Why I love… Clicker

Clicker has become a key part of Cumberland Infant School’s literacy toolkit, helping struggling writers build their confidence and feel successful as learners…

About me

Name: Laura Trowern
Job role: Learning support assistant/SILSA
School: Cumberland Infant School, Portsmouth
Favourite feature: Clicker’s scaffolded writing support!

What challenges were your pupils facing before using Clicker?

LT: It was tricky before we started using Clicker. We had pupils who knew a lot about the projects we were teaching, but they couldn’t express it in writing.

I could tell that the pupils felt a little bit excluded and their self-esteem was low because they couldn’t complete the task in the same way as their peers. Some pupils would shut down completely, refusing to write, walking out of the room, or becoming visibly upset.

So, the challenges weren’t just about academic progress; it was also about helping them feel valued and confident in the classroom.

How did you first discover Clicker? 

I was introduced to Clicker about 18 months ago through the “Portsmouth: The Digital City” Project. I attended a training day and instantly thought, “Wow, this is going to be wonderful!”

I immediately saw its potential – for our lower-attaining pupils, for EAL learners and really for all our children. 

Since then, we’ve had brilliant training from the Clicker team, I’ve taken part in city-wide projects, and I’ve begun using it more and more. I get something out of it every day, every week. 

How easy was it to bring Clicker into the classroom?

It was incredibly easy. It needed minimal preparation and fit perfectly with what we were already doing. Whether it’s phonics in Reception or project writing in Year 2, we can find something that works.

There are so many ready-made resources, and it’s simple to adapt them to suit our needs and flexible enough to support a wide range of learners. It’s ideal – everything’s there for you, ready to go.

What difference has Clicker made for struggling writers?

I have some standout successes that I’d like to share!

Raife, who used to walk out of the room if he made a mistake, now writes confidently with Clicker. Nicholas, who arrived with very little English, and was almost unable to write, can now produce work equal to his peers within a year of using Clicker.

Albert, a reluctant writer with low confidence, has shone with Clicker. He’s now met Age Related Expectations in Year 1 and the end of Year 2 and is ready for junior school. 

They are all good writers now because of Clicker. It gives pupils the support they need to move from “I can’t” to “I can” – and further still, “I can do this myself.” 

Want to support your struggling writers?  Book a Clicker discovery call.