Moving to Abacus
FAQs
TEXTBOOKS, WORKBOOKS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
1)
When will we get our free replacement textbooks?
2)
Why can’t we have our free Autumn term textbooks in September?
3)
How many free replacement textbooks will we get?
4)
Will we get replacement workbooks?
5)
How can we order workbooks and textbooks?
6)
Will we need training to use Abacus and Active Learn?
7)
When will the training be available?
8)
How can we book our training?
1) When will we get our free replacement textbooks?
 Jan 2014: Years 3–5 Autumn and Spring terms
 Easter 2014: Years 2–5 Summer term
 Summer 2014: Year 6
Back to top
2) Why can’t we have our free Autumn term textbooks in September?
We will be printing a small number of Autumn term textbooks in Summer 2013, but not enough for all
of the schools moving from Abacus Evolve to Abacus. The reason we can’t print a larger number at
this stage is because the new curriculum is not yet finalised. This means we may have to make small
tweaks to the Autumn term books, and if significant changes were made we would need to replace
any books that had already been sent out to schools. We hope you can appreciate that, with several
thousand schools moving from Abacus Evolve to Abacus, it wouldn’t be sensible for us to send out a
very large number of books in September that we may have to replace later on.
So, we would like to hold off on sending out the Autumn term textbooks until we’ve seen the final
version of the curriculum and found out if we need to make any changes.
However, if you order any additional Autumn term textbooks, these will be sent out to you straight
away.
Back to top
3) How many free replacement textbooks will we get?
We will replace, free of charge, any core Abacus Evolve textbooks you have bought from Pearson
between 1 Jan 2010 and 31 July 2013. We will be able to see from our records how many of each
textbook you bought during this period, and we will order you the same number of each of the
equivalent Abacus textbooks.
Please note that if you bought any textbooks through a third party, we will have no record of this, and
so we will not be able to replace these.
Back to top
Moving to Abacus
FAQs
4) Will we get replacement workbooks?
There will be workbooks as part of the Abacus programme, but we will not replace any of your Abacus
Evolve workbooks free of charge.
The reason for treating workbooks and textbooks differently is that workbooks only have a ‘life’ of one
school year, whereas textbooks should be expected to last for several years.
Back to top
5) How can we order workbooks and textbooks?
For now, the best thing to do is to contact your local Sales Consultant. They will be able to tell you
how many free replacement textbooks you will receive, and then you will be able to decide whether
you want to order any additional textbooks, plus any workbooks you would like. You can find your
Sales Consultant here.
Soon you’ll be able to order workbooks and textbooks online. Go to
www.pearsonprimary.co.uk/abacus, and click on the Buy tab in the left-hand menu.
If you want to order textbooks online, but want to check first how many free books you’ll be getting,
you can either email your Sales Consultant, or abacusteam@pearson.co.uk, remembering to include
your school name and postcode so we can find your records easily.
Back to top
6) Will we need training to use Abacus and Active Learn?
The Abacus Professional Development course will give you training on how to use Abacus and Active
Learn, to help you to really get the most out of the service. But it will also help to prepare you for
implementing the new curriculum, so that all the teachers at your school feel confident and ready for
full implementation in September 2014.
So we would definitely recommend that you sign up for the course! The key benefits include:
 Teachers develop confidence in the new curriculum and their ability to teach using Abacus.
 Teachers know the progression of skills children need to master, and also how to use
Abacus to ensure they have a sound foundation in the prerequisites for each new maths
strategy introduced.
 All staff have the opportunity to consider their calculation policy and how they can use and
adapt Abacus to suit their school.
 Teachers know how to use the teacher toolkit to plan, teach and engage learners.
 All staff know how to use the online pupil world to support learners in the classroom and at
home.
 All staff, together, have the opportunity to discuss and make decisions on implementation.
Back to top
Moving to Abacus
FAQs
7) When will the training be available?
It will be available from 14 October 2013.
Back to top
8) How can we book our training?
For now, the best thing to do is to contact your local Sales Consultant. You can find your Sales
Consultant here.
Back to top