A specialist edtech company has developed a platform that helps children receiving hospital treatment stay connected to their education.
The system, called HospitaliP, is now being rolled out across Oxfordshire’s hospital education services, marking a signiicant milestone for its creators Derventio Education, based in Derby.
The company has recently held discussions with the Department for Education on the unique challenges facing hospital schools and the need for technology built around their specialist operational, safeguarding and reporting requirements.
Unlike mainstream schools, hospital education teams work across wards, coordinate with clinicians, families and home schools, and support children whose education has been disrupted by serious illness. Yet many continue to rely on systems designed for traditional school environments.
HospitaliP has been developed in collaboration with hospital education professionals – including those at Great Ormond Street Hospital which have been using the system for some time.
The product has been designed specifically to meet those challenges, helping staff securely manage pupil information, coordinate learning, support safeguarding and maintain continuity of education while children receive treatment.
Stuart Reece, Managing Director of Derventio Education, said: “Hospital schools operate in an environment unlike any other, yet for years they’ve had to adapt systems that were never designed for the way they work.
“We developed HospitaliP by listening to hospital educators and understanding their day-to-day challenges. The aim has always been simple: reduce administration, improve communication and give staff more time to focus on supporting children.”
The platform has been developed alongside hospital education teams, including educators in Oxford and at Great Ormond Street Hospital, ensuring it reflects the realities of delivering education in healthcare settings.
Recent discussions with the Department for Education have reinforced the growing recognition that hospital schools require specialist digital solutions rather than adaptations of mainstream systems.
Stuart added: “It was encouraging to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing hospital education with the Department for Education. Hospital schools have unique requirements, and technology should reflect that.
“Every child deserves continuity in their education, regardless of their medical circumstances. If we can help hospital educators spend less time working around technology and more time supporting children, then we’ve achieved exactly what we set out to do.”
HospitaliP builds on Derventio Education’s SchooliP platform, used by hundreds of schools across the UK and abroad.
Both systems have been developed through close collaboration with education professionals, ensuring they solve real operational challenges rather than simply digitising existing processes.
