I asked some users to say something nice:

Matt Prosser an ICT-Coordinator in Croft Community in Walsall

When asked to set a school website up at the start of the 2005/2006 school year I was sent on a training course to get the 'old way' using HTML, after two training sessions I still had problems getting used to the format. After a meeting with the company who run WalsallSchools.org's blog service it seemed the most efficient way to keep the local community informed with what was happening in the school. The website was up and running in a few hours from go. As the only contributor to the website, updating on behalf of the whole school this simple service has probably saved me days and days in writing codes and FTP uploading.

Training was given to myself and with the aid of a fool proof book I set about adding news items to the website. At first I relied heavily on advice from Steve Hooker and now after over a year of blogging I still get handy tips. At the moment the website has over 600 pictures and 100 news items.

The effect the website has had on the school has been overwhelming for both the school and myself personally. Here are some quotes from people about the website, these quotes have either been emailed or given in person.
"Hi, my name is Matthew Prosser, just like yours. When I searched the internet I found your name over 20 times, I thought you might be famous... When I realised it was a school site I really enjoyed reading all the cool stuff you do over there in the U.K.." Received from Matthew Prosser U.S citizen - May 2006.

When meeting some Canadian teachers who were on an exchange I introduced myself as Matthew Prosser and got the response, "hey you're the one teacher I was looking forward to meeting, I looked at your school's website and thought how terrific it was."

We had a visitor to school Dr. Kenn who was performing a science workshop for the children. The first thing he mentioned to the Headteacher was, how wonderful he thought the school website was and how it was one he actually read and not just looked at... “I can't wait to read the report about my show.”

During the first few months of the website I was asked by the Headteacher to keep a close eye on the number of people viewing and when they were viewing. Around a month into this exercise I took my findings to the Head, who was quite alarmed at the number of people logging in during the early hours of the morning with a peak at around 4am to 5am. "Who could this be? " After a couple of days I returned with some of the answers that the children had given. "My uncle looks sometimes from Pakistan," and during Rhamadan the children were getting up before sunrise (5.30 am) to eat and prayer as they were fasting, after they had eaten they thought it was a waste of time going to sleep for an hour and so looked at the school website and compared it to other websites using the walsallschools.org format.

The number of times the school has been visited as a result of a 'Google' search has also increased. This boomed during the time the school was advertising for a Deputy Headteacher,  this had a positive effect as we had quite a few applicants.

The children love the school website, I know this because they comment on how proud they feel when they see their writing work on the site. They also enjoy the fact the the staff are not afraid to be seen as almost human. There are many occasions where the staff are dressed funny, wearing silly hats or ears or have been part of one of my jokes or remarks. In fact the children loved it that much that when the staff were out of their classroom they would put the embarrassing pictures on as a wallpaper so that the staff would be reminded. In fact there was a time that staff were giving reward points for another teacher's picture to be used as a wallpaper on the desktop instead of their own. This turned into a bidding war.

A final example of good feedback received as a result of the website occurred only last month. I received an email from an ex pupil from the 1970's asking me to post some old pictures from that time. Within minutes I received an email from Steve Hooker sarcastically wishing me, “good luck” as it seemed a big job. Liking a challenge, I found out some old photographs and published a mini report, with trips, the old building, etc. being included. Since I have had a great response - two parents with children currently at the school are on the photographs and feel rather embarrassed (but at the same time secretly proud) they are on the website. Also, a great response from other people reading the website. 

Most importantly is the effect the website has had on the children's work. I started an assembly on a Thursday where good writing examples were shared and then uploaded to the website. The children loved seeing their work. This assembly will start again, but did take a small break over the Christmas period. This also had a good response from people who read the website, they really like the idea.

What makes me keep updating the website is the response from the staff and children, the response from the people who read and the rather surprising emails I receive and finally the support I get from Steve. It is great to read his comments about what he likes and also what can be improved. I used ideas from other sites as it is great to having a community of people using the same system sharing good practice – using the trackback system from the site and looking at walsallschools.org's site gives a great idea of what is happening in other schools.

The future for the website in this school. I know I don't use the website to its full capacity and there is plenty for me to learn so it can only get better. I also intend on getting other staff and pupils to contribute. The pupils will be easier then the staff, I already have a willing pupil volunteer who leads regular messages on the site. Hopefully with a willing army of contributors we will get more hits and more publicity to the site.

More...

I also asked ICT Sue Broadbent from Waterloo to say stuff. She had several goes at it.

Our website is so easy to keep updated. It is child's play! If you can email, you can do it and at the same time achieve a daily updated, fabulous looking, interactive website! But this is so much more than a website...."

I had been getting sick of my job because it was getting too focused on the technical problems but grasping this has brought the fun back!

The "Blog" style website that Steve has devised is so simple to keep up to date. I used to create my website in HTML and heave a sigh of relief when I had a "finished product". I would then just leave it sitting on the web "gathering dust" never getting round to update it. This website is so easy to update, it makes you want to put new news on everyday.! There is no tedium!
It is exciting and it gives you a real buzz when you see it changing daily with the minimum of effort!
Lengthy training sessions are not needed! If you can email, you can add a news item. It is so easy and yet the results are stunning!

Waterloo get regular emails now because their website is getting noticed instead of sitting there looking tired! Achieving all this in HTML with the time I have available is impossible!
I have a vibrant, exciting website that is getting read everyday, really showing Waterloo Primary School to the World!"

