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iPad Learning Scheme
Our vision is for every child to have equal access to digital technology and for this to be at the forefront of our teaching philosophy in the future so that our pupils continue to improve their retention of critical knowledge, development of key skills and mastering challenging concepts.
For several years now we have been working towards becoming a '1-2-1' iPad school which would mean that every student has their own iPad to use as a learning device, both inside and outside of the classroom. Several schools within our region have successfully been running 1-2-1 iPad schemes for some time now and we believe that the time is right for Northfield to join them.
Our aim is that our pupils leave Northfield with the skills needed to be effective learners in the 21st Century. These skills include; problem solving, leadership, communication, team working and resilience. The Covid-19 pandemic has presented huge challenges for schools and young people and we have learned that the use of technology is absolutely integral in helping our pupils in maximising their full potential. It is no coincidence that pupil confidence in these areas has grown as a result of us maximising the use of technology.
Digital technology offers us a unique opportunity to extend learning beyond the classroom and the school day. Pupils only spend 20% of their lives at school, so enabling learning to take place elsewhere is extremely important to their future success.
You can find a Parent Guide booklet, FAQs and a letter from the Headteacher in the downloads section on the right.
How to Order
Making an Insurance Claim
Year 7 pupils
You can find more information about the insurance included on the portal: www.cpu.co.uk/CINT/MobileLearning/selectSchool.asp
Parents must use the portal code NSSC23 when signing up.
The policy covers Theft and Accidental Damage over the 3-year lease.
Year 8 and 9 pupils
You can find more information about the insurance included on the portal: www.edutech.zone/parent_enquiries/
FAQs
Why iPad?
We believe that the iPad is the device that best meets the needs of Northfield learners now and into the future. It is the most intuitive device on the market and the availability of rich learning content is vastly superior to its competitors. The iPad currently has over 35,000 education applications which cannot be matched by any other tablet.
Why does my child need their own iPad?
Having good IT skills is becoming a basic requirement of any employer. Children need to be prepared for an increasingly digital world. Research has confirmed that good home access to technology has a positive impact on a child’s educational achievements; it often motivates them to do schoolwork by providing more interesting and engaging ways to learn, their work is better presented so their self-esteem grows and they can explore subjects that interest them in their own time.
Why can’t the school provide these for free to all pupils?
The cost of the iPads has been significantly subsidised for every pupil. The school receives a very small amount of funding for IT equipment which pays for our network, the website, IT suites, printers and software. Equipment for use at home and for personal use by your child is over and above this, which is why we are asking families to make a contribution.
If your child is entitled to the Pupil Premium grant or on free school meals, we will contact you directly as an additional subsidy will be applied to your order.
Who owns the iPad?
Until your payment plan is finished, the device will remain the property of the school. Once all payments have been made the device will be yours to keep.
I’ve already got an iPad at home, can they use this?
This is absolutely fine but we need the iPad to be 7th Generation or newer (iPads from 2019 onwards) so it is able to work with all the current applications we use at school.
Identify your iPad model – https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201471
Personal iPads can be connected to the school system and will behave in the same way as school iPads. Pupils who personally own iPads are obliged to follow the same rules and procedures of those purchasing via the scheme.
The school accepts no liability for the loss, theft or damage of any personal iPads which are brought in to school. We would recommend that all personal iPads have insurance cover in place and a protective case.
I have just bought my child a laptop, can this be used in school instead of iPads?
Unfortunately, laptops can’t be used within school for a number of reasons including functionality and the need to charge them frequently. We understand that for those parents who have already purchased laptops, the iPads will be an additional expense. To mitigate against this, we will have a limited number of loan iPads available within school which can be used during lessons for those pupils who haven’t purchased an iPad via the scheme.
What is covered within the monthly or outright payment?
The monthly payment will cover the purchase of the iPad as well as insurance, a protective case, applications, a warranty and iPad technical support. The iPad will also come with a warranty for the length of the purchase contract which will cover any device faults.
How do I order?
A portal has been set up to order the iPads from and can be found here: https://www.cpu.co.uk/CINT/MobileLearning/selectSchool.asp
If you require any additional help with your order, the school can also help. Please email ipad@northfieldssc.org if you require assistance.
Is it cheaper to buy outright or monthly?
The overall cost will be the same as there is no interest charged if purchasing monthly.
When will contributions begin to be collected?
Contributions will begin the month after you receive your iPad. You will receive notification of the date prior to the first collection.
Will my child be able to use their own Apple ID on the iPad?
No, unfortunately this is not possible as the iPad will need to be wiped in order to be added onto our management system. They will need to use the allocated Apple ID.
Why is the device wiped?
