Losing the ICT Suite

[SimonWindisch]

Hi there,

 

My primary school might be undertaking some large scale building work, and I'm being asked to assess a possible future without an ICT Suite.

 

Has anyone had experience of this? What would be the best way forward for a 440 pupil primary school with no dedicated ICT Suite?

 

Thanks - Simon

[Joanne]

Hi Simon,

 

we are a primary without an IT Suite. I never had one when I started. We have 3 banks of laptops that are used within school for ICT lessons. Basically, as long as you get SSD's in them, so they are fast to boot, you should be ok. Also make sure your WiFi infrastructure is good. We went with Ruckus, but also consider Meraki and Unify.

 

It is possible.

[sted]

yes a quarter of my schools no longer have an ict suite (2/8). 1 uses a couple of laptop trolleys and recently an ipad trolley(not sure how much use the ks1 laptop trolley gets), one has pcs in corridors/classrooms/ks1 dinner hall and 2 laptop trolleys that are used a lot. I know of plenty of other schools that dont have a suite either its seemingly becoming the norm unless there is a teacher there who is willing to fight to keep it and even then they are often reduced in size.

 

The biggest problem with laptop trolleys in my experience is users. I forever get complaints that they dont work but 9/10 times the last class just threw them in the trolley and diddnt plug the chargers in you almost need to babysit them to startwith if you can and make sure they are always plugged in when in the trolley

[synaesthesia]

I look after a few. One had an ICT suite to start with, which was moved into a Technology Center. That was later removed in favour of a small bunch of computers in the library and 10 iPads per classroom with a few floating laptops. Last year they started looking into converting a spare classroom back into an ICT suite, and now they don't want that any more!

 

I have a 480 pupil junior school with an ICT suite as well as 60 laptops, and a 240 pupil primary with no ICT suite and 60 laptops in 2 trolleys. Both work rather well, however it's more than clear that the ICT suite presents less running maintenance and the pupils tend to look forward to ICT more. The suite is an invaluable resource for staff and students alike and often gets used in training. It's not a one-size-fits-all thing and there are plenty of suite-less schools that work absolutely fine. It's usually just a matter of making sure staff are comfortable with teaching on portable devices.

I would still recommend a small bank of computers somewhere though, it's surprising how often they get used.

[sparkeh]

I think it depends on the culture of the school. We would be lost without our suite, its constantly in use for lessons, lunchtime clubs, afterschool intervention schemes, staff training etc. We can't see it running as well if we replaced the suite with laptops.

[witch]

I think it depends on the culture of the school. We would be lost without our suite, its constantly in use for lessons, lunchtime clubs, afterschool intervention schemes, staff training etc. We can't see it running as well if we replaced the suite with laptops.

 

This^ We use our suite for everything (360 pupil junior school) and it is certainly something that should be looked at if the suite is to go. We do homework club, strike club, interventions etc and it is somewhere for support staff to go and get things done when they have a minute. We run a full timetable of lessons and have 70 laptops as well.

I would find that the charging of the laptops would be an issue

[Koldov]

Funnily enough I was having a casual discussion about IT in general with our Business Manager the other day, he caught me off guard when he mentioned he was thinking of suggesting the same...

 

The biggest problem with laptop trolleys in my experience is users. I forever get complaints that they dont work but 9/10 times the last class just threw them in the trolley and didn't plug the chargers in you almost need to babysit them to startwith if you can and make sure they are always plugged in when in the trolley

 

We have just purchased more iPads and the SLT are looking to place a trolley load into each of the Year Heads' classrooms. I am in two minds about this as currently I control the 2 trolleys we have, booking them out and returning them to the trolleys, charging, accounting for and randomly checking etc. On one hand I don't want to spend most of my day giving out iPads, but on the other, anecdotal evidence from other schools about broken chargers, missing iPads and such make me dread the day.... If we were to add X amount of laptops into the mix I think I'd lose the plot! If there is one thing I have learnt working in education, it's that teachers have no concept of responsibility for IT resources!

