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 Press Release ArchivePress Releases 2003
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12-12-2003 Following an assessment by an independent body, Birchfield Interactive has been awarded ISO 9001 Certification. This prestigious, internationally recognised standard defines the elements of organisation required by a company to operate and maintain a Quality Management System. The award recognises Birchfield's commitment to exceptional quality in bringing the latest multimedia technologies into the classroom and makes a positive statement about the importance the organisation places on meeting school's needs. Birchfield met specific quality standards for management responsibility, resource management, measurement and analysis to gain the award. The company's Quality Management System signals their intent to continually improve processes and systems. With only around 3% of UK businesses holding this Certificate, Birchfield are now at the forefront of quality service and customer care. Birchfield are constantly pushing the boundaries of technology to deliver the highest quality resources to schools. Now with the award of ISO 9001, this has been confirmed by outside experts.
05-11-2003 This week Birchfield Interactive's Question Genie for Religious Studies received an extremely positive review by the highly regarded educational magazine RE Today. Rosemary Rivett wrote: "Question Genie for Religious Studies aims to provide teachers with software to create their own 3D interactive 'educational' computer games in 'just minutes' in a way which is 'very intuitive' and 'needs no instructions'. Although often sceptical of such claims, I found that guided by on-screen prompts it is indeed possible to create (and play) a game in minutes! "For best results the teacher needs to create around 30 multiple-choice questions on a given topic (to avoid repetition). These are then presented to the pupil to be answered as part of a computer game. There are five 'games' to choose from: 1. Keeping the nine lights of the eternal light burning. "A 'starter bank' of images is provided for Judaism (14), Christianity (25) and Islam (15). Users can import their own graphics, sound and video files and it is with creative use of this facility that the software will be used most effectively to reinforce pupils' knowledge and understanding of religions ('learning about'). Designed for the 11-16 age range, it is perhaps those aged 11-14 (and possibly younger) who will find it most engaging. "Where a network is available, Question Genie could be used to provide a range of focussed activities to support study outside the RE classroom (for example in the school library or resource centre) or to provide plenary activities for a whole class where a single computer/data projector or interactive whiteboard is available. "Used creatively Question Genie is a useful and seemingly 'glitch free' addition to the RE teacher's ICT toolkit."
01-10-2003 Birchfield Interactive has received investment this week which will allow the company to continue to build on its success. The investment comes from William Harris, ex. CEO of Gullane Entertainment plc and Arwel Morgan and Robert Llewellyn of Hafren Ventures. The new investment brings with it an organisational restructuring. William Harris becomes Birchfield's Chairman and Arwel Morgan will become Finance Director. Chris Griffiths remains CEO with Jonathan Case having the new job title of Development Director and Richard Coles Technical Director. The investment has been received to take the company forward. Birchfield's success over the last twelve months has been outstanding. The product range has increased from 60 to over 170. Ace Monkey has been seen by more than one and half million children. Birchfield won the 'Best Secondary ICT Resource' award at the Educational Resources Awards 2003 in March. The investment looks to strengthen, broaden and continue this success. William Harris has an impressive track record with Gullane Entertainment, the company responsible for popular children's brands such as Thomas the Tank Engine, Fireman Sam and the Guinness Book of Records. He delivered growth and shareholder value as well as increasing their market capitalisation from £31 million to £133 million. The investment process has been overseen by the venture capital and management services company Hafren Ventures, with Eversheds and Morgan Cole Solicitors acting as legal advisors.
08-09-2003 The National Teaching Awards are held every year to publicly acknowledge and celebrate the crucial role that teachers play in the lives of children and the nation's future. This year Birchfield Interactive will being supporting the event by awarding every regional winner, of which there are 150, with a selection of software up to the value of £250. The overall total donation accumulates to over £37,500 worth of software from Birchfield. Birchfield already has strong links with the Teaching Awards as previous winners Martin Williams (Secondary School Teacher of the Year) and Keith Phipps (winner of the Most Creative Use of ICT) form an integral part of the company. Through Birchfield's first hand experiences within the teaching realm, teachers' enthusiasm, dedication and sheer excellence is only too apparent. Birchfield believes this should be recognised and rewarded and feels privileged to support such a well-deserved event. Established by the Teaching Awards Trust, an independent charity chaired by Lord Puttnam CBE, The Teaching Awards have ten award categories which aim to celebrate the broad range of skills in the teaching profession. 150 regional award ceremonies have already been held and the national event is to be held in London on 25th October. For more information go to www.teachingawards.com
16-08-2003 The beginning of the new academic year has now commenced and to mark the occasion Birchfield have released a whole set of new and exciting CD-ROM titles for schools across the UK. With advances in technology, Birchfield's new titles combine advanced programming with stunning animation work which has produced cutting edge software. These titles contain a high degree of interactivity as well as dynamic sound and graphics and are set to take the educational software market by storm. New titles include:
28-07-2003 ACCAC, the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales, have awarded Birchfield Interactive three more exciting projects due to the successful working relationship between the two organisations over the last year. Since November 2002 Birchfield has been developing a Welsh History KS1 and 2 CD-ROM for the Authority. The CD has impressed everyone involved and its success has led to ACCAC awarding Birchfield some more diverse projects. Beginning in September 2003, Birchfield will be developing a new range of titles for the Authority covering Geography, History and Transport. A host of academic and teaching experts will work closely with Birchfield and the CDs are planned for release next year.
