The rollout is to enhance every child’s learning, regardless of background
A secondary school in the heart of South Norwood, Croydon has distributed an iPad to each pupil and teaching staff member to ensure that all young people have access to education during the current COVID disruption, and to close the digital divide.
Oasis Academy Arena, part of the Oasis Community Learning family of schools, has distributed 590 iPads with rugged keyboard cases as part of its Horizons programme.
Over the coming months, Oasis will continue to embark on a ground-breaking rollout of 35,000 iPads at all of their 52 Oasis Academies in the largest investment in the provision of iPads in England to date, enabling pupils to conduct their own research delving deeper into their subject and enabling them to follow their own lines of enquiry.
Thomas Raymond, Principal at Oasis Academy Arena, commented on the rollout saying;
Oasis Horizons provides each and every one of our students the opportunity to access online learning during school closure, but it does so much more than this. Horizons will give each student access to the curriculum, resources and supporting tools to enable each student to continue their studies when not in school. This is such an exciting time for our students and we continue to support them to achieve great things.
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.
Leonardo, Year 8 Pupil at Oasis Academy Arena, commented on how they felt receiving their new iPad, saying; “It felt like the school wanted what was best for us”
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.