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ilearn FAQ

Why has my child received an iPad / Who is receiving an iPad?

A group of extremely dedicated staff from Jack Hunt, Longthorpe, Nova, Ravensthorpe and Thorpe schools (PKAT) have worked together on a really innovative and exciting learning and teaching initiative to provide a all Year 5, Year 6, Year 10, Year 11 and Sixth form students with individual iPads to use at school and at home.

We have deliberately chosen these year groups to be the first students in PKAT to benefit from this initiative to support them with their learning at the end of Key Stage 2, Key Stage 4 and 5. We ask that you encourage your children to make the best use of this technology and the wonderful opportunity which they have been given. We will be asking your children to complete surveys about their use of the iPads during each academic year and we would value any feedback from you regarding this initiative.

Will the iPad distract from learning?

iPads are a powerful tool which will compliment what students are working on in their lessons and enhance the way they are learning. Our teachers will receive training on how best to utilise the iPad’s capabilities in the classroom, and then they will be able to support our pupils and students to use the apps provided to further their learning, research and use at home.
They allow students to access different aspects of the curriculum at the same time and deepen their learning. The iPads do not replace ‘traditional’ teaching and learning; teachers will decide when the iPads are used and what students can do with their iPads whilst in their lessons.

Which model is iPad is being provided?

The iPad is usually a 8 or 9th generation device with 32GB of memory. Students will also have a managed Apple ID and 200 GB of free iCloud storage.

What comes with the iPad?

Each iPad is supplied with a charger, charging cable, DUX case and a Logitech crayon. The crayon should be stored in the case when it is not being used. If the crayon is lost it will not be replaced.

At the end of Year 6, Year 11 and Year 13 we expect everything to be returned to school, ready for it to be redeployed to other students. This includes the crayon, charger and charging cable.

Please try to keep all chargers and cables together.

Will my child still be able to access other devices?

Yes, they can still use other devices to support their learning if needed. If you are a Jack Hunt School student all your emails and files will be stored on your Microsoft OneDrive which can be accessed through any device.

What are my responsibilities as a parent or carer regarding the iPad?

Please support you son / daughter in keeping to the user agreement that has been signed. Some general guidance includes;

  • Do not use the iPad to access content or websites that are inappropriate or illegal
  • Do not ignore copyright – any media placed on the iPad by students must be their own
  • Do not set up VPNs or other private networks
  • Do not install apps that are age inappropriate or offensive. PKAT will set age-restrictions and remove any apps / media that it considers to be inappropriate.
  • Do not try to ‘jailbreak’ the iPad or change the settings / profiles that have been put on by staff.
  • Do not use the iPad to engage in any kind of criminal activity, gambling, spamming, hacking etc.
  • Do not use the iPad to take photographs / audio / video of any students / member of staff without their consent

 

Please ensure that your child cares for their iPad when working at home and does not take it out of the case at any time.

What are the student's responsibilities regarding the iPad?

General iPad Care and Maintenance

It is the responsibility of students to look after the iPad assigned to them. This will include:

  • Keeping the iPad in the protective case provided at ALL times
  • Ensuring the iPad is adequately charged to use during a full school day
  • Keeping the iPad well away from any food, drink and other liquids
  • Keeping the iPad safe and stored securely  – pupils must not leave the iPad lying around or place it anywhere it could be stolen or damaged
  • Maintaining a lock-code for the iPad – children must not reveal this code to anyone else apart from their class teacher.
  • Leaving at least 16GB of memory free for teaching and learning apps, documents and resources

The iPad remains the property of Peterborough Keys Academies Trust (PKAT) and is provided only for the sole use of the student it is assigned to. The iPad can be taken back at any time.

What training will teachers receive to support teaching and learning with the iPads?

There is a full training programme to make sure every teacher using an iPad knows how to make best use of the iPad in an educational setting and how to effectively integrate it with teaching and learning. We are working hard as a staff body and with external professionals to ensure that we are fully utilising the devices, and that every teacher across our schools is confident and able. This training will be ongoing so we can continue to develop knowledge and skills to support teaching and learning.

Is there any online support?

We are developing online support resources and when these are ‘live’ we will notify you where they can be easily found.

Still Stuck?

The IT Service Team will provide support to all users including students / parents / carers between 8:30am and 4:00pm. The service desk can be contacted via email servicedesk@pkat.co.uk

Parents / carers may be required to provide proof of identity via security questions when contacting PKAT IT Service.

Can you take photos and record videos?

The iPad has the capability of taking photographs and filming. They may only film other people once receiving permission, and ensuring that photographs and recordings are appropriate.

The Acceptable Use Agreement covers the fact that they must not use images of anybody else (including staff) except when permitted to do so.
Teachers may for example ask students to take pictures of their schoolwork and send it to them. Students have been told that they must keep these pictures safe, and they are not to show or send them to anyone else. We need to keep everyone safe.

Can staff monitor what the students are doing on the iPads?