To manage the devices in school we use a management system that allows us to push out applications as well as managing what the students can use the iPad for in school. This is imperative for effective teaching and learning and to keep our students safe in school. If your child is intending on bringing their own device, it must be wiped to allow us to install our management system onto it.
You are then able to use the device as you like at home. It is recommended that you back up the iPad before it is wiped. Once the iPad has been wiped and added to our management system, you will be able to reinstate any app purchases you have already made by logging back into the device with your Apple ID.
Why is the price more than buying straight from Apple?
The package comes with comprehensive insurance with accidental damage covered and no excess as well as Technical Support.
My child receives free school meals. How much will the school be subsidising the cost of the iPad?
If your child is in receipt of free school meals, then the iPad will be provided free of charge. If this applies to you, it would be helpful if you could complete the order form with their details and to sign up for the scheme to enable us to place the order for their iPad.
I have more than one child. Will there be any sibling discount offered?
You will receive a 10% discount on the second and subsequent child.
When will I receive the iPad?
As long as you place your order before the 14th September, your child will receive their iPad during the first term, ready for the Teaching and Learning launch. The iPads will be delivered directly to school, setup and distributed.
I’m concerned about the additional screen time that my child will be spending on a device during school time. How long will this be?
We don’t envisage that any child will be using an iPad for the whole day, every day. The iPads will be used when the teacher feels that their use will enhance learning for the pupils. We are very mindful of the impact of additional screen time and will monitor this regularly.
Will the iPad replace books?
Absolutely not. The iPad is a support to learning, an additional learning tool, not a replacement for any books or written work.
Will we need to buy any other equipment?
Ideally every pupil should have access to the internet at home. Pupils may wish to buy Apps, however there are thousands of free Apps which pupils can download and use. As a school we will never ask you directly to purchase Apps and we will cover the cost of all education related Apps needed.
As a school we made the decision not to go with a keyboard case as it added excessive cost on to the scheme for parents. It is considerably cheaper for parents to purchase a keyboard case from a private retailer if they would prefer.
How will pupils work get marked?
Pupils work will be shared with their teachers through Office 365 and our Microsoft Teams platform in addition to any other subject specific platforms we use.
What happens if my child leaves Northfield before I have finished the contributions?
We will look at each case individually and the circumstances surrounding the decision to leave. We will reach a resolution on a case by case basis with parents.
What happens if the iPad gets damaged or stolen?
The iPad will be insured for accidental damage) and theft. All packages come with comprehensive insurance with accidental damage covered and no excess. If a device is stolen, it cannot be used, repurposed or reformatted by anyone else. It becomes useless. If your child is careless or damages the iPad deliberately you will be asked to cover the cost of repair.
How do I make an insurance claim?
You can start a claim by reaching out to CPU (for Year 7 pupils) or Edutech (for Year 8 and 9 pupils).
How many insurance claims can I make and what does the insurance cover?
You can find more information about the insurance, what it covers and the level of cover on the portal.
Is there any excess to pay?
There is no excess to pay for each claim made.
Will the iPad be restricted?
We use a secure management system to ensure that the iPads are used safely and responsibly while in school.
The iPads are managed by the school, which means that during school time, only Apps needed for school will be available.
Out of school, any other Apps can be installed by pupils but they will not be available from 8am to 5pm on school days. During the evenings, weekends and holidays, the iPad can be used freely.
After 3 years, pupils will continue to bring the iPad to school and it will continue to be managed by school.
What happens when the device is used at home?
We will restrict the devices in school only. The restrictions will be lifted at 16:00 so any extracurricular clubs can run as normal. After that time, you are free to use the device as a normal as the restrictions will have been lifted. If you are wanting the restrictions to apply at home, please let us know and we can arrange this for your device.
How do I manage what they can do on the iPad when it’s at home?
The free Jamf Parent iOS app empowers you to manage your childs iPad. Through an intuitive interface, you can restrict which apps they can access on their devices, receive notifications when a child arrives at school and schedule homework time or bedtime to allow or restrict certain apps.
What will be done to keep my child safe online?
The internet access in school is restricted by Securley, a web filter designed to block any inappropriate content. As the internet evolves rapidly and new unwanted content appears daily, the filter is updated routinely to ensure maximum safety for our students. We also ask that pupils install a HTTPs certificate, to better ensure their online safety.
Will my child be safe if they have to carry the iPad home?
We all need to be aware of the risks that pupils could face on their way home. They should be kept in their bags out of sight whilst travelling to and from school.
iPads have the facility to be locked, tracked (and located if lost) and any data removed remotely.
In the unlikely circumstance that the iPad is stolen, the insurance will cover a replacement.
