Digital Literacy& Applied ICT · Years 3–6

For schools without pupil email

Practice mailbox

A simulated email app for teaching the email lessons when pupils have no mailboxes, or when pupil-to-pupil email is not allowed. Each year has a ready-made inbox to read, reply to, sort and write in — and nothing is ever sent.

Practice Mail

Year 3

Signed in as You

    The practice mailbox needs JavaScript. Every message it contains is listed below, and that list prints — so the lesson can still be taught on paper or from the board.

    Teacher controls

    These settings apply to this browser only.

    Puts the original messages back and clears anything written, for this year group.

    Nothing is sent, and nothing leaves the device

    There is no account, no sign-in and no connection to any email service. The people are invented and the addresses use the reserved .example domain, which cannot exist. Pressing Send moves the message into the pupil's own Sent folder and stops there — messages never reply and never reach anyone. A pupil's practice is kept in that browser only, and Reset clears it.

    Using it in a lesson

    • Open it on the board first and pick the year group under Teacher controls.
    • Pupils open the same page; each device keeps its own copy, so they cannot see each other's work.
    • Ask pupils to put their own name in Pupil's name so sent messages look right.
    • The composer shows a live check — recipient, subject, greeting, sign-off — which matches the success criteria for the etiquette lesson. It never blocks sending; it only prompts.
    • Print a message, or the list below, for books and folders.

    The lessons it covers

    What is in each mailbox — every message, with notes for staff

    Year 3 — first emails

    Weeks 12–15: what is email, reading and replying, etiquette

    Three short messages to read and reply to. One of them is deliberately hard to understand — that one is for the etiquette lesson.

    1. Miss Patel → You Monday 09:05

      Welcome to your practice inbox

      Hello,

      This is your practice inbox. It works like real email, but nothing you send ever leaves this computer — it just goes into your Sent folder.

      Have a look at the two other messages, then press Reply on this one and tell me one thing you are looking forward to this week.

      Miss Patel

      For staff: The model message: greeting, clear purpose, sign-off. Use it for the first Reply.

    2. Amira → You Monday 09:20

      Our library books

      Hi,

      Do you know what day we take our library books back? I have finished mine.

      From Amira

      For staff: A short, polite message that needs a short, polite reply.

    3. Ben → You Monday 09:24

      (no subject line)

      swimming

      For staff: Deliberately unclear: no subject line, no greeting, no sign-off, and you cannot tell what is being asked. Compare it with Miss Patel's message in the etiquette lesson.

    Year 4 — a busier inbox

    Weeks 12–15: organising an inbox, tone and audience, attachments

    Six messages, including two with attachments and two written in very different tones. Enough to sort, tidy and reply to.

    1. School Office → You Monday 08:40

      Museum trip — letter attached

      Dear pupils,

      The letter about next month's museum trip is attached. Please read it with an adult at home and bring the reply slip back by Friday.

      Thank you,

      School Office

      Attached: Trip letter

      For staff: Opening an attachment safely: who is it from, were you expecting it?

    2. Miss Patel → You Monday 09:10

      Your poster — well done

      Hello,

      Your poster was really clear this week, especially the headings. Could you send me your file so I can put it on the display board?

      Miss Patel

      For staff: The reply needs an attachment. Pair with the Attachments lesson.

    3. Dev → You Monday 12:31

      club

      u coming club tues or not

      For staff: Tone and audience: fine as a quick chat message to a friend, not fine as an email to an adult. Rewrite it together.

    4. Mr Okafor → You Tuesday 08:55

      Library book due back

      Dear pupil,

      Our records show your library book was due back last week. Please could you return it to the library at breaktime, or let me know if you cannot find it.

      Kind regards,

      Mr Okafor

      For staff: A formal message from an adult. Compare its tone with Dev's.

    5. Chloe → You Tuesday 15:02

      Question about the homework

      Hi,

      I am stuck on question 4 of the maths homework. Could you explain how you started it?

      Thanks,

      Chloe

    6. Amira → You Wednesday 09:47

      Sports day photo

      Hi,

      Here is the photo from sports day. Do you want me to send the others too?

      From Amira

      Attached: Sports day photo

      For staff: Good for tidying: which of these six still need a reply, and which can be filed?

    Year 5 — a thread and reply-all

    Week 22: managing a thread, using reply-all sensibly

    One conversation with four messages, all sent to the whole group, plus two unrelated messages. Reply and Reply all do different things here — that is the point of the lesson.

    1. Miss Patel → You, Amira, Ben, Chloe, Dev Monday 09:00

      Class assembly — who is doing what?

      Hello everyone,

      We have twenty minutes for the assembly on Friday. Could each of you reply with which part you would like: the introduction, the main talk, the demonstration, or the ending?

      Reply to me only — you do not all need to see every answer.

      Miss Patel

      For staff: The whole class is in the To line. This is the message where Reply all is the wrong choice.

    2. Ben → Miss Patel (cc You, Amira, Chloe, Dev) Monday 09:12

      Re: Class assembly — who is doing what?

      I'll do the demonstration please.

      Ben

      For staff: Ben used Reply all, so everyone got it. Was that needed?

    3. Chloe → Miss Patel (cc You, Amira, Ben, Dev) Monday 09:14

      Re: Class assembly — who is doing what?

      Me too! Can I do it with Ben?

      Chloe

      For staff: A second reply-all. Five inboxes now hold a message meant for one person.

    4. Miss Patel → You, Amira, Ben, Chloe, Dev Monday 09:30

      Re: Class assembly — who is doing what?

      Thank you both.

      A reminder for everyone: use Reply for an answer only I need, and Reply all when the whole group needs to know. Please send me your choice now.

      Miss Patel

      For staff: Ask pupils to reply to this one with the right button, and to say why.

    5. School Office → You Tuesday 08:30

      Reminder: bring your water bottle

      Dear pupils,

      Please remember a named water bottle for the sports afternoon.

      School Office

    6. Esme → You Tuesday 13:40

      Survey results

      Hi,

      Here are the results from our survey. Could you make the chart?

      Esme

      Attached: Survey results

    Year 6 — email or chat?

    Weeks 12 and 15: choosing the right tool, communicating appropriately

    Four messages that raise the same question: was email the right choice here? Two of them would have been better as a quick chat, and one really does need a careful written reply.

    1. Dev → You Monday 08:58

      you in today?

      ?

      For staff: A chat message sent as an email. Ask: what did the reader have to do to understand this?

    2. School Office → You Monday 09:15

      Transition day — what to bring

      Dear Year 6,

      Your transition day at secondary school is on 14 July. Please bring a packed lunch, a pen and a small bag. You will be told which form group you are in when you arrive.

      If you have a question, reply to this message and we will answer it in writing so you have a record.

      Kind regards,

      School Office

      For staff: The one that genuinely needs email: important, detailed, worth keeping. Ask pupils to write a clear reply with a real question in it.

    3. Ben → You Monday 09:16

      Re: Re: Re: Re: ok

      ok

      For staff: The fourth 'ok' in a chain. Four emails to agree one thing — what should they have used instead?

    4. Miss Patel → You Monday 11:20

      Could you help at the open evening?

      Hello,

      We are looking for Year 6 pupils to show visitors around at the open evening next Thursday, from 5pm to 6pm.

      If you would like to help, reply and let me know — and check with someone at home first, because it is after school.

      Miss Patel

      For staff: A polite request that needs a considered reply, not a one-word answer.