Isobel Mair - SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards

The Isobel Mair School in the Clarkson area of East Renfrewshire marked its Silver Jubilee recently, celebrating 25 years of educating children from 5 to 18 with a wide range of support needs – from severe to very complex learning difficulties.

This unique learning facility is the only special needs school in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, and currently teaches 68 boys and girls from across the local community and other neighbouring education authorities.

It is a huge test for any school to try and discover what motivates children and young adults, let alone a school with such a wide range of additional needs. Any solution needs to be easy to use, flexible enough to appeal to a wide range of ages and physical needs, and also become a long-term educational aide. Isobel Mair takes an individualised approach to each pupil’s education, with an elaborate focus on what works for each child.

For older pupils in particular, it is especially difficult to source and implement materials that are suitable to this age group, without appearing childish or inappropriate. Lessons have to be presented in a creative and exciting format in order to truly reach pupils of all ages.

As part of the process of harnessing the power of ICT to support all aspects of learning and teaching, staff at Isobel Mair School started to investigate channels to help them do just this. The school acted on independent advice and started looking at implementing an interactive whiteboard.