Chromebooks 

121 Chromebook Scheme 

We are delighted to announce that we are continuing our ‘121 Chromebook Scheme’ for Burnham Grammar School students this summer. It is an expectation for every student in Year 7 attending Burnham Grammar school to use a Chromebook to support their learning.

Chromebooks are similar to a mini laptop or notebook, but work predominantly by connecting to the internet and cloud-based software with most work/documents being stored in the cloud.  Because of this they do not need to have large hard drives which makes them cheaper, more reliable and have an extended battery charge. Much of the students’ curriculum work and resources are managed through Google Classroom and other packages, as described below, making these devices ideal for allowing our students to access resources at school and at home.  Students currently still need to hand write their answers in GCSE and A level exams and so much of the work that students’ complete will still be in exercise books, however the Chromebook will support this. 

We are excited about the impact this scheme has had and will continue to have on our students’ learning in the short, medium and long term. Our students’ daily lives are filled with technology and they are quick to embrace new developments. The COVID-19 pandemic increased everyone’s exposure to online learning and increased the school’s planned transition to using Google Workspace as a learning platform. It allows us to use a wide range of cloud based educational software and applications. These include; access to unlimited cloud-based storage, Google Docs, Google Forms and not least access to ‘Google Classroom’, which provides a powerful interface between teacher and student for easy access to resources and formative teacher feedback. At BGS we have been using Google Workspace since September 2016 so staff are now very experienced in this field.  

The IT infrastructure and wireless network in our new “state of the art” building is exceptional and comfortably allow us all students to have a device at BGS. We firmly believe that every student having a personal device to use both in school and at home greatly assists them with being a “Responsible Learner” and “Prepared for their Future”, 2 of our key school aims.  

Our scheme is an opt in scheme, therefore provision will be made for all students. As a school, we firmly believe in the merits of the scheme and the educational benefits it offers students and expect that parents will want to support the school with this initiative. Through working with a local company, Freedomtech, we feel we are offering devices at a competitive price with a flexible range of payment plans. The package offered includes a Google education licence, a three-year warranty, a three-year repair service and a swap out warranty so students always have a device. It is important to remember that these elements are included in the price of the package as well as the cost of the device and should be factored into any price comparisons with other providers. 

The educational experience for our students should be as varied, dynamic and as stimulating as possible and we know through our extensive research that this technology will support this goal. Embracing the combination of school and home learning is crucial to the future success of young people. Technology allows learning to be increasingly engaging and lets the school extend effective learning beyond the classroom whilst developing independent learners in the process. Research has also confirmed that Chromebooks are the best in their class for value for money whilst being robust and efficient for use in an education setting. 

Chromebooks and Google Apps for Education will enable all our students to have access anytime to information wherever they are. We need to make full and effective use of technology for learning and, coupled with this, is the need to ensure students learn safely, effectively and productively. 

The scheme will be heavily subsidised for students in receipt of Pupil Premium funding and we would ask anyone who is facing financial difficulties to contact Mr John jjohn@burnhamgrammar.org.uk, Assistant Headteacher, for confidential advice in the first instance.  

We will have an information evening on Chromebooks later this year, when you will receive further information on how to order a Chromebook.  We sincerely hope you, as parents and students, are as excited about this initiative as we are fully committed to providing exceptional educational opportunities to all students at BGS.