I started my career as a science teacher, and then subject leader with an interest in using computers for teaching science. This led me to be involved in a government programme to develop the use of computers in the classroom. I went on to work as an IT Adviser in a London Borough, running IT and school improvement courses.
I eventually left this work to set up a company to support schools in their use of IT. Working with a colleague, we developed software to help schools to analyse their examination data. Over time, this has evolved into a software product called 4Matrix, which is now in use in over 1200 secondary schools.
The latest version is a Cloud product which provides a modern framework for further developments including AI. We have also worked with Multi Academy Trusts to develop a linked product called ‘Fusion’ which gathers data across a Trust and provides a ‘central dashboard’ and features to help Trusts with their school support role.
The company comprises a lightweight team of six developers, four working from our unit on a farm in North Essex, and two remotely. Our team also includes a distributed group of 5 expert support and training consultants, who also work in schools as data leaders. Every team member is an expert in using our software and all contribute to product development.
These pages were set up to help us share and learn from schools about the interconnecting issues that relate to the use of data in education, The subject of data use in education sits at the interface between understanding learning and our attempts to measure aspects of it.
It’s all a bit tricky – but the journey to understand it is proving to be worthwhile.
Mike Bostock , June, 2026
Contact details: enquiries@mikebostock.com
Making good use of data in schools 