An Daras Trust comprises 8 Primary Schools located across Devon and Cornwall. Led by CEO Will Hermon, the Trust has a simple aim; ensuring all pupils receive the best educational experience, they can offer. Their intent is to deliver an inclusive learning entitlement through a strong trust-wide wholistic curriculum model, focused on enabling all pupils to achieve academic and emotional growth through strategic themes of wisdom, knowledge, learning skills and personal capabilities.

In 2012, Philip Beale met with Sarah Chapman, Headteacher at the time (now retired) St Catherine’s C of E School. Sarah was impressed by the system and asked Will Hermon to attend an iTRACK training session to assess iTRACK for the newly emerging Trust.

Coincidentally, Philip visited Werrington Community Primary School and North Petherwin to present to Executive Head, Jo-Anne Callow. At the time, Werrington and North Petherwin were using internal spreadsheets. Jo-Anne wanted a system that would save time and was simplistic and easy for her staff to use. They felt iTRACK was the best solution.

Subsequently, Will Hermon and Deborah Saunders (Trust Improvement Officer at An Daras) wanted to learn more about what iTRACK Education (formerly LCP) had to offer. At the time the initial schools joining as a trust were using different external and internal assessment systems. They were looking for a system that they could roll-out across the trust to ensure a consistency in the approach to assessment and a common language for staff. They required a system that had robust reporting features but was also fast and simplistic to use – something iTRACK from iTRACK Education , could deliver.

Although the trust had considered a range of systems, they chose iTRACK as their solution. Deborah Saunders, Trust Improvement Officer, commented, “We chose the iTRACK system because of its ability to help us provide a continuity in assessment for our schools, would be easy to use for our staff and provide the reporting functions needed to provide information efficiently to our stakeholders.”

Three more schools joined the trust in 2018. They therefore joined the iTRACK family.

Building a relationship has been a key priority for both Philip and latterly Alice Wilson, iTRACK Education’s regional Education Consultant. Part of iTRACK Education’s client engagement process involves regular consultations with Deborah, Will and other trust members to ensure that iTRACK evolves to meet the challenges of the ever-changing educational landscape, therefore helping An Daras to meet their requirements.

Working in partnership, An Daras has helped in the development of additional features. Such as the iTRACK Transition Matrix that demonstrates the learning journey for each pupil. This was greatly appreciated by the trust and clearly demonstrated the value of the relationship and working together to continually develop iTRACK’s capability.

Deborah explained “It’s been especially important to us that we can regularly meet with iTRACK Education staff to discuss development points to enhance the system and share how we use the system within the Trust. We have valued how the Company has listened to our suggestions to improve its functionality at operational level and continue to welcome this ongoing relationship to ensure that the system is robust and most effective for the ever changing educational landscape.”

iTRACK has now been operating across the schools for several years. Following implementation and training, teaching staff are confident that the information they record is accurate and available as and when required. There is also now seamless integration for any new schools joining the Trust.

Jo-Anne Callow, Deputy CEO reports ‘iTRACK Education are always open to any changes we suggest and have responded to all of this. I feel it is a good package as it is tailored to our requirements. I find the ability to filter for all different groups particularly useful. The other functions which I use regularly are the progress and attainment dashboards as you can see very quickly achievement and progress of the school as a whole. It is very useful for sharing with Governors so they are able to have a clear picture of the data at all levels.’

Abby Bassett, Head of School comments ‘I have been using ITrack for a few years now and it is good to see the developments that have been made, all of which, have made things easier, saved time and made it an excellent tool for tracking and analysing data. The staff at iTRACK Education are always at the end of the phone/email and are very supportive if there is a problem. They are always willing to listen to ideas and developments that we would like and have worked closely with us to put this into place.’