Q. What is Schoolfriend?

A. Schoolfriend is a revolutionary web-based learning system that tailors exercises to a child's individual ability and needs - special or otherwise. Working at exactly the pace of the child, Schoolfriend offers the equivalent of private tuition at a fraction of the cost.

Q. What does it cost per month?

A. Children can access all available subjects from just £1.98 per week, less than £8 per month. All Schoolfriend work is completed and marked automatically.

Q. How quickly can a child get on-line once the subscription is paid?

A. Once a parent has registered a child, the initial assessment test can immediately be completed. It is then evaluated automatically marked by the programme, whereupon the accuracy and speed of the test are taken into account and the first exercise, at the child's exact level of ability, is instantly sent to them. All work is done on-lineand the exercises are marked instantly. Password protection and our secure servers keep your children and the data safe whilst on the Schoolfriend website. N.B. Registration can be faxed to Schoolfriend, either way the process takes less than 24 hours.

Q. What is the difference between Schoolfriend and other education websites that are free?

A. Schoolfriend is the only website that is aimed at giving customised, tailor-made exercises to Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 children, helping to create solid foundations on which they can build. The exercises, whilst fun, are unashamedly academic. Schoolfriend is not just an assessment programme, it actually teaches children how to do the maths topics or spellings that they are finding difficult, and Phonicfriend can actually teach children how to read.

Q. Will Schoolfriend confuse a child's learning in the classroom?

A. Schoolfriend's exercises are designed to complement work done in the classroom. Our Hint button and Help sheets guide children through problematic questions. However, if a child is completely stuck on something, there is a Tutorial available, which gives a step-by-step guide to working out and understanding the problem. The amount of times a child requests help, hints or tuition is taken into account when the computer is assessing their progress. Schoolfriend alleviates children's confusion by working at a child's individual pace, steadily building up their confidence and abilities.

Q. Does Schoolfriend keep in line with the National Curriculum?

A. Schoolfriend encompasses all the topics that children aged between 4 and 13 are expected to cover. Thereby, it complements all curricula, whilst also bringing that vital added ingredient of devoting whatever amount of help, time and practice is necessary for each individual child to master those topics that they find difficult.

Q. How can a child's progress be monitored?

A. All parents and teachers have access to a child's account where the computer monitors progress. Parents can see a child's achievements at any time.

Q. How does the computer work out the level at which a child should start?

A. There is an initial assessment test, which the computer analyses, for the accuracy and speed in which it was completed. Using this information the computer generates an exercise that is totally tailored and matched to the level of the individual.

Q. Surely this means that children will be at different levels of learning in the classroom?

A. Children are at all different levels in classrooms all over the country! That is because every child is unique, and so they'll always be at different levels of ability. All children have different areas of strengths and weaknesses. The aim of Schoolfriend is to raise the level and abilities of ALL children, including special needs children, whether they are above or below average.

Q. Will homework set by schools suffer as a result of children using Schoolfriend in their own time?

A. Schoolfriend exercises are designed to last approximately 15-20 minutes and are recommended for use three to four times a week. We do not envisage this to be an interference with their homework. In many cases, Schoolfriend may well be set as homework. Children will feel motivated by using Schoolfriend as they will see their marks improve and their confidence increase.

Q. How is Schoolfriend staffed?

A. Apart from Schoolfriend's administration staff, Schoolfriend has a team of development officers around the country who demonstrate the system to schools and parents.

Q. Will children be interested in using the web to improve their maths?

A. By making the exercises confidence boosting and fun to do, we are experiencing huge interest from children who are extremely excited at the prospect of using a computer to improve their work. Please click on the TV link on the Home Page to see children using the Schoolfriend programme.

Q. Can anyone access the website to view a child's progress?

A. Only parents and teachers are allowed access to a child's progress report by means of a password.

Q. Does Schoolfriend only cover maths and spelling?

A. At this time, Maths and Spelling and Vocabulary are available. Phonicfriend, at www.phonicfriend.com , helps children to learn to read. Additional subjects including Punctuation & Grammar, English, Science, History, Geography, Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning and General Knowledge are planned.