U.K. School reclaims 30% of learning time with Clever

This U.K. school gained back 30% more learning time and went from 5% to 100% unit completion in just 3 months after implementing Clever to overcome login hurdles.

In September 2023, Steve Archer, the computing subject leader and member of the school leadership team (SLT) at New Longton All Saints’ Church of England Primary School (NLAS), noticed that students were spending up to 20 minutes of learning time by trying to remember their passwords and log into Chromebooks. After implementing Clever, students regained classroom time by quickly logging into their Chromebooks and popular learning applications using Clever Badges, a physical passcode similar to a QR code.

The challenge: Chromebook login struggles block learning

Students at NLAS faced a significant hurdle – in a 60-minute lesson, classes were losing up to 30%, up to 20 minutes, of learning time due to login delays. Password vulnerabilities, from looking over students’ shoulders to help them login to writing down passwords, led to only 5% completion of the computing course curriculum within the term. This led to a learning loss and gap, which would be passed on to teachers in the upcoming terms. Additionally, once Archer learned that teachers were so frustrated with Chromebook login issues they would avoid using them, he knew something had to be done to increase the usage of school-purchased devices.

The solution: Single sign-on into devices and applications with Clever

After learning about Clever from Simon Hunt, Archer knew he found a simple solution to solve his school’s login challenges. With Clever, students use single sign-on to access Chromebooks and learning applications in a single portal – no typing or having to navigate multiple websites. With the help of his school’s IT technician, they implemented Clever for Chromebooks in a day by determining which students would need access, uploading one file of five fields, and configuring Chromebook user settings.

After completing the setup, Archer was ready for classroom rollout. Archer identified year 1 and year 2 teacher champions who were most eager to try a new solution. This made it simple to train teachers on how students use Clever Badges, a physical passcode similar to a QR code, for lightning-fast logins into Chromebooks and digital learning applications through the Clever Portal. Archer’s strategy of working with teacher champions not only generated school-wide interest but also reclaimed valuable classroom time for the youngest students.

The impact: Regained learning time makes an impact in the classroom

Thanks to Archer introducing Clever into classrooms, students have a faster, more secure way to log in. Now that classrooms have saved an aggregate of 20 hours of learning time in just 3 months, they have been able to complete 100% of their computing curriculum within the term. NLAS has taken further steps to help strengthen his school’s technology program, including purchasing more Chromebooks, increasing usage of their technology in lessons, and starting the path to becoming a certified Google School. Teachers no longer have login issues and are eager to use technology in the classroom, thus helping the school get more return on investment on their Chromebook purchases. Archer also shared that with Clever, students have learned the benefits of SSO as a security best practice, through Badges and the Portal. Plus, students look forward to the Clever chime sound when they log in to their Chromebooks with Clever Badges!

Tips from NLAS Educators