Woodlands Primary School and Nunsthorpe Community School, both in Grimsby, have become the first primary schools in Britain to achieve Centre of Excellence status for their use of Promethean White Boards.

It all started three years ago when the Grimsby Education Action Zone began part funding the purchase of Promethean White Boards in Zone schools as part of it’s remit to support innovative teaching practices. Woodlands Primary School have now achieved their aim of a board in every classroom. Nunsthorpe Community School will be moving into new purpose built premises in 2003 where there will be a Promethean White Board in every classroom.

To achieve Centre of Excellence status the schools’ teachers have worked very hard to complete the training programme which was based on Promethean’s own training manuals, but modified by the ICT Co-ordinator of the Action Zone and North East Lincolnshire’s LEA ICT Consultant to fit the needs of local schools. It has also meant that the schools’ head teachers and senior management have had to have the vision to support their staff.

Nunsthorpe Community School, Grimsby, and it’s near neighbour Woodlands Primary School are the first primary schools in Britain to achieve Centre of Excellence status. The training, carried out by the ICT Co-ordinator of the local Education Action Zone, was delivered over the last half of the Autumn term 2002 in school.

As a successful Fresh Start school, the senior management of the Nunsthorpe Community School have the vision to embrace any new technology that will have a significant impact on raising the quality of teaching and learning. The school has been impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity of the teachers who have boards in their rooms, and by the motivation and involvement of pupils. When the school moves into purpose built premises next September, there will be a Promethean White Board in every classroom.

Nunsthorpe Community School receiving their award