A primary school in Oldham has provided an iPad to each of its students and teachers as part of a scheme.
Oasis Academy Clarksfield, part of the Oasis Community Learning family of schools, has distributed more than 450 iPads with rugged keyboard cases to students and staff.
Oasis Community Learning say it not only ensures that all students at the Grasmere Road school have an equality of access to education due to the current Covid environment, but it's part of a wider strategy that involves improving the curriculum offered by the school and closing the digital divide.
Over the coming months, Oasis will continue to embark on a ground-breaking rollout of 35,000 iPads to all 52 Oasis Academies - which is thought to be the largest investment in the provision of iPads in England to date.
Helen Arya, Regional Director for North West Primaries at Oasis Community Learning, commented on the project: “Staff and students at Oasis Academy Clarksfield are delighted to be part of this exciting project that provides new opportunities for every one of our young people from Reception to Year 6.”
The devices will support every student on their learning journey, regardless of their starting points, removing many of the barriers some young people face in accessing learning resources outside of school.
Nigel Fowler, Principal at Oasis Academy Clarksfield, added: “We are extremely excited to be part of the Oasis Community Learning Horizons project. Every child now has access to a top end device enabling them to complete research, enhance their learning and develop as learners.
"The project is digitally transforming Oasis Clarksfield, moving us to the cutting edge of technology and learning. This project marries up the building project currently being undertaken and the result will be a learning environment and resources to enable us to help our children prepare for the 21st century.”
Every pupil will be taught how to make the most of their device, and how to look after it. If an iPad is reported missing, it can be locked remotely, and then have its location tracked.
Zahra-Mae Mohamed, Class Teacher at Oasis Academy Clarksfield, said: "My class have been learning about the book “The Bear and the Piano” so they’ve been able to use the iPad to learn to play a song on the piano using the Garageband app.”
One Year 3 student has said they love their iPad, “it helped me learn when school was closed and now we are back we use it in class. I play maths games on it at home and at school.”
Parents of students from across all year groups have thanked the school for giving their children these devices.
They said: “The school have been fantastic in terms of online work and communication between staff and parents/children”, another adding; “Having the iPads during lockdown made it so much easier for my children to keep up with their learning. I don’t know what we would have done without it!”
‘My daughter was strip searched by police after a harrowing ordeal’
GREATER MANCHESTER: All the key developments planned for Greater Manchester this week
The two new Greater Manchester train stations that could be built before 2030
Keep your dog safe from the dangers of antifreeze this winter, warns Dogs Trust
