Coton Green students handed new iPads in Learning Futures project

Young students at Coton Green Primary School are now fully equipped for learning at school and at home after each receiving a brand-new iPad as part of an ambitious project.

The school, which is part of the respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP), is the latest to take delivery of iPads as part of the Learning Futures scheme.

Learning Futures will see more than 10,000 ATLP pupils receive iPads, as well as all of the Trust’s 1,000-plus child-facing staff, to support their learning both at school and at home.

And this month youngsters at Tamworth’s Coton Green Primary were the latest of the Trust’s 20 schools to receive their devices.

Headteacher Richard Osborne said:

“There was a real buzz around the school after the iPads arrived – the children were very happy to receive them, and the staff can already see how it will open up all kinds of new ways to enhance lessons and learning.

“We held a special assembly to explain what was happening before we gave out the devices, which will make sure all of our students have access to the latest technology.”

Richard Anderton, ATLP’s Digital Transformation Lead, said the children had been tremendously excited by the arrival at the iPads.

“I was there when we handed out the devices and it was fantastic to see the students’ reactions – it was like Christmas all over again!

“We have an ‘unboxing’ experience where the children get to be the first person to take the new iPad out of the box, before putting the protective case on the device themselves and getting to understand how they work.”

Pupils take the iPads home every night and are fully responsible for bringing them into school, fully charged and ready to be used, every morning. The devices also provide a way for parents to understand what their children are learning about and see what they get up to during the school day.

Staff are being given training on how to get the most out of the project, along with action plans to support children with special needs, and students with English as an additional language.

Mr Anderton explained: “There are a multitude of ways that the children can use these devices but it’s also really important to remember that the idea is not to replace writing and reading and books, it’s to form part of a wider learning experience.

“By the end of January, we’ll be around 50 per cent of the way through the transformation of ATLP’s schools, following a pilot phase last year, which included another Tamworth school, William MacGregor Primary.

“That means we’ll have 5,500 children with their own devices as well as around 450 staff. The remaining 12 ATLP schools will get their iPads in September this year.

“The scheme will ensure that all Coton Green students have access to high-quality technological devices, to enhance their learning.

“The pandemic really highlighted the difference between children who had access to technology and those who didn’t, so being able to provide children with technology, without parents having to fund it, became very important to us at ATLP.

“Learning Futures is a real game changer that will reduce the digital divide between students and help them develop the skills they will all need growing up in a digital world.”

The Learning Futures project is being delivered at ATLP schools from reception through to sixth form. There will be one device shared between two in reception and pupils in years one to 13 will all receive one each. Safeguarding is in place to ensure pupils are kept safe whilst using the devices at school and at home.

New cabling has been laid, wireless systems have been upgraded and internet speeds increased as part of a significant investment in information technology infrastructure across all schools to ensure equity for pupils and staff and enable continual access to 21^st century learning.

Caption: Richard Anderton, the ATLP’s Digital Transformation Lead, with Coton Green students and their new iPad.