First hand experience from a school using Fast Tomato to assist the delivery and development of a careers curriculum.

�We are very excited about the use of Fast Tomato in our school. The students look forward to career lessons with enthusiasm and their parents even come into school talking about how useful it is, because they are seeing it being used at home as well. The whole experience has been fantastic and we are looking to expand its use in the future into Year 10.� Cath Bank (Assistant Headteacher)


Cath explained:

�I got involved with Fast Tomato entirely by accident as I attended the briefing meeting for a colleague who was unable to go. I was hooked!

We introduced Fast Tomato in 2004 and decided to target Year 9 students. This was to allow individuals to use the pages within the website to support them when choosing their options.

There was positive feedback right from the very first lesson. Students accessed the site easily, were able to work independently and were excited at the prospect of being able to access their user area from home. Many parents also positively commented on Fast Tomato at Parents� evening and Options evening. Connexions PA�s who joined in the training were really impressed with how much the students could do on their own and their enthusiasm. Behaviour was excellent, even from more challenging individuals and students of all abilities were able to complete the different sections. My main role became one of offering ideas and directing students to different sections of the site, rather than having to give explanations."

�Fast Tomato is a really useful tool for target setting. It creates an opportunity to both raise aspirations, while at the same time be realistic about what can be achieved. We currently have to try to fit Fast Tomato into an already busy schedule, but we picture it in the future as being an important part of the timetable programme. We really like the look of the site and the students in particular like the way they can customise the site to suit their personal taste."

"Fast Tomato has become part of the language of the school!"

Student Feedback from Daventry William Parker School

�Fast Tomato helps in lots of ways. It helps you to decide your options and tells you more about careers and what you need to do to get into them. I�d like a job as a sports coach and Fast Tomato has suggested jobs you can do when you�re younger, to get a taste, such as work in leisure centres.�

�This is my first lesson and I already have an idea of what to do.�

�I used it to help me select my options and I liked the questionnaires and I�ve gone back and done some of them again, because I�ve changed my mind since the last time. The course suggestions are really useful and I�ve even introduced a couple of friends to it, who don�t have Fast Tomato in their school. The links are really good too, because if I�m interested in a course or college I can click on the link and have a look at that college in more detail.�

�Fast Tomato has helped me to think about possible jobs I could do and Year 10 options.�

�I know what I�d like to do, but Fast Tomato still helped me decide on the kinds of subjects I need to be studying.�

�I like the way you can find more information about jobs and what qualifications you need to do them.�

�I don�t have internet access at home, but I�ve used Fast Tomato at my Nan�s house