Granville Academy header

1:1 iPad Programme at Affinity Learning Partnership

Our 1:1 iPad rollout started at The de Ferrers Academy in October 2012. At the time, it was one of the first schools in the UK to do so, as a pilot project with the sixth form and teaching staff. Feedback was incredibly positive and by September 2014 the project had been expanded to include every pupil in Years 9 to 13. When The Pingle Academy and Granville Academy joined the Trust (in May 2017 and September 2017 respectively), the programme was rolled out to their pupils in year 9 to 13 too. In September 2021, post-Covid lockdown, we expanded the programme again to include all pupils in Years 7 and 8 as well. This means that the 1:1 iPad scheme now covers all secondary age pupils in our Trust, some 4,200 pupils.

Our vision is based on four key areas:

  • To improve pupil learning outcomes and enhance our teaching and learning models

  • To equip all our pupils and staff with 21st century digital learning tools

  • To ensure that our 1:1 iPad programme is both 100% inclusive and sustainable

  • To leverage the potential of mobile learning technologies to support 24/7 access to learning resources.

By providing every pupil with access to their own digital device we have been able to significantly increase access to creative & organisational tools, online resources and more effective feedback and assessment.

How have we achieved this?

The de Ferrers Academy has a long history of involvement in learning technologies, including early use of online learning platforms and digital assessment tools and was previously a Secondary Focus School for the SSAT ICT Register.

With a clear vision, careful planning and enthusiastic staff and pupils they were able to implement a major and successful 1:1 iPad programme across all three of their campuses.  Most importantly, they were able to do this in an affordable and inclusive way.

By reducing spending on some traditional ICT equipment (sets of laptops, PCs at the back of classrooms, Interactive White Boards), eliminating paper student planners, cutting back on worksheet photocopying and online services we have been able to continue to reallocate money towards supporting the 1:1 iPad programme and infrastructure across all of our Trust secondary schools. We have moved our learning resources from paid hosted sites to free sites and services including interactive digital textbooks and Google Drive. Instead of pupils sharing slow sets of laptops in some lessons, every pupil can now use their own personal device in every lesson and at home.

Recognition

Since the project was initially launched in 2012, The de Ferrers Academy has had hundreds of visits from interested educators to see our 1:1 iPad programme in action, including researchers and visitors from the USA, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Germany and The Netherlands, as well as senior ICT Company executives.

Driving Change, Improving Outcomes - Download our interactive book about the 1:1 iPad programme at The de Ferrers Academy and learn more: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/driving-change-improving-outcomes/id1346750660?mt=11 

In September 2013, The de Ferrers Academy became an Apple Regional Training Centre (see our webpage www.deferrers.com/rtc) and in December 2015, the Academy was invited to join the Apple Distinguished Program for Schools, recognising outstanding leadership and learning in the use of Apple technologies.  In 2018 and 2021 the Academy was reaccredited as an Apple Distinguished School. The de Ferrers Academy was shortlisted as a finalist for the TES Digital Innovation Award in 2017.

There are now several case studies videos about our use of iPad, made with various Apple Solution Expert partners:

http://edu.academia.co.uk/apple/case-studies/ 

Lizzy's Story from Academia Group on Vimeo.

Impact

Over several years we have seen:

  • Greater confidence, independence and work quality from pupils, especially those that are non-native English speakers

  • A level and GCSE level students achieving well-above their target grades in subjects that made extensive use of iPads/digital tools embedded into learning cycles

  • Some GCSE Maths & Science classes using iPads significantly outperformed similar sets where iPad and digital tools were used regularly and robustly

  • Much more effective/rapid feedback and communication between pupils and teachers

  • Improved support & scaffolding for pupils aiming to exceed their target grades

  • Improved workflow & challenge in lessons.

The de Ferrers Academy has been involved in several international research projects on the impact of learning technologies, including FASMED (with the University of Nottingham Maths Faculty) and 2 ERASMUS+ projects: Girls into Global STEM (with the University of Hull and partners in Sweden, Poland and Cyprus) and E-Teach The Teacher (with partners in Germany and The Netherlands).

We also work closely with local universities on Initial Teacher Training, including the University of Nottingham (especially English, Maths, Science) , by running hands-on workshops in how mobile technologies can be used in the classroom. All of our PGCE and School Direct placement students receive an iPad for the duration of their teaching practice and training. We encourage them to get involved in research projects and evaluative studies, including our nationally recognised Digital Author program.

You can download our free multitouch books for iPad here: www.itunes.com/deferrers