 

the pupils tend to look forward to ICT more. The suite is an invaluable resource for staff and students alike and often gets used in training

 

This is very true here, we have a projector linked to one of the computers and a big TV at the other end of the suite, it is set out so that with a quick walk around the teacher can see all of the screens, there is little to no damage (headphones mostly) and virtually no maintenance, no charging, nothing gets 'dropped', nothing goes missing... Also, the TAs are in there most mornings and evenings, printing labels, resources and checking school emails etc.

 

Also this...

 

I think it depends on the culture of the school. We would be lost without our suite, its constantly in use for lessons, lunchtime clubs, afterschool intervention schemes, staff training etc. We can't see it running as well if we replaced the suite with laptops.

Edited November 8, 2016 by Koldov

[SimonWindisch]

Many thanks. These are my conclusions, based on your helpful comments.

 

1. ICT Suite may also be used for other activities: clubs, TA activity, quiet room etc. This will be lost or have to go somewhere else.

2. Recommended to replace the ICT Suite, a laptop trolley and an iPad trolley. The caveat is that these need more looking after than an ICT Suite as items get lost/broken all the time, and not charged between lessons. Basically you need someone to book them in and out and check them when they are returned.

3. You would need one or two mini-suites where staff and pupils can use computers on a casual basis. We already have the Annex and the old lower school library. Maybe a third area as well.

4. We already have Wi-Fi coverage but this would probably need to be upgraded for any new build.

[Koldov]

If there is one thing I have learnt working in education, it's that teachers have no concept of responsibility for IT resources!

 

Maybe this is a little harsh, but it's a generally accepted theme in most schools - I guess that it just isn't their focus. Oh and it's YOUR job isn't it..?

 

I wonder how many other departments get this. In fact I might suggest that we scrap the P.E. dept! The head of P.E. has an office that can be utilised for something else and a massive storage locker/cupboard in school. We'll just get the children to do jumping jacks at their desks instead...

[ITGURU]

With recent changes here they wanted to strip out another ICT suite, we lost one years ago when was converted to a normal teaching room. I came back after leave to find the cables cut and computers removed!

 

I was against the decision for the second room to be removed, but then having had a meeting with someone else they told me if we could make another IT room it would help due to the computer use increase required so good job we didn't. We are a secondary school though.

[BKGarry]

Secondary School here with no ICT suites at all.

 

In fact, in the whole school, there are 6 PCs in our Learning Support Unit for students to use and 16 admin PCs. Everything else is laptops.

 

KS4 get a school own laptop assigned to them when they enter Year 9 and they stay with that student through to Yr 11, they have a RFIS laptop locker assigned to them, that only they can open. Any Damage they are to pay for.

 

KS3 (7 and 8) have shared laptops, and to be honest this is a pain, people not plugging them in and lack of accountability on damage.

 

Sixth Form have shared laptops but are encouraged to bring in their own laptops to make things easier.

 

I echo what people have said, Make sure your wireless is up to scratch and has a decent management console so that you can see traffic if there are issues . Also, if they want to go down the tablet route, make sure your internet connection is up to it too.

 

I am assuming you have around 15 classes with that size primary school, if each class has 10 tablets each, you are instantly going from (an assumed) 30 PCs in a suite to 150 devices accessing resources at once, and with tablets these are likely to mainly be online

[GuyJD]

My School is a Primary with 660 pupils and we have no ICT suite, we have 3 Laptop trolleys and 2 iPad trolleys in KS2 and our KS1 classrooms have 18 iPads and 18 Laptops shared between them.

 

The system works fine for us, I've worked in schools with and without ICT suites and I have to say IMO there really isn't a need to have a dedicated suite with the portability of laptops and iPads as long as you have the wireless infrastructure to support.

