How our learn guides work
Short steps, a check after every one, and help aimed at exactly what a pupil got wrong. Built on research teachers already trust, with rules simple enough to explain to a parent.
One small step at a time
Every lesson is split into short bite-sizes of about five minutes. Pupils see all the steps at the top of the page, so they know how much there is and where they are. Only the step they are on is open, so there is less to take in at once.
The learning loop
A short explanation
One idea, explained simply, with a diagram wherever a picture helps.
Your turn, straight away
A short activity on exactly what was just taught, using a mix of question types.
Your first answer counts
Pupils can change an answer, but the score that decides what happens next is their first try. It rewards thinking before clicking.
Help where it is needed
Secure pupils move on. Others get a quick fix: a reminder of the idea and new questions on what they missed.
Rules you can explain to a parent
There is no hidden algorithm. The same answers always lead to the same next step, so a teacher can always say why a pupil moved on or was given more practice.
| What happens | What the pupil sees | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| 80% or more right first time | Secure | Moves on |
| Below 80% first time | Quick fix A reminder of the idea, then new questions on what they got wrong | Moves on once the quick fix is done |
| Quick fix all right first time | Fixed | Moves on |
| Quick fix still tricky | Teacher check Flagged for the teacher | Moves on, so no pupil gets stuck |
The research behind it
Small steps, then practice
New material in small steps, with practice and a check for understanding before moving on.
Rosenshine’s Principles of InstructionLess to hold in mind at once
Short bite-sizes, one at a time, with the structure shown up front, so working memory is spent on the idea, not the page.
Cognitive load theoryWords and pictures together
Diagrams sit next to the explanation they support, not on a separate page.
Dual codingRecall, not re-reading
Pupils answer from memory straight after learning, and come back to it in later steps and assessments.
Retrieval practiceFeedback that explains
A wrong answer shows why it is wrong and what to ask yourself next time, not just a red cross.
Feedback researchMastery before moving on
Pupils show they are secure before the next idea builds on it, with extra help for those who need it.
Mastery learningA mix of question types
Different questions make pupils think in different ways, and make lucky guesses less likely.
Made for how departments teach
Matches your lessons
Each learn guide lines up with the teacher slides, the printable booklets and the course delivery tracker, so the same steps run through class, homework and revision.
Built for the KS3 spiral
KS3 computing topics come back in Year 7, 8 and 9, with an assessment at the end of each term covering what was taught.
Set as homework
Teachers set a course from My classes, see each pupil’s progress, and see a list of pupils who are getting stuck.
Where you will see it now
The step bar, first-try scoring and quick fixes are live in every KS3 computing learn guide, including the Year 7 to 9 online safety guides. When a pupil is still stuck after a quick fix, their teacher sees it on My classes and can mark it as sorted. More key stages will follow.
Questions teachers ask
Can a pupil get stuck?
No. After a quick fix, every pupil can move on. If it is still tricky, the step is flagged so the teacher can pick it up.
Does it replace teaching?
No. It is built to sit alongside your lessons, for homework, catch-up and revision.
Why does the first answer count?
Because changing answers until one turns green shows what a pupil can guess, not what they know. Pupils can still correct their work, and they see why they were wrong.
Does it work in every subject?
It works best where answers are clearly right or wrong, such as computing, maths and science. Longer written answers need a teacher or a mark scheme, not a button.
See it for yourself
Open the first lesson of KS3 Computing Fundamentals and try a bite-size as a pupil would.
