.
Read the press release. -
This award celebrates excellence in the production and development of effective learning materials employing moving pictures, graphics and sound.
Read the press release. -
We were very proud to have been recognised as the Supplier of the Year at the Education Resources Awards. It was our first-class attention to our subscribers that made Espresso the trusted supplier and partner for over 4000 schools (at that time).
Read the press release. -
Espresso was honoured to receive two BETT Awards, the highest accolade in educational ICT in the UK.
- Best Online Resource - the Espresso for Primary Schools service.
- Best Educational Software: Primary & Early Years - the Poetry Workshop Learning Module (built in partnership with Barrow Community Learning Partnership)
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We picked up an award for the Most Imaginative Reuse of Archive Content at the IIR's Broadband Content Congress in Barcelona.
Read the press release. -
The EMMA Awards are respected for their independence and impartiality, and are widely recognised as the most prestigious interactive media awards. We were proud to have received this award which required us to demonstrate how rich media content enhances the delivery of an educational body of knowledge.
Read the press release. -
Our ground-breaking contribution to education was recognised at the BETT Awards. This award was in recognition of our delivery of broadband content services by satellite and other broadband internet connections.
Read the press release.