LP+365 in Wales
The HWB+ Project

Project: Learning in Digital Wales
Customer: Welsh Government
Users: 600,000
Date: 2012-2018

Learning in Digital Wales

In 2012 following the objectives set out in the report by the External Task and Finish Group the Welsh Government selected Learning Possibilities, through a competitive tender procurement, to roll out LP+ as the Hwb+ Learning Platform for all schools in Wales. In 2015 the contract was extended for a further three-year term following an independent review by Gartner, which found the project to be in the upper quartile for “value for money”.

All 600,000 users in Wales were provisioned on to the Hwb+ platform, and were provided with unique identities. In line with the National Strategy each school had its own learning platform and website, integrated with Office 365. Teachers were provided training as well as online collaboration areas and continuing professional development.

Multi-lingual approach

Hwb+ is a fully customisable, multi-lingual platform, providing each user with a choice of language. User support online and over the phone is also provided in a choice of languages, helping to drive user adoption.

Data sovereignty

Full data sovereignty meeting ISO270001 standards is achieved using a secure hybrid cloud solution. Locally installed school and Ministry of Education systems are integrated to enable seamless data interchange, and correct user access as learners move between classes and grades.

Critical digital skills

The LP+ Learning Platform is designed with a range of collaboration, communication and curriculum delivery tools to helped transform teaching and learning in classrooms every day.

Driving Adoption and Positive Education Outcomes

Hwb+ was built on LP+ technology – an enterprise class technology, on a secure, hybrid cloud offering data sovereignty. LP+ was able to integrate with locally installed school and Ministry of Education (MoE) systems to create bespoke solutions like Hwb+.

The Welsh Government used the LP+ ADOPT Framework (the UK National Standard) and also introduced the  Digital Competence Framework to drive the adoption of HWB+. The marked improvements in the 2018 PISA results and the high user adoption figures below show the impact of this strategy.

Estyn report for Barry Island Primary

“Due to the Home/School accessibility with Hwb+, it provides opportunities for seamless in and out of school learning & communication.”

“The school uses highly innovative and effective practices in developing Hwb & Hwb+ Learning. For example, pupils use Hwb+ to upload their home learning and research work” (Read More)

(Estyn – Government Inspectors of Education and Training in Wales, 2014)

Thought Leadership

Our collection of webinars and whitepapers

Learning in Digital Wales (5.14 mins)

A video on the Welsh national learning platform, designed and developed by Learning Possibilities, using the LP+ platform, a hybrid solution built on Microsoft SharePoint, and integrated with Microsoft Office 365.

Hwb+ and Learning Possibilities Beginnings (2.51 mins)

A video of Learning Possibilities Chairman Stephen Heppell and various Schools in Wales talking about the benefits of Hwb and Hwb+

Digital Wales (2.53 mins)

A video on the Welsh national learning platform, designed and developed by Learning Possibilties, using the LP+ platform, a hybrid solution built on Microsoft SharePoint, and integrated with Microsoft Office 365.

Working with Microsoft

Hwb+, built on Microsoft technology, seamlessly integrated with Microsoft Technologies and made use of the Azure cloud being accessible anytime, anywhere on any internet enabled device. Providing a single-sign-on with Microsoft Office 365 has given every child in Wales an email address, online storage, and free access to Microsoft’s office suite everywhere on any device. The account stays with the student until they leave formal education. 

Praise for Hwb+

Larry Nelson
Worldwide Managing Director,
Education Partners
Microsoft Corporation

“The Hwb+ platform in Wales, which incorporates Office 365, is one of the largest deployments of its type (i.e. SharePoint on-premise integrated with Office 365).

It is great to see the impact Hwb+ is having on teaching and learning as evidenced in the recent Learning in Digital Wales report.

For Microsoft, Hwb+ represents a global showcase and an example of how technology can support change in educational practice.”

Leighton Andrews
(Education Minister 2012)

Hwb “plays a key role in helping schools to share information with parents and involve them in their child’s learning, a critical relationship which we know makes a massive difference to outcomes for learners”.

“I am confident that Hwb will make a real and significant difference to education outcomes for all learners aged 3-19 and become a truly world-class learning platform for Wales.” (BBC:2018).

Government’s Learning in Digital Wales (LiDW) Report

The Welsh Government published its Learning in Digital Wales Report on October 2016, which took a critical look at its funding of digital infrastructure, devices, platforms and content into schools.

On the LP+ (HWB+) platform, the report commented;

“Hwb+ [LP+] meets the objectives for the VLE which were specified, including a single user log on for all teachers and learners, ability to be accessed anywhere at any time from any device, and tools and content, most notably access to Office365, purchased through a ‘buy once for Wales’ approach. “

“Usage data on Hwb and Hwb+ and evidence from surveys and qualitative feedback seems to indicate that LiDW products and activities (including infrastructure improvements) have had a positive effect on increasing the use of digital resources in schools. Training, support and awareness raising activities also appear to have contributed to increases in the use of digital resources and to improving the confidence and awareness of teachers and school managers.”

The Report also comments on the high adoption of the HWB+ platform, and makes recommendations for future improvements of the programme. You can read the complete report here.

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