16-05-2003 Birchfield has won yet another high profile award, this time for the 'Welsh Innovative Company of the Year' in the Western Mail's Business Awards 2003. The award celebrates the innovative culture in business throughout Wales and seeks to congratulate companies who are at the forefront of this. Birchfield was been praised for its "innovative products which are designed to make learning a more enjoyable process and encourage the introduction of IT into the classroom". The awards were held in the Cardiff International Arena on 15th May and were sponsored by ELWA (the Welsh Education authority) and the Welsh Development Agency.
11-04-2003 Birchfield's Moral Issues software has won The Sandford St. Martin Trust RE Award for the Best Software 2003. The well sought over award is well respected in the education field and it is another great achievement for Birchfield. The chair of the judges and Executive Officer for the Professional Council for Religious Education, Lat Blaylock commented "Birchfield's Moral Issues software is the best example we have ever seen of using this technology for some engaged and vigorous RE learning." The Awards, which began in 1997, support, encourage and recognise exceptional resources in religious education. Two awards are presented every year, one to the best RE television programme and one to the best RE CD ROM. The Award was presented by BBC Radio Four's Woman Hour presenter Jenni Murray and was collected by Birchfield's Liz Wilkinson at BBC Manchester yesterday. Birchfield's Moral Issues software was praised for its balance of issues and how students are able to weigh up ethical arguments for themselves. The judges admired its range of thoughtful tasks which converge around a large number of social and ethical issues. Its interactivity was also congratulated.
14-03-2003 Birchfield Interactive have won the ultimate award at the Education Resources Show, the well-sought over and highly respected 'Best Secondary School ICT Resource' 2003. The Awards give the ultimate recognition to those working in the education industry and highlight the quality and excellence of resources produced in the UK. Birchfield were up against established companies such as Heinemann and Espresso Education but won because of the software's "pacey, innovative and interactive design". The judges stated: "What makes Birchfield Interactive's software stand out from the crowd is its excellent use of quizzes and role plays." The ceremony was hosted by Tom O'Connor, an ex-teacher himself, and Birchfield's award was presented by the BESA chairman, Ray Barker. Ray commented that they were stunned by the sheer volume of entries for the 'Best Secondary School ICT Resource' award but Birchfield Interactive had stood out for their innovative approach. Birchfield's directors Jonathan Case and Richard Coles collected the award. The event, organised by BESA and sponsored by the likes of TES, Sanford and GLS, truly recognised the industry's finest and of which Birchfield has now been established as one of them.
12-03-2003 Birchfield Interactive has joined forces with The Times Educational Software brand, a move which will see Birchfield's software firmly establish itself in consumer market. Birchfield's software will now be seen in over 30 million catalogues and in retail outlets across the UK under The Times Educational Software Brand. The Times Educational Software brand, with its reputation for established and well respected education resources, chose Birchfield Interactive plc primarily for its superior quality software. Birchfield Interactive differentiates from the competition by adopting 3D graphics and using highly regarded teachers and education specialists to write the content. The brand was also impressed by Birchfield's extensive product base and quick product development time. With backing from award winning teachers such as Martin Williams (Secondary School Teacher of the Year) and Keith Phipps (Most Creative Use of ICT Award) Birchfield's software has quickly become well established in schools across the UK. Now with over 86 titles and an overall sales increase of over 423 percent from last year Birchfield is keen to progress. This new partnership will give Birchfield access to the retail and consumer market under a respected and reputable brand. Edward Rea OBE DL, Birchfield Interactive's Chairman, commented: "It is a true testament to the work we have done here. This joint venture with the UK's top educational brand will see Birchfield establish itself as a leading software producer not only in the school market but also in the highly competitive consumer field too." The move will also increase the profile of Birchfield Interactive's well loved character Ace Monkey. Ace Monkey has already been seen in over 7,000 schools and with his popularity rising with children from pre-school to KS2 age his launch into the consumer world looks set to propel him to greater heights.
10-03-2003 The WJEC - the Welsh Joint Education Committee - invited Birchfield Interactive to give demonstrations at their Geography inset days at venues across Wales. After seeing Birchfield's Geography series the examination board was both impressed and enthusiastic about the resources. The invitation to attend the inset days provided Birchfield with a unique opportunity to demonstrate to teachers the capabilities of the software first-hand. Dewi Evans, a retired Head of Geography in Cardiff who co-wrote the series, gave demonstrations and short talks about the software. The days were a huge success and generated a great deal of interest in both the software and the wallcharts. The WJEC look set to continue their support for Birchfield's Geography series and Birchfield is looking forward to working with the board in the near future.
