RM and Espresso Education partner to offer “end-to-end” solutions to schools across the UK
7th September 2004
RM plc, the leading supplier of ICT software and services to UK education, has signed an agreement with Espresso Education, the UK’s leading supplier of broadband educational resources, to pre-load SmartCache 2, RM’s caching solution, with Espresso’s BETT award-winning curriculum resources service.
This partnership means that LAs and schools who purchase a new SmartCache 2 can subscribe to Espresso and access the content immediately, reliably and simultaneously across their network, without download delays.
The partnership also allows schools to purchase this "bundled package", under a fixed-term agreement, with their e-learning credits.
The deal means that all of Espresso’s 2,000+ curriculum-focused video clips are instantly available with SmartCache2. Each video and every other resource – photos, multimedia games and challenges, printable sheets - is tailored to the National Curriculum and QCA schemes of work, ensuring it is relevant to teachers' needs and saves them time in planning. The content is added to on a weekly basis, keeping it up-to-date as it continues to grow.
With the wealth of internet based resources now available to schools, delivering content quickly and securely is fast becoming an issue. Reliability of an internet connection during a lesson cannot be guaranteed, and as such, internet delivered content is not always a viable solution for schools.
Rob Sirs, Group Sales and Marketing Director at RM commented:
Delivering the latest e-learning material over the internet has to be failsafe for a teacher during a lesson. Accessing video content through SmartCache 2 eliminates any risk of unreliable connections and leaves teachers free to use the content with confidence in their lessons. We are delighted to now be able to offer schools Espresso on SmartCache 2 to further enhance the teaching and learning experience.
Richard McGrath, Managing Director at Espresso commented:
Schools and LAs are now looking to suppliers for end-to-end solutions, from networks, hardware, internet products & services through to curriculum-based educational software. Together with RM, we can offer just that - what we believe to be a differentiated and highly competitive product offering.
RM
RM is the leading supplier of ICT to UK education, providing industry-standard educational software, services and systems to schools, colleges and universities. Founded in 1973, RM rapidly became a pioneer in the application of technology to education and the company's range of products and services has continued to expand to meet the needs of educational establishments since that time.
RM's caching solutions enable schools to exploit the potential of broadband, whilst helping them control their Internet environment. RM SmartCache 2 is the caching and content delivery server from RM which benefits both primary and secondary schools by accelerating Internet performance and helping improve access to e-learning content. RM SmartCache 2 has been tested within most Regional Broadband Consortia and LAs across the UK and fully meets the BECTa specification.
For further press information or paper versions of this release please contact:
Espresso Marketing, Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, Hammersmith, W6 9RL
Tel: +44(0)20 8237 1200
Fax: +44(0)20 8237 1201
Email: info@espresso.co.uk
