Redefining Attendance Tracking in Education: The Journey of FizzyNewt

Written by Rob Treharne (Founder and Director – FizzyNewt)

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In my journey as a university lecturer, I’ve encountered the cumbersome nature of traditional attendance management systems, filled with inefficiencies and unnecessary complexities. It’s a task that, while essential, often detracts from the essence of education. This realisation sparked a passion in me: there must be a better way. 

I am a big believer in empowering students to manage their attendance, fostering autonomy and responsibility in their educational journey. When students are given the tools and trust to self-report and monitor their attendance, it instils a sense of ownership over their learning experience.  

This not only enhances their engagement but encourages a proactive approach to their education, making them more aware of attendance’s impact on their academic progress. Furthermore, entrusting students with this responsibility cultivates essential life skills such as accountability, time management, and self-discipline, invaluable beyond the classroom. 

Enter FizzyNewt, a platform born out of a desire to transform attendance tracking from a tedious chore into a seamless experience. My Co-Founders, Andy (my brother), and Simon, launched our innovative solution to simplify the attendance process, eliminating the need for intricate hardware and cumbersome administrative tasks. Our aim is to give time back to educators and instil a sense of responsibility in students. 

We envision FizzyNewt as more than just an attendance management tool; it’s a platform that enhances the educational journey for both students and educators. With its intuitive design, students can easily report their attendance, fostering a sense of ownership over their educational journey. This shift in approach not only alleviates the administrative burden on educators but also redirects focus towards meaningful learning experiences. 

By intelligently analysing attendance data, FizzyNewt also serves as an early warning system, identifying students who may need additional support. This proactive approach ensures that no student falls through the cracks, contributing to their academic success and overall wellbeing. 

Finally, we have introduced a unique “micro-feedback” feature, allowing students to share their thoughts and feelings about their learning experiences in real-time. This immediate insight is invaluable for educators, providing a clearer understanding of student engagement and comprehension, and informing future teaching strategies. 

In my experience, it’s the small changes that make the most significant impact. FizzyNewt is a testament to that belief, transforming a mundane administrative task into an opportunity for empowerment and engagement. 

We are currently seeking partner institutions to help test the system and would like to invite you to join us on this journey. As a partner institution, you will have the opportunity to use the full application for free.  

This is a fantastic opportunity to evaluate the benefits of FizzyNewt for your institution and see how it can improve attendance reporting for your students, teachers, and administrators.  

For more information, get in touch with our Head of Partnerships simon.bell@fizzynewt.com