The Lionheart Academies Trust manages 11 schools in Leicester and Leicestershire, and boasts a long history of technological advancement which started with its founding provider, Beauchamp College, and now spans across the Trust.
From in-house development of online learning platforms, payment and messaging systems, and a smartphone app for students and parents, through to proficient use of Microsoft Office 365 and Teams, the Lionheart Academies Trust is well-placed to support other schools.
Lionheart’s expertise comes from both teaching and support staff as well as from the leadership team, and includes:
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Supporting the use of VLEs, including Microsoft Teams, Moodle and other third-party products
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Support for the ‘tech enabled’, including advice on running and recording live lessons and monitoring user data for pupil engagement in online learning.
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Supporting schools in their online security and safety, as well as advising on data protection and safeguarding considerations.
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Supporting Trusts to manage IT systems at scale
Visit the Lionheart website at: https://www.lionhearttrust.org.uk/about-us/partnerships/ed-tech-demonstrator-school/
In the first phase of the programme we:
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Helped schools create, develop and implement digital strategies.
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Provided model policies in relation to acceptable use and eSafety.
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Advised and trained staff on the use of the Office365 tools for teaching and learning, both in school and remotely.
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Provided training and webinars on digital inking and visualisers to support modelling.
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Supported and advised CEOs on implementing common systems across multiple schools including adopting a centralised IT support model.
Advised schools and trusts on how to move governance online, create virtual open evenings, and monitor staff and student well-being during lockdown.
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Helped multi-academy trusts implement solutions that allowed them to maximise collaboration through the use of Office365
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Advised on the procurement of IT services and hardware.
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Offered advice and guidance on setting up 1-2-1 device schemes.
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Provided technical support in setting up and administering policies within Microsoft Teams.
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Provided technical advice on the management and deployment of Chromebooks within a Microsoft tenancy.
In the new phase of the programme, we can continue to offer support mentioned above, in addition to the following areas:
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Using MS Teams for hybrid learning and revision sessions.
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Using Microsoft forms for low stakes testing
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Setting quizzes as an assignment in Teams
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Using Office 365 as a collaboration tool within a trust, or with other schools
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Development and implementation of digital strategies
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Advice and guidance on centralisation of IT systems within a MAT
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Development / Implementation of acceptable use policies, eSafety policies.
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Advice / Guidance on the procurement of resources
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Methods of managing IT security in an educational environment.
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Data protection impact assessments
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Backup solutions
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Upskilling teachers so they can confidently deliver the computing curriculum.
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Providing support to non-specialist teachers on the use of IT / Computing within their curriculum area.