Fact Finding Mission: Microsoft Schools 1:1 Device Scheme

[Rogueleeder]

Hi Friends,

 

I'm on a fact finding mission for my Network Manager here at a Welsh Independent School. We're trying to find out what devices Office 365 schools are deploying to students for their 1:1 Device schemes. What Manufacturer and spec of laptop are you giving out to students? Also if you are at liberty to provide the cost and finance options you charge parents that would be very helpful.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Edit: Oh I should say we are a full Windows Environment with no intention of using Chromebooks or Apple Kit.

Edited January 27, 2023 by Rogueleeder

[MartinT]

We are a 365 school and issue 10th gen Apple iPads to junior students (school owned), while senior students purchase their iPads via an Academia portal (parent owned).

 

Academia sell us the iPads for juniors and run the portal for senior purchases. Portal money does not come through us, which keeps our Financial Controller happy.

 

We are introducing a BYOD scheme for sixth formers later this year as they have said they would prefer to use a laptop for A-level and university studies. I can't blame them!

[Rogueleeder]

Oh I should say we are a full Windows Environment with no intention of using Chromebooks or Apple Kit.

 

Though thank you @MartinT for the insight on your setup.

[dmj]

Oh I should say we are a full Windows Environment with no intention of using Chromebooks or Apple Kit.

 

Like fact finding without finding out any actual facts...

[mthomas08]

Like fact finding without finding out any actual facts...

 

Why? If its their preference and requirements?

Their preference is to stick to one OS type and I really don't blame them. We went down the route of MS and Android tablet schemes in the past.

The problems we faced with MS devices were down to things out of power. Simple things like students forgetting them / damages / insurance and warranty claims. OThe only problem software wise we had.. some staff expected the Adobe suite package to work on basic spec netbooks....

 

When we tried Android, we found staff were struggling to find app versions of the software we already had.

 

If your system was based on Chrome or Apple, I would always advise to stick to what you have (if you can manage or afford it).

 

And I'm saying this when I prefer to buy iPads to run a few elements around our school - they simply sit there and perform 1 single function and I know they should continue to work for many years down the line.

 

@ OP

 

We've run schemes in the past but these were just before 365 really kicked off. If we did the schemes now, I think we would face a bit less trouble.

If you want more details I'm sure I can provide them so drop me a DM.

[CTIDTech]

We use a variety of devices (Win, Chrome, iOS and even Android thanks to the covid machines we got) , however for us Office worked best on laptops. As you are not going down the Apple or Chromebooks route, your costs maybe higher, depending on the spec you choose, however we got round this by using ClassLink as a middle wear solution. Teachers, students and other staff can access Office, One Drive, Sharepoint etc from this on any device.

 

This may not be what you are looking for, however from a cost perspective it saved us a shed load of money as we could buy lower spec laptops.

[dmj]

Why? If its their preference and requirements?

 

There was a thread about this, where a MAT put a large procurement out to tender. They had a preferred partner and excluded one of the competitors for some arbitrary reason (cheaper less training to keep the incumbent)

They got sued for not checking their facts: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/217972-disappointed-bidder-sues-mat-after-mis-tender-failure.html

 

So my point really is that if you are going on a fact finding mission, then it's best to do that.

 

Of course it's entirely likely the OP's NM has been told to cost up a 1:1 scheme, but doesn't want it implemented so sent the OP on a wild goose chase to make the costs as high as possible by excluding certain tech.

[Rogueleeder]

There was a thread about this, where a MAT put a large procurement out to tender. They had a preferred partner and excluded one of the competitors for some arbitrary reason (cheaper less training to keep the incumbent)

They got sued for not checking their facts: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/217972-disappointed-bidder-sues-mat-after-mis-tender-failure.html

 

So my point really is that if you are going on a fact finding mission, then it's best to do that.

 

Of course it's entirely likely the OP's NM has been told to cost up a 1:1 scheme, but doesn't want it implemented so sent the OP on a wild goose chase to make the costs as high as possible by excluding certain tech.

 

 

Not true for us. We do our own procurement as an Independent School. We as an IT Team aspire for Full blown Microsoft Show Case School so that's why we're staying with Windows. Kids use Teams and Office and all classroom software is Windows Ready. That and the only person in the school who owns a Mac is me for AV/Streaming/Editing Grunt Power. But I also daily driver a Surface Pro which I will eventually get upgraded with the power to match the Macbook and phase it out.

 

Class iPads have been phased out by Surface Go 3s since again we don't want to many different systems/OS's. Our IT Strategy is to keep IT powerful, simple, and effective and not to over complicate things. We also are planning to use InTune MDM to AutoPilot any student devices we procure so we can reduce our need for on Prem stuff.

 

What we want to know is what other schools have suggested or encourage for their 1:1 scheme since any devices we offer to students probably needs to be capable of running task from simple Office Suite to maybe Adobe suite for Art, Solidworks for DT, Dorico for Music, depending on what a student picks to study later up the school.

 

We in IT want to encourage 1:1 as we think it will help our work load with less labs and kit to replace ourselves year on year.

[snagrat]

1:1 here from Reception class to Y6.

 

Surface Go 2/3 for the KS1

Surface Go 2/3 i3 model for KS2

Teachers and TAs = Surface Pro

Admin = Surface Laptop

[Steve21]

1:1 here from Reception class to Y6.

 

Surface Go 2/3 for the KS1

Surface Go 2/3 i3 model for KS2

Teachers and TAs = Surface Pro

Admin = Surface Laptop

 

Would love to hear some more about that, nice to see a difference to the normal chromebook schools

 

Steve

[smithson83]

We are an MS Showcase school and run a full fat Windows 1:1 scheme with M365. We've used the HP Probook x360 11 EE for the last few years. While our teachers use a variety of Surface Pro models.

 

We're looking wider this year for comparisons and are trialing the Asus BR1100 (or BR1102 which should be out later this year), the HP Fortis 11 G9 (x360 replacement) and an offering from Acer (which we haven't had a sample from yet)

 

Happy to discus with the OP further about pro's and con and how we run out scheme. We've done a lot over the years with other schools through the MS Showcase (and Training Academy) programs and more recently with the DfE EdTech Demonstrator program over Lockdown.

 

As with any scheme, although the technology needs to be correct, the success comes from the support of management and how it's integrated into the school development plans.