sapling

Real-time tracking and support for learning journeys

THE CLIENT

Sapling offers an intuitive platform tailored for learners, educators, and SEND professionals, enabling real-time tracking and support for learning journeys with insights that truly make a difference.

THE BUSINESS CHALLENGE

Sapling is specifically designed for children with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan, empowering professionals to monitor progress, streamline administrative tasks, and facilitate timely reviews—a critical need in a sector where EHC plans can go years without reassessment.

With its focus on transparency and collaboration, Sapling equips SEND professionals with the tools to identify needs and create timely interventions, ensuring that learners spend more time where they belong: in the classroom.

THE PROCESS

Collaborating closely with Caine Wild, we undertook an in-depth journey to craft a brand identity and user experience tailored to the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) community. Our goal was to create a platform that felt both inviting and essential, addressing the unique challenges faced by professionals and learners alike.

To achieve this, we invested significant time in understanding the diverse needs of our users. This included extensive research and iterative design aimed at inclusivity, ensuring the experience would be accessible regardless of skill level or technological proficiency. Recognising the varying requirements of professionals and learners, we developed two distinct yet interconnected user interfaces, each designed to address the specific workflows and goals of these groups.

Central to our process was a focus on transparency and collaboration for professionals and empowerment and engagement for learners. To achieve this, we designed contextualised onboarding experiences that catered to the unique journeys of each user group. The experience was further refined through an emphasis on maintaining a consistent and familiar UI that would be intuitive and reassuring across all interactions.

THE RESULTS

The result of this process is Sapling, a groundbreaking platform designed to support children with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan. Sapling addresses a critical need in the sector, empowering professionals to monitor progress, streamline administrative tasks, and ensure timely reviews—an essential improvement in a system where EHC plans often go years without reassessment. The platform is structured around two distinct interfaces:

The Professional Interface: This interface is designed to enhance efficiency and foster collaboration. It provides clear, contextualized insights into each child's progress, streamlines communication between stakeholders, and simplifies complex administrative tasks, enabling professionals to focus more on impactful work.

The Learner Interface: Designed to be age-appropriate and engaging, this interface empowers learners, encouraging their active participation and fostering confidence as they navigate their educational journey.

Both interfaces are seamlessly integrated through a cohesive and familiar UI, ensuring ease of use and a sense of reliability. The solution balances functionality with approachability, ensuring that every interaction supports the mission of improving outcomes for children with EHC plans while equipping professionals with the tools they need to succeed.