Video Streaming Platform FAQs

ERA hold records for all licensed instutions in the platform’s database. If your institution is found from the drop down list in the registration form, you can be sure that your institution is covered and access to the Video Streaming Platform is permitted.

There are multiple reasons as to why you cannot find your institution in our drop down list. Please see a list of possible solutions below:

1. Check the spelling of your institution. There are often discrepencies between the names that ERA has on record with how the school is known locally. For example, St Peter’s Church of England Primary School might be recorded in our database as: Saint  Peter’s CofE Primary School. It is worth trying a few variations of your institution’s name to see if it appears. In the majority of cases we use the data supplied by DfE, so it is worth checking to see how your school is recorded at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Search
2. Be aware of common school names. Names are often shared by many schools across the UK. If your school has a particularly common name, take care scrolling through the list. You should be able to identify the correct school by the postcode sector and/or postcode.
3. Your institution has recently merged or changed its name. In this instance, please try searching for both the current and previous names.
4. Search for your institution by postcode sector. The postcode sector is designated by the postcode, minus the final two letters. For example, the postcode sector for ME8 8JR is Gillingham (ME8 8).

If you think your school is registered but you still cannot find your institution, please email [email protected] or call 020 7837 3222.

This message usually appears when you have submitted the form without actually selecting an institution. To select an institution, begin by typing the name into the box and then select the correct institution from the drop down list that should appear.

Please begin by checking your junk inbox. If your verification email has not come through after 30 minutes, this is most likely because you have entered the email incorrectly in the registration form. Please try to reregister or alternatively, you can direct any queries to [email protected].

Under no circumstances will we ever charge a user who registers to the Video Streaming Platform. 

The Video Streaming Platform is a free online resource available to staff and students (aged 16 and over) of institutions which hold an ERA Licence.

Users from unlicensed schools who are interested in accessing the Video Streaming Platform will be invited to purchase an ERA Licence. See the current Licence tariffs and work out how much your Licence should cost.

Any user from an unlicensed institution who registers for the Video Streaming Platform will be suspended.

Students aged 16 or over from schools covered by the ERA Licence can register for the Video Streaming Platform. They must sign up using the email addresses provided to them by their institution. Users cannot register with a personal email address.

Only UK-based educational institutions can be licensed by ERA and only licensed institutions can access the Video Streaming Platform.

Any users who register from educational institutions overseas, including British International schools, will be suspended.

Only UK educational institutions can be licensed by ERA and only licensed institutions can access the Video Streaming Platform.

Home educators in possession of a TV Licence can of course still use regular on demand services such as iPlayer.

The ERA Licence only covers the making and use of recordings by educational establishments for non-commercial educational use in the UK.

The ERA Licence only allows the making and use of recordings for non-commercial educational use, so it can be used outside the classroom but only if the use is educational. It cannot be used for purposes of entertainment.

If you are starting at a new educational establishment, you will need to sign up again with your new email address so that we are able to verify you institution is licensed. We’d be grateful if you can let us know once you’ve done this.

Yes, we want to hear from you. Please use this form to request programmes you would like to see. Please fill out the form in as much detail as possible.

Currently, only some of our most watched programmes feature closed captions. The availability of subtitles is shown on the title banner, as seen in the screenshot below:

Subtitles can be toggled on and off in the bottom right of the media player by clicking this icon .

If there is a particular programme you would like subtitles for, please email [email protected]

Whilst the majority of the content on offer is from the BBC, we do also have some ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 programmes.