Sophie Poynter, Vice Principal and Director of Digital Teaching & Learning at Western House Academy, Slough
Western House Academy, a three-form entry primary school in Slough, is driven by the belief that “every opportunity shapes life.” As part of The Park Federation Trust, the school is committed to providing enriching experiences that extend beyond the classroom. With a diverse student population (including a growing number of SEND pupils), the school sought a digital solution that could enhance engagement, support accessibility and simplified teaching practices. Enter Nearpod – a dynamic, digital teaching and learning platform with real-time insights.
Before adopting Nearpod, teachers at Western House Academy faced a common classroom hurdle – limited student participation. “It was always the same few children answering,” Sophie explains. “Even when everyone had their hand up, it was the same voices being heard.”
Traditional methods like whiteboards offered fleeting insights – answers were quickly erased and valuable data lost. The school needed a platform that could capture every student’s voice, support varied learning needs and provide meaningful data to inform teaching.
From inspiration to implementation
Western House Academy discovered Nearpod during a Digital Discovery Day at another trust. Inspired by its interactive features and multimedia capabilities, Sophie and her team knew it was the right fit. After evaluating alternatives, Nearpod stood out for its versatility and depth – offering strong value for the investment.
“We were confident our selection would deliver the outcomes we were looking for,” Sophie says. Implementation began with a pilot in Year 5, led by digitally-confident staff. Within a year, Nearpod was rolled out across Years 4-6, supported by a trust-wide digital strategy and stakeholder surveys that helped shape the rollout.
Capturing every student’s voice
Nearpod has since revolutionised teaching and learning at Western House Academy:
- 100% participation: Every student now has a voice. “We hear every single answer,” Sophie notes, thanks to features like Draw It, Voice Recording and Collaborate Board.
- Accessibility and equity: Pupils with SEND and EAL needs can express understanding in diverse ways (drawing, speaking or typing) removing barriers to learning.
- Engagement: Students love Time to Climb and VR experiences. “They explore rainforests virtually – it’s immersive and exciting!” Sophie shares.
- Teacher efficiency: Planning is streamlined. “Teachers build everything in one platform. It saves time and improves lesson flow.”
- Real-time assessment: Teachers identify misconceptions live and use post-lesson reports to inform feedback and planning. “We screenshot standout answers and use them in the next lesson.”
One standout moment involved a Year 4 pupil new to the country. Though her English was limited, she used Draw It to create a detailed scene from a book – demonstrating comprehension beyond expectations. “It was more detailed than some of our native speakers,” Sophie recalls.
Maximising Nearpod’s potential
Western House Academy plans to deepen its use of Nearpod by leveraging shared libraries between staff and exploring new features. Sophie is keen to arrange CPD sessions to ensure staff are maximising the platform’s potential – especially around accessibility tools like Immersive Reader.
Would Sophie recommend Nearpod to other schools? “Absolutely. We host digital showcase days where we compare platforms like Google Forms and Nearpod. Nearpod always stands out – it does everything the others do and more.”