[ITGURU]

My School is a Primary with 660 pupils and we have no ICT suite, we have 3 Laptop trolleys and 2 iPad trolleys in KS2 and our KS1 classrooms have 18 iPads and 18 Laptops shared between them.

 

The system works fine for us, I've worked in schools with and without ICT suites and I have to say IMO there really isn't a need to have a dedicated suite with the portability of laptops and iPads as long as you have the wireless infrastructure to support.

I guess it's not much of an issue in primary schools, but with secondary out laptops get keys picked off, screens smashed etc etc..

[sparkeh]

I guess it's not much of an issue in primary schools, but with secondary out laptops get keys picked off, screens smashed etc etc..

Ever worked in a primary?

[ITGURU]

Ever worked in a primary?

 

Nope, but I imagine they have a bit more respect for equipment! Even the thought of ipads here makes me shudder. Good job they don't agree with them here for students, although the PE staff have them for registration.

[synaesthesia]

It does happen in primaries, they still need maintaining, things still get dropped etc. It's certainly not all about "will they work".

[Joanne]

More respect, less hygiene

[Koldov]

More respect, less hygiene

 

Good thing is with the IT suite is a couple of bottles of anti-bac hand gel at the door (as long as the teachers remember to make the little darlings do it)!

 

Slightly off-topic I know, but I did a (very) brief stint in a Nursery... I still shudder when I remember the snot and dribble on faces of the children staring at me and the mop bucket labelled 'Bodily Fluids Only'...

Edited November 8, 2016 by Koldov

[dhicks]

What would be the best way forward for a 440 pupil primary school with no dedicated ICT Suite?

 

We've reduced from two ICT suites down to one and placed laptops in storage units in classrooms. We went for Asus Chromebook Flips, at least 6 per classroom - we're a private school, so 6 is a third of a class, so teachers can do carousel activities where a third of a class uses the computers at a time. It seems to be working well so far, half a term in, and if you're considering tablets or laptops then the Asus Chromebook Flips are great - half the price of an iPad and they work as a tablet (with proper 10-point touch screen, and now Android apps) and as a laptop with a keyboard, and the devices themselves are easily managed via Google's management console (the management console license does add slightly to the cost of the device, but it's a one-off purchase).

[tmoon-mint]

From my experience its just as bad in primaries. Keys picked off, screens smashed, iPads launched across rooms (Thank goodness for griffin survivor cases).

[Localtechie]

I know a school (primary) that is 450 students and has recently lost its ICT suite and no provision in terms of laptops. They are currently in the process of buying iPads for the classes. I give it 6 months before laptops appear.

[googlemad]

The trouble with this idea if you ask me is like every decision in education in a few years time they'll just be wanting it back again!

[mukz]

This^ We use our suite for everything (360 pupil junior school) and it is certainly something that should be looked at if the suite is to go. We do homework club, strike club, interventions etc and it is somewhere for support staff to go and get things done when they have a minute. We run a full timetable of lessons and have 70 laptops as well.

I would find that the charging of the laptops would be an issue

 

All of this.

 

We have 8 IT suites fully timetabled! 11 Trolleys with 30 laptops each and these are a right pain to manage. Laptops are not charged, pins get broken because the kids treat it like crap, mostly used by Science and Geog & History now as they are the most sensible teachers ever (actually check the trollies themselves and attempt fixes before calling us)

 

I forgot to mention we are creating 2 new IT suites with Thin Clients - should be interesting as the backend is absolute pants for VDI.

[bashy]

Senior school here, we have just installed another computer room to cope with students needing computers for exams. Been down the BYOD route seemed that the kids always forgot / broke add any other excuse you need to add in..... the desk are dual purpose though allows for teaching with out computers. We have laptops to cover over booked areas.

[mavhc]

Does anyone have per year costs of desktops vs laptops, desktops are cheaper and last longer to start with, then factor in time, I guess desktops are 3 times cheaper, but I don't have actual numbers.