We are Technology Ready!

At Blackpool Sixth, we have a long history of embracing the new and preparing our students for the modern world.

We know that employers value digital skills and therefore we know it's important to give our students the chance to develop these. 

Blackpool Sixth has: 

• Many years of experience with 'digital courses' - We first delivered courses digitally over ten years ago - This has taught us a huge amount about technology can complement traditional methods of learning.  

• Staff with expertise in using the systems and tools we provide. 

• We dedicate time and energy to finding the best, most effective tools and ensuring our teachers are supported and well trained in the latest platforms and techniques. 

• We offer students a full set of powerful, professional level tools. We give them everything they need to complete their work and learn a wide range of 21st century skills in the process. This includes unlimited storage for relevant files of any kind or size. 

• A research based approach to learning and technology - We will offer the best possible experience, based on the available research! 

• Specialist software at home - Signing up for some of our courses will also give students access to professional industry standard software that they can install on their own machines. 

As with previous years, we are asking all students to bring in their own laptop or tablet to their lessons. 

For students who are concerned about accessing a device we have measures in place to help. 

We actively encourage  students bringing their own laptop or tablet but please be aware of the following advice: 

• Students must be able to use/install (free and secure) software on their device

• Students must have access to the devices' WiFi settings.  

• Students must have appropriate free space on the device to store and create work for class (but as we provide unlimited cloud based storage, that doesn't need to be a lot) 

• The device should have a screen size of a minimum of 7" and tablet devices should be paired with a keyboard case. 

• Some low cost tablets (e.g. some Kindle Fire devices) or older laptop browsers may be incompatible with certain apps we require students to use. (in particular the 'Google Workspace Suite' - Google Drive, Docs, Classroom, Slides, Sheets.)

• We don't include phones as appropriate devices. 

• We highly recommend devices are covered by insurance

What if you are concerned about providing a device? 

The advice below links to some very cost-effective devices. However, we recognise that everyone has different circumstances and college is fully committed to ensuring everyone has access to the resources they need.

The information on our financial support page explains how we support students financially. We have a supply of machines available for students who may be concerned about providing a device (or whether their current device is suitable for college)   If you feel this might be a situation that applies to you, please fill in the enquiry form linked here.

Students who meet bursary criteria will automatically qualify for a loan device if they require one. We will endeavor to support any other students with providing a suitable device upon which to learn. 

The cost of a suitable device can vary massively.

There is NO requirement for students to purchase a 'high end' device.
For many students, the key tasks carried out on the device will include research, note-making and report/essay writing and a high powered machine is simply not required. 

The information on our financial support page explains how we support students.
We have a supply of machines available for students who may be concerned about providing a device (or whether their current device is suitable for college)   If you feel this might be a situation that applies to you, please fill in the enquiry form linked below.

Our college uses 'Google Workspace' as the spine of our IT provision for students. Google Worskspace provides students with the tools to complete their work and storage space to save it. It can be accessed from the browser of almost any machine.  There should be very few (if any) issues with compatibility or access on almost any reasonably modern device.

We have replaced many of our own existing Mac and PC laptops with Chromebooks
We have had positive responses, from staff and students alike, who identify the following positive features:

• Quick start up time. Get straight into working every time.

• Hard wearing and light.

• Excellent battery life.

• Easy to use.

• Simple to maintain, no long delays updating software.

• Replacement parts are usually cheap

• Chromebooks are simple machines, but they don't slow down over time. Buy a recently released Chromebook now and you could be using the same machine, working at the same speed in 4 or 5 years time. 

The links below provides information on the range of Chromebooks currently available from several high street and onine retailers. 

Argos   Currys   Amazon

But there's so many different kinds of them, which one is best?

The first piece of advice would be to ensure your chromebook has a minimum of 4gb of RAM. Most, if not all, of even the cheapest Chromebooks do.  

Whilst we don't want to endorse any particular brand (and are more than happy for students to use non-chromebook devices,) our own Chromebooks are ASUS and ACER predominantly and we have been impressed with their reliability, hard wearing qualities and longevity. 

Example 1: Standard Laptop style device (price Jun 25 £169) 

Example 2: Convertable tablet/laptop with included pen (price Jun 25 £299) 

The above machines are presented as examples of the range and choice within the Chromebook market only. We don't directly endorse or resell any brand.  

We are happy for you to choose any machine compatible with the basic requirements listed above and if you want any advice on whether a particular brand or model will be appropriate then college staff will be happy to advise. 

A Mac or a PC laptop (and most tablet devices) can also integrate with Google Apps and we welcome these devices, though please note, one of the key advantages of the Chromebook is their long battery life which other devices do not always possess! 

What if you want a more advanced machine? 

Some students may be considering careers in areas which require greater computing power. None of our courses require students to invest in high end technology and we have numerous rooms equipped with specialist machines and software.  Chromebooks are fantastic for completing the majority of work in the majority of subjects but some specialised software is not compatible. However, we provide access through a 'virtual PC' to many pieces of subject specific software, such as Adobe Photoshop. For a full list of software available to virtual PC users please click here

All of our computers in the Learning Resource area are powerful machines equipped with a wide range of professional software and subject areas like Music, Media, Graphics and Science have specialist hardware and software in dedicated computer suites.  

If you are considering investing in a more expensive machine to support a particular course or career ambition then our staff will be pleased to advise you on this.