Commotion Group was born in 1983 with a determination to go where the big, boring companies don’t. Back then we specialised in pioneering ICT and Control Technology, but as we have expanded our ranges over the years to include Maths, Science, Design Technology and Early Years, we’ve never lost sight of our legacy of personal service and customer support.
Commotion Group started with a single programmable robot – The Beasty. Schools liked it, Kodak bought it to use in its film processing laboratories, the BBC featured it, and Commotion (Computer Operated Motion) was born. We don’t make The Beasty any more, but since then we have developed a range of products to inspire learning and make teaching more enjoyable. In 1992 we developed CoCo, (Commotion Control) which has been the market leader in computer control software ever since.
By 1995, we had begun to expand our products to include resources for the Primary market with a focus on active learning. Selecting a name was easy, and now Hands On covers Maths, Science, Technology and ICT with a focus on developing core skills and knowledge in Primary education with a fun and interactive approach.
In 1999, Commotion was selected by LEGO Dacta® as sole distributors for an exclusive range of products designed for secondary schools, a major endorsement of the respect we have earned for innovation and reliability in the educational field. Despite changes with LEGO Dacta® distribution, Commotion continues to have a close relationship with LEGO® and remain known in the market as a key LEGO® provider, despite others now selling the products.
In 2001, we began working with ALC Associates to develop Reflections On Learning, a range of Early Years resources linked to a philosophy of practical problem solving, creativity and critical thinking based on the revolutionary Reggio approach to education. This completely new, ground breaking range of products has transformed not only the nature of educational supply to nurseries and pre-schools, but Early Years education itself. Light Boxes and resources, the Mirror Exploratory, Infinity Boxes, Softie Mirrors and the Explorer’s Activity Table are a few of the unique products we have developed to manifest the values of the Reflections On Learning brand – young children as individuals who through creativity foster self-expression and critical thinking through the use of open ended resources. Many of these items have been copied by competitors over the years, as well as being very successful products in Commotion’s distribution division.
In 2003, Commotion Group purchased Shaw Magnets, the oldest established magnet company in the world, founded in 1783, (Shaw Magnets even exhibited at the Great Exhibition in the company of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria.) We saw the potential of magnets and their increasing importance in the Science curriculum, and developed an innovative range of educational magnets including pole marbles, floating magnets and magnetic pole finders.
Although we now have a large range of subject catalogues, over 4000 products and over 40,000 loyal customers in 30 countries around the world, we’ve never forgotten our original objective of providing thorough customer support and advice, and maintaining detailed product knowledge. We believe that we can make a difference through the things we develop, and all our products are developed against a background of strong educational worth and an uncompromising idea of the company’s values and legacy. Have a look at Our Values to find out more about what makes us tick.