Yes, staff iPads will be deployed with an app called Apple Classroom. This allows teachers to monitor groups of students in their class, enabling them to see every student iPad in the group in real time and see what is on their screen.
Apple Classroom allows staff to control the student iPads including locking the screen, only allowing certain apps or forcing all the iPads to a particular app or webpage.

Will my child be able to access the internet at home on the iPad?

Outside of school, pupils are able to access the internet using Wi-Fi at home or at other places which provide internet access.

Can you access social media on the iPad? This will be restricted, but to help support parents most platforms do have an age restriction, for example;

Facebook            13 years

Twitter                 13 years

WhatsApp           16 years

Snapchat             13 years

What are Apps?

Apps is just another word for applications. Your child will have access to lots of applications. The iPad has a wide range of apps which will support your child’s learning.

Can my child add more Apps to the iPad?

The Self-Service App Store contains a large range of apps which have been approved for use on PKAT iPads. Students can add apps from the Service App Store as they wish.
They will need to be careful not to add too many and use up a lot of the memory on their iPad which could stop them working in lessons.

What safety advice would you give regarding transporting the iPad to and from school?

Always keep your iPad in its specially made case. This will keep it safe if it’s accidentally dropped, and it will protect the screen from anything else in your bag. When you are travelling between school and home, keep your iPad in your bag, out of sight. This will help make sure that your iPad does not get damaged or lost. You should only use your iPad outside when your teacher asks you to.

Only use your iPad where you can hold it carefully. Accidents are more likely to happen if you’re moving around or when you’re on the bus or train. Wait until you get home or to school before you use it. If you damage or lose your iPad, tell your parents and teacher as soon as possible. If we follow these rules we can keep our iPads safe!

If an iPad is lost or stolen, it will not work for anyone else. We can lock any iPad that is reported missing, and we will then track its location and pass this information to the police.

What should I do if my child is spending too much time on their iPad?

We know that parents and carers are responsible for the well-being of their child and need to make sure that the children are getting a balanced diet of time with technology and time away from it.
Access to the iPads will be used to enhance learning and teaching experiences during each academy day. 
This does not mean they will spend every lesson on an iPad. They will have access to an exciting range of tools and resources that have not been possible in the past.

We want every student to be able to continue to learn when away from the school environment and expect parents and carers to understand that some of this learning will mean they have to use their iPad. If you feel they are missing out on other activities, then you should encourage them to put their iPad away. Please talk to your son / daughter and set agreed screen time limits.

Is access to the internet filtered?

All PKAT iPads are deployed with a filtering tool which works on the device regardless of where the iPad is connecting to the internet. There is additional filtering and monitoring software when accessing the internet in school. 
When your child is using their iPad to access the internet outside of school, there will be web filtering and monitoring software applied.
As with all filtering, this may not stop all forms of access to inappropriate content and therefore parents/carers should take the necessary steps to monitor safe access to the internet when the device is used away from the school although filtering of access to the most inappropriate websites will be in place. Parents should regularly sit down with their son / daughter and discuss how the iPad is being used.

What about e-safety?

We take your child’s safety online very seriously. 

We will continue to teach your child about being safe online and will promote the development of safe and appropriate long-term behaviours, to ensure students keep themselves safe online and learn to take responsibility for their own behaviour and choices.

How is my iPad monitored for safety?

PKAT have the ability to check the content of all devices.

However, parents should be vigilant and regularly speak to their children regarding iPad use and work they are completing and how it is being used. If you are unsure please speak to your school.

What should we do if my iPad gets damaged?

If your iPad is damaged, then it is important that is repaired. These repairs must be undertaken by the PKAT IT Team and must not be attempted by the user or arranged through a third-party repair service.

If your child’s iPad is damaged, then please let your school (teacher) know as soon as possible and a repair will be arranged.


iPads that are damaged due to negligence or lack of care will result in the child’s parent / carer being asked to meet the costs of repair in part or in full. Please refer to your user agreement.

What should I do if I lose my iPad?

If your child loses their iPad then you are requested to contact your school immediately. We will be able to place the device in ‘Lost or Stolen’ mode.
When this mode is activated, the iPad will be locked which will prevent it from being used. The iPad will also beep, continuously, showing its location. When lost or stolen mode is activated then the last known location of the device becomes available to the IT Team. This location will continue to update if the iPad is moved. This will help us to find your child’s iPad.
Pupils and parents / carers are responsible for taking care of the iPad including ensuring that it is not lost.

What should I do it my iPad gets stolen?

If you know the iPad has been stolen please report this crime to the police and keep a record of the crime number. Please then contact your school immediately.

We will be able to place the device in ‘Lost or Stolen’ mode. When this mode is activated, the iPad will be locked which will prevent it from being used. The iPad will also beep, continuously, showing its location. When lost or stolen mode is activated then the last known location of the device becomes available to the IT Team. This location will continue to update if the iPad is moved. This will help us to find your child’s iPad.

When does the iPad need to be returned?

We will collect the iPads, cases, crayon, charger and cables from students towards the end of the academic year. We will notify you and them of this closer to the time.