FAO

Is buying a laptop essential?

Yes. In order for students to access their lessons, they must be ready for learning, this includes owning a laptop. The device is an important piece of equipment, see it as essential as a ruler or calculator, it’s another tool in the pencil case.

I cannot afford to pay for a new Chromebook, how will I pay for the device?

If your child is eligible for free school meals, the school will fully subsidise the cost of the device.

I have already purchased a laptop for my child, I want them to be able to use it instead of buying a new Chromebook through the school.

Unfortunately we cannot allow students to use their own device. This is because the school must safeguard students by managing the device using sophisticated filtering and monitoring software. This means that actions and behaviours will be recorded. If the device is used improperly to access age inappropriate or potentially harmful content, alerts will be sent with screenshots of the content to the school’s safeguarding team who will in turn follow the school’s safeguarding procedures.

How will this impact literacy?

Students will not produce work using typical productivity software such as word processing and presentation authoring. Instead, students will continue to write and present school work using traditional methods, in their exercise books. The Chromebook will be a powerful tool students use to access educational resources and information from the Internet, organise and manage their school and homework as well as collaborating with other students, teachers and associate staff. There are some exceptions, these include students producing coursework and students with special needs.

What about behaviour for learning? How do we keep students focused and on task in lessons?

Students will be responsible for making sure their Chromebook is cared for, protected, fully charged and always with them. Teachers and school leaders will use the control features of the school’s filtering and monitoring systems to ensure students remain on task. Access to web pages can be restricted from one lesson nd student to the next. Teacher’s can specify what information can be accessed and apply this to whole classes and even smaller groups within classes. Teachers will be able to see every Chromebook’s screen from their own screen, throughout lessons.

What are the technical challenges?

The school has invested in IT and infrastructure to ensure students will be able to use their Chromebooks regardless of where they are on the school’s site. WiFi coverage is excellent, hundreds of devices can stream data concurrently.

What if a device gets damaged?

Students will be given regular training to ensure they understand the vulnerabilities of their Chromebook and how to take steps to prevent them becoming damaged. Should your child’s Chromebook require repair, the school’s IT department will carry out work and return the device within five school days at the most. In the meantime, students will be loaned a device they must pick up in the morning and return at the end of each school day. The cost of the device includes a robust hardcase and an insurance payment to cover the cost of replacement parts.

What if my child loses the device?

The school purchases surplus Chromebooks for each year group. If your child loses their device the school will sell you a brand new laptop to replace it. In the ten years that The Kingston Academy has run their Chromebook scheme, less than 1% of students have lost their device. It is a very rare occurrence. So long as parents and students follow the school’s guidance regarding caring for the device, loss is completely avoidable.

What about AI?

The school takes a very serious approach to ensuring the authenticity of students’ work. Students receive regular guidance to ensure they understand how to find, repurpose and declare their sources when producing their work. Teachers also have access to a range of services to help them verify the authenticity of work submitted by students.