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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

Sparklebox

28 replies

christinarossetti · 17/06/2013 21:14

I was trying to explain to someone today why schools shouldn't use this and realised that I don't know any more than 'money goes to a convicted paedophile' and then actually I don't have any evidence for that.

Could someone provide links to more detail about Sparklebox (who runs it etc) and suggest suitable alternatives.

TIA

OP posts:

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Jestrin · 17/06/2013 21:15

We use twinkl as an alternative

intheshed · 17/06/2013 21:18

www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6041853

It's banned in our school. We use Twinkl, Mrs Pancake and a lot of the TES resources instead.

simpson · 17/06/2013 21:36

Both the school I have a placement in (for college) and the school my DC go to use sparkle box

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 17/06/2013 21:39

It's banned in my LA. Lots of teachers used to use it, but not for a few years now.

Galena · 17/06/2013 21:52

It's banned in the LA, Ellen? DD's preschool and new school use it.

Hulababy · 17/06/2013 21:54

We use Twinkl among others.

Sparklebox is barred from all our LA internet networks also (Sheffield.)
Some teachers do still use it. I refuse to have anything to do with it still.

junkfoodaddict · 17/06/2013 21:55

Lots of teachers still use it at home. I 'think' someone else owns it now. Not sure of the truth behind it. twinkl is a bit naff but TES is rather good.

clam · 17/06/2013 22:09

Our LA had 'access denied' plastered on the screen last time I looked (a couple of years back). Our Head has since told us we can use it at home but, to be honest, if you shouldn't use it in school, then I can't see that you should sanction using it at home either. The principle should stand for both.

TheYoniWayIsUp · 17/06/2013 22:16

What's the opinion on photocopying old resources from Sparklebox which were bought before it was known?
Some of our resources are Sparklebox but only because they've been there for a while and no-one who used them knew of the issues!

As an aside, can I recommend teachitprimary and primaryresources.co.uk? I'm actually a secondary SEN teacher but use both of these loads!

NumTumDeDum · 17/06/2013 22:21

I've just been given a pack of Sparklebox printouts for dd to go through before she starts reception. What to do? The point of a boycott is to stop Kinge from benefitting from advertising revenue. But presumably these are materials previously down loaded and just photocopied. I've already been concerned about gender stereotyping at the school and now this. She hasn't even started yet and I am itching to discuss these things with the head. Are the alternative resources any good? If I do decide to raise this, I would want to be able to suggest good alternatives. I have a feeling I am not going to be popular.

clam · 17/06/2013 22:25

Re: re-using old resources, I think the problem is that people seeing them up in your classroom won't know that you bought them before hand. I would rather start again from scratch with an alternative than have people think I was bank-rolling indirectly someone like Kinge.

NumTumDeDum · 17/06/2013 22:28

Clam, I'm assuming you're a teacher, is this widely known? Is is possible that some schools are just not aware?

clam · 17/06/2013 22:31

I would be surprised if a school didn't know, to be honest.

ParkerTheThief · 17/06/2013 22:31

I think it's pretty well known amongst teachers. Our LEA sent out information at the time the story broke.
It's also been widely discussed on TES.

TheYoniWayIsUp · 17/06/2013 22:32

Fair point clam. Although we don't have things up, the stuff I'm talking about is worksheets used in 1:1 sessions by TAs. Not likely to be seen by anyone!

I'm not sure it is widely known. I've been in teaching for years and have only known about this for a while. It's certainly not banned in our LA.

ParkerTheThief · 17/06/2013 22:33

Our HT didn't ban it, said it was up to individual teachers to decide if they used it. Sadly I think I'm the only one who now doesn't use the site.

FannyMcNally · 17/06/2013 22:36

There are some old resources that my school are still using, Every time I see a 100 square made by Sparklebox for example I just cut the bottom off where the name is. I prefer Twinkl resources and replace the old stuff when I get the chance.

juniper9 · 17/06/2013 23:30

As far as I know, his brother took over the running of the site when it all came out (in about 2009, I think?)

It's been banned in our LEA too. I use instant display, Twinkl and TES, or else I make my own stuff in Photoshop.

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 18/06/2013 08:35

Wow, Galena! The South West Grid for Learning filters it. We are in the area that first found out about him, he's fairly local. The resources are very good but the teachers really should know not to use them. My school before last, an infants, banned their use in 2010 as the story was breaking. My current school doesn't use it.

BackforGood · 18/06/2013 08:57

I too have had a moral dilemma about stuff that had already been downloaded and is just being photocopied - in that there were actually some really good resources on the site before the story came to light,, and, although I wouldn't visit the site again, I'm not contributing to the revenue. Clam makes a good point though about 'advertising' the site if you have something on view with their name on.

Off to look at Twinkl, which I'd not heard of, thanks

ReadytoOrderSir · 18/06/2013 09:25

Twinkl is good but I find their designs get a bit too 'cute' and samey en masse.

tpet.co.uk/#/home
Teachers' Pet is superb - surprised no-one's mentioned them already. Display stuff is totally free. Activities need a subscription (£12 per year but often on offer at £10 if you keep an eye on their FB page). They are very good at creating stuff that users suggest.

They also have a shop where you can order much of their stuff ready printed and laminated if you're short on time.

ReadytoOrderSir · 18/06/2013 09:36

Sorry, but I love Teacher's Pet so much I'm going to share my favourites ...

Common homophones I have these printed 2 per side and laminated back-to-back, kept on every table. They got used to referring to it and correct use of there/their/they're improved dramatically!

Punctuation characters printed A3, cut out and laminated by my patient TA. I use these and their labels to remind them which punctuation we're focussing on and blu tak them to the top of the IWB.

VCOP flowers are gorgeous. Have them on the window with lots of blank leaves to add the pupils' own ideas for Vocab and Openers. I use them as a working wall, making lots of changes to fit the work we're doing.

clam · 18/06/2013 17:06

Googled Sparklebox today from work and Hertfordshire have still got it banned. So there can't be many teachers in this county who don't know of the issue.

mrz · 18/06/2013 17:14

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8462650.stm

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/8477591.stm

www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6041853

they may not know or they may not care many see it as convenient

mrz · 18/06/2013 17:16

juniper9 he changed his name from Daniel to Samuel but he is still the registered owner

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