Its Sue Broadbent and I am the  Network Manager for 2 Tameside schools Moorside and Waterloo, both of which use the same website template/blog style etc.
It really is easy to keep up to date! If you can email with attachments that is all the skill u need so TAs and children can be empowered!
Steve Hooker is really great with the initial design u want and  after support! I know cos I am a total pain asking for things to be tweaked! Any thing you want to know or have forgotten or anything he is only a phone call email or text away.
He taught me the basics over the phone!

More...

Fred Corscadden Headteacher of Cullycapple, Co Londonderry.
The Cullycapple website has been up and running for nearly two years and thanks to the outstanding personal support from Steve, has been a real success for everyone.

Our existing parents love to see what their children have been doing in school, never mind keeping up to date with forthcoming events, while potential parents can see our prospectus.

The children love writing captions for the photographs and it is so easy to keep updating the site.  (We have children as well as teachers updating.)

An external adviser congratulated us on the site as it was interactive, attracting responses from parents, pupils and former pupils, even one from Canada.

Overall, the site is great value, not only in terms of budget but knowing that Steve is at the other end of the phone or e-mail to address any queries.

Nothing is ever too much bother to him and that has certainly helped us to keep our website relevant.

Cullycapple Primary School, North Eastern ELB, Northern Ireland is 5 years, 10 months and 20 days old. They have received 105,876 page reads; 3,204 of which are members' page reads. Currently, there are 589 messages in this site. Of which 155 are news items and 382 are pictures. They last added something on 24 April 2013 at 10:54:16.

Ian Moore, Headteacher at Windmill Integrated Primary,  Co Tyrone
We here at Windmill have just got our new website. It's a friendly site. We are just so impressed with the speed that you can get your items on.

Also a friendly voice on the phone if you have any problems is brilliant.

Eventually we hope, with supervision, to get the children to write articles and attach photos. It's nice as well to see what other enthusiastic schools are doing.

We can well recommend it.
[Macro error: The table index is out of range. There is no item #4340.]

Steph Neale, Headteacher, Beatrix Potter Primary, London
Parents have really responded. Great improvement, easy to get around, great to easily download stuff.

The email response is mind boggling.

At last something I can get round. Easy to use, yes like anything new a bit daunting but once into the scheme it's brilliant. Always responding to comments and feedback

Can add photos etc. without being a genius.

Mrs Lizzie Cousins Nursery Nurse/HLTA Kersey CEVC Primary School, Suffolk
Our website is viewed by many. It has in the past helped us to gain new children to the school. We have many student teachers throughout the year and they have all said how useful it is to get a feel of the school. Many other visitors to the school also comment on the website, from entertainers to poets!

It has now become a regular means of communication with parents from healthy snack breaks to term dates and newsletters. With a school of 40 families we now only send out 4 paper copies!

The children love looking at the website at home and during lessons to remind them of all the exciting things we have done in school.

It is so easy to update, all you need to do is email, I can even send photographs from my phone straight to the front page when on school trips.

Steve is always at the end of the phone, text or email anytime I need help. They are fantastic websites, I can't praise or thank Steve enough.

Kersey Primary, Suffolk, Eastern England is 6 years, 6 months and 11 days old. They have received 435,797 page reads; 19,895 of which are members' page reads. Currently, there are 1,494 messages in this site. Of which 303 are news items and 980 are pictures. They last added something on 15 May 2013 at 13:34:20.

Helen Vernon, Headteacher Bodnant Infant, Denbighshire.
Our inspectors said, “parents told us, ‘that whatever they needed to know, it'll be on the site front and centre.’”

And this quote says it all. "Just to let you know how delighted we are to be able to read about the latest school activities on the website. It helps us to keep in touch with what our grandson is likely to be doing and bridges the gap between Prestatyn and our home in Pinner, Middlesex. Keep up the good work - the articles are a joy to read."

Carwyn Guy, Headteacher Donemana Primary, Co Tyrone
We've had our website now for over two years and it's such an addition to school life. If you've looked at other school sites you'll realise just how much mediocrity there is out there! Think what you want your website to say about your school... Bright, friendly, warm and caring.... Not a bad place to start! The oft used phrase 'child centred' certainly wouldn't apply to the majority—but look at any of these sites and you realise that the kids are at the very heart of them.

We're currently looking at applying for the BECTA award and our adviser was really impressed with the style and format of the site—but was really impressed with the ease and the interaction afforded to the kids through the comments facility.

You just have to look at how often the sites Steve looks after are updated—you won't find the same anywhere else—so why would you go anywhere else!
[Macro error: Can't find a sub-table named "educatrDonemanaManilaWebsite".]

Derek Hutchinson, Headteacher, Killylea Primary, Armagh.
Many of our new parents feel it is a fantastic way to keep in touch with what’s going on inside school.  They ‘love’ seeing what their children are getting up to!  Also lots of the pupils are joining up as members of the website to comment on activities in school and what they think of them.  One said, “I can’t wait until I can post something exciting onto our fabulous school website!”

Killylea Primary School, Southern ELB, Northern Ireland is 4 years, 5 months and 2 days old. They have received 146,888 page reads; 7,958 of which are members' page reads. Currently, there are 2,084 messages in this site. Of which 290 are news items and 1516 are pictures. They last added something on 09 May 2013 at 13:26:21.

# Posted by steve hooker at 8/1/07; 2:00:14 PM to the Walsall Schools business dept.
Discuss Comment [0]
Something nice about us