SiR Learning is a well established company in the Integrated Learning Systems field but not many will know that SiR is also highly active in facilitating learning for under privileged children in developing countries. Flying Start spoke to Managing Director Nick West about both SiR Learning and the West Family Charitable Trust.

The current SiR Learning is the product of Global Learning Systems (founded in 1983) and Systems Integrated Research who merged in 1994. The company’s philosophy is to enhance classroom learning and improve educational standards by providing individuals with IT that gives them the chance to learn at their own level. They believe that IT is for lifelong learning in both classroom and at home.

Using the current National Curriculum paperbased activities, SiR have developed a number of software products such as Global Maths, Complete Maths Workshop, The Active Books series, Global English and a host of others for primary, secondary and further education. SiR doesn’t stop there though as they realised that there is also a need to provide management software to evaluate the effectiveness of these teaching aids. As a result, Nick and his team developed several items that support lesson planning, pupil monitoring and marking and also reporting.

Training for teachers in the use of both course software and management, with options for on-site (either in the school or at SiR) courses, video conferencing or separate venues is also catered for. There is even a help desk for day-to-day support.

SiR Learning have had proven results. Their web site holds 14 case studies (www.sirlearningsystems.co.uk/content/casestudies) but a greater testimony is the fact that over 400 schools currently use their products. Whilst many schools find it too expensive to pay for annual operating licenses, SiR ensured that their software comes with a permanent licence thus reducing costs significantly.

SiR Learning is not the only concern of Nick and his family however. They are also trustees for the West Family Charitable Trust, an organisation that is looking to work to eradicate poverty by using education as a path to recovery.

The trust was set up by Nick’s aunt Daisy Mary West in 2001 and is now run by her three nephews. The trust is currently applying its resources to a project in the Philippines, so recently devastated by a cyclone in 2011, known as the Buddy Network.

The Buddy Network uses school representatives, teachers, retired teachers and voluntary teachers to deliver a “4-Tier Learner Support Programme” which consists of learning materials, lesson plans, marking and the tracking of learner progress.

By supplying these mentors with recycled laptops and solar panels, they are able to reach areas of the islands where children are isolated and provide much needed teaching and encouragement in English, Maths and Science using SiR’s own software. In the short term, the aim is to support the out of school youth and underachievers whilst encouraging them to re-enter mainstream education.

The long term aim of the West Family Charitable Trust is to stimulate the Philippine economy by helping to create an educated workforce attractive to new investors who will provide jobs so that the economic growth of the islands can be boosted. This also means that more families move out of the poverty trap and the cycle becomes self-sustaining.

This is not just about sending money. This is a scaleable project which, as it grows from individual villages to a national level, is about self help and producing an educated generation that is increasingly employable. Working in tandem with the European Chamber of Commerce it is hoped to stimulate new investment in the Philippines to try to replace the devastating losses of 2011 and to give even more opportunities for the future.

You can find out more about SiR Learning from the links below:

www.sirlearningsystems.co.uk
Telephone: 01773 820011
Nick West:      corporate@sirplc.co.uk

To get further information or to get involved with the West Family Charitable Trust you can follow the links below

www.wfct.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7193 1738
Trustees:  trustee@wfct.org.uk