Oldham school provides an iPad to every student and teacher to ensure the continuity of education during the pandemic

A primary school in Oldham has rolled out a scheme which has provided an iPad to all students and teaching staff.

This is not only to ensure that all students have an equality of access to education due to the current COVID environment, but as part of a wider strategy that involves improving the curriculum offered by the school - and closing the digital divide.

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.

Over the coming months, Oasis will continue to embark on a ground-breaking rollout of 35,000 iPads to all 52 Oasis Academies in the largest investment in the provision of iPads in England to date, enabling students to conduct their own research delving deeper into their subject and enabling them to follow their own lines of enquiry.

Helen Arya, Regional Director for North West Primaries at Oasis Community Learning, said: “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.

One said: “The school have been fantastic in terms of online work and communication between staff and parents/children," while another added: “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!"

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.