THE FROG-ACADEMY

BMO vs ED City

BMO only covers yrs 3-6 atm. They are planning to have the KS1 package before too long (I shall sign up for that too). It is heaps cheaper than EC and is one payment for as many children as you want to add on to it! It is designed as SAT revision and does assume some previous knowledge of the topics - It doesn't actually 'teach' the child as such, BUT I think it can be used as a major teaching tool. There is enough in it to actually teach the topics with - iyswim. And there is enough repetition to make it stick without being boring! You can even turn off the little characters that 'chat' to the children (which mine find irritating). The certificate is printed at the end of the day with all the 'scores' for what has been done on (one for each area - maths, science & English), but you have to remember to print it before you change subjects or it forgets what you did. However in the teacher's area it does keep a record of what each child has achieved. This is not however a 'progress report' like you get with EC - it's just scores, 8/10 etc.. You can assign certain 'topics' - but not PER CHILD - what you assign for one you assign for all. It does not quite have the functionality of EC in that respect. It's a lot more basic! J

I like EC - but do find parts of it frustrating. The kids find it a bit slow at times and get confused because it uses the same activities in all areas of the Curriculum - so they think they have 100% stuff when they haven't (they did something in Maths and don't realise they need to do the same activity in English too - now called Literacy).

Also the phonics is very inconsistent in its methodology, which I have emailed them about - still not heard back though! I do like the fact that it is SO customizable though and their progress reports are a god-send to me, as I can't always be on the children's shoulders!

Hope that helps some of you with questions - fire away if you have more!