07-03-2003 Key individuals from leading businesses across Wales met together on Friday 7th March in the presence of HRH The Duke of York. Birchfield attended the event and Chris Griffiths, Birchfield's Chief Executive got the opportunity to meet the Duke himself. The Duke of York is the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment and attended lunch in Cardiff to celebrate the success that businesses in Wales had achieved. The event was organised by the Welsh Development Agency and provided opportunities for businesses to discuss topical issues and the international trade market. Chris Griffiths was delighted to meet the Duke and commented: "It was a great pleasure to meet him and it provided a fantastic opportunity to spread the word of Birchfield!"
26-02-2003 Birchfield Interactive Plc, Wales' leading educational software company, has newly appointed Michael Lewis, MBA. Michael will be joining Edward Rea OBE, Paul Twamley and Stephen Jones as one of Birchfield's non-executive directors. Michael is currently chairman and managing director of Riverston Holdings Limited, a company which owns educational establishments in the UK and France. He holds several other directorships and was formerly a non-executive director of Oxleas NHS Trust in London. As well as being a headmaster for more than 25 years, he is a qualified ISC school inspector and former Governor of both schools and colleges. Michael also holds the position of a visiting Professor in International Marketing Management for a leading business school. Michael's CV not only boasts fellowships of numerous academic and professional bodies and a MBA degree, it will soon feature his current pursuit of doctoral studies in international educational marketing. Michael's role within Birchfield will be to act as an educational specialist. With Michael's wealth of knowledge and experience in the education sector, Birchfield looks set to continue its upward progression in the education market. Birchfield's executive directors Chris Griffiths, Jonathan Case and Richard Coles are delighted at the addition to their team. Chris Griffiths commented: "We are extremely excited about Michael joining Birchfield. His experience and his expertise in both the business and education fields are sure to massively benefit and strengthen Birchfield."
18-02-2003 Martin Williams, Secondary School Teacher of The Year 2002, has joined forces with Birchfield Interactive. After seeing Birchfield's software Martin was impressed by its fresh, stimulating and inspiring approach. As a frequent user of ICT in the classroom Martin was extremely excited at the CD-ROMs' innovation design and content and decided to support Birchfield and its causes. Martin Williams has taught at St. Cenydd Secondary School, Caerphilly for seven years and now impressively commands the positions of Head of History, ICT Project Manager and Teaching and Learning Coordinator. Martin's teaching practices were officially recognised last year when the Teaching Award Judges commented: "His combination of intellectual skills, organisation and enormous ability to apply ICT is powerful enough; but he is also loved by his pupils who give him rapt attention and respect. His passion for teaching is infectious and as a master of the creative use of ICT in the classroom has already brought him recognition beyond St. Cenydd." Martin will now sit on Birchfield's board of advisors providing valuable input and advice from a practicing teacher's perspective. Links have now been established between Birchfield and St. Cenydd School to supply feedback and comments for software development and Martin will also be developing Birchfield's new range of History KS3 software.
07-02-2003 Birchfield is again at the forefront of new technology and innovative design as it develops a word processor with a difference. This unique product is currently being designed especially for young children and is expected to revolutionise the way they are taught to read and write. The inspiration behind the word processor was to steer away from the unattractive and boring packages that are currently available and to create an exciting, easy-to-use and enjoyable product which will effectively teach young children to read and write. Ace Monkey will front the word processor and together with high quality animations and graphics it is hoped that it will be a huge success. By incorporating the features of a word processor into a virtual 3D animated environment, where children are guided by spoken instructions, Birchfield hopes to create a product that holds global significance. This innovative concept is not only pioneering to Birchfield but to the entire educational software industry.
20-01-2003 Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, announced at the BETT Exhibition earlier this month (January) that ICT has a major role to play in children's education. In his speech he stated: "ICT has a profound effect on children's learning which can be seen in terms of enhanced pupil outcome and in the students' view of themselves as learners." He went on to say that ICT has improved educational standards and educational quality across the country. He drew on the ImpaCT2 Report (by BECTA) which concluded that pupils who used ICT attained higher than their predicted GCSE grades. Clarke believes that ICT develops study skills through greater motivation, sustained concentration and the development of thinking skills. He remarked, "ICT increases the responsibility of the learner, thereby giving them greater control over their work, which in turn brings greater self-discipline and self-confidence. These are really powerful tools, which I think we should celebrate and develop."
07-01-2003 The Guardian has awarded their 'CD-ROM of the Week' to Birchfield for the second time. 'Question Genie for Biology' was awarded with this accolade on 7th January 2003, the following was written: "The premise for the program is that the teacher writes a series of questions with three possible answers so that the student reinforces his or her knowledge of the topic. Although designed for biology, this can be used in any subject, especially as a revision tool for unmotivated students - thanks to the visual nature of the games and the sound effects and music used throughout. Video clips can be incorporated in the questions, adding to their appeal. It won't be every teacher's cup of tea, but those who are prepared to try it should be pleased with the results."
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