I've just received a copy of the new Inspiration and have spent an hour going through it. Just when I thought it couldn't get much better, it's much better! Congratulations to everyone - it's fantastic to be able to choose between the concept and mind map view, not to mention the outline and exporting. I am thrilled to have a searchable library (as you might remember) and the online help is great too.

Ellen Lessner (member of JISC)

Hallfield Junior School is right in the heart of Westminster and is full of children from different nationalities and abilities. The range of needs can, at times, be overwhelming. We have found inspiration a vital tool in helping children with EAL (English as an Additional Language) and those with specific learning difficulties. Inspiration allows Year 6 children to produce concept maps of science topics, which can be used as a revision guide and as an assessment for teacher re: how much they have understood. Year 3 produce simple story plans on a template. This is a very powerful learning tool and we cannot do without it.

Colin Tucker - Hallfield Junior School

Pupils are required to identify distinctive features of a Victorian school in order that they can achieve the learning objective to compare modern and Victorian schooling. The reason for using Inspiration was to enable the children to establish what they already knew about Victorian schooling in comparison with their own experience of school. Inspiration was projected onto an Interactive whiteboard in order that the whole class could be engaged. Children put their own ideas onto the map via the interactive whiteboard and the whole class discussed the linking. In a mixed ability environment this proved to be a powerful way of sharing knowledge and gave all children a chance to contribute. This was the first time that the children had been exposed to Inspiration; although they had experienced the idea of concept mapping. The children were unanimous that they preferred to create the map electronically in Inspiration because they could alter it easily; they could make it clear with colour and graphics; which made it easier to remember facts. The use of Inspiration has been highly successful and there is clear potential for cross-curricular use.

Jane Finch - Teacher Advisor ICT - Worcestershire

One [of our classroom assistants] commented that [Inspiration] was one of the best bits of educational software she has ever seen for supporting writing and organisation of information. Both will be using the software with less able pupils. The Year 5 teacher has also used the software with her mixed-ability class. They have used it to plan narratives and think that it is 'brilliant'. I shall be finding lots of opportunities to use this program in the future and believe it to be an essential addition to our range of software.

Kathy Olsson - Bishop Parker Catholic Combined

I personally use Inspiration for preparing lectures and presentations. My students find it easy to learn and they use it to plan and organise their revision notes; essay plans and topic ideas. Using the visual plan gives them an overview of the task and encourages them to process the information in greater depth; which leads to greater understanding.

Glenys Heap - Principal - Leicester Dyslexia Institute