PotNoodleTech

That's what spam bots are programmed to say!!!

Not really, bluetooth doesnt work like that it's a one to one transfer method. You'd need some kind of wireless multi headset kits - theres' plenty if things like that around but they tend to be more aimed at live sound/concert etc and are blooming expensive. Streaming to a device each is possible of course but as Andrew C says - that's just gonna create a whole new set of problems (and work) for you. Something like this is in the middle of pro use and home use but it's still not cheap. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Avantree-Multiple-Headphones-Assistive-Listening-Black/dp/B09BHQDHFS

Inherited Entrysign which works but I'd be looking at signinapp next time as it sounds better.

WTF just chuck that biohazard in the bin and they can spend £10 on a new keyboard.

Go for it. Only problem I would say is that flex doesnt let you use play store apps (currently) which may slow down adoption e.g. my art department use Photopea a lot now but if they had flex devices they wouldnt be able to use that and deliver the curriculum. If you can buy chromeboks then it's wise to as you get the "full experience"

You will get varied results throuhout the day depending on how many pupils/staff are playing youtube videos etc. Speed test fast etc only show "free bandwidth" so if other users are already using the internet your results will always be low. Try doing it out of hours/first thing in the morning and see if you get better test results. If it's a secondary school you should be on 1000mb/s not 100.

There are a couple on here that have gone totally 100% chrome i,e got rid of the PCs etc too. Hopefully they will chime in soon. It is possible if you move all systems to cloud systems, accessible in chrome. We're 100% chrome in that every teacher and pupil has a chromebook to use (and they do use them in every lesson) but we still use PCs and IT suites.

I think the main point you can look at first is where in the data stored. If it's not in the UK or EU then your are taking a big risk to start off with. Then try and get hold of any data protection agreements or privacy policies. If these are not easy to get or don't exist then the answer would be an automatic no form me anyway. Mind you I am not the DPO here so I may not have the say so in the matter but at least I get an email trail to say in the future "I told you so" - make sure you do that too. If it doesnt exist in and email trail then it doesnt really exist as far as investigations go.

Simple answer is, it's not fit for purpose.

If your company ethic has become so work from home centric that your not even bothering to host face to face interviews any more then you kinda deserve all you get (which is potentially to be lumped with someone inadequate for ....... years).

Outstanding!!

Also worth checking that the files are actually instact, in the google drive classroom folder as we have has people delete stuff before and not realise what effect it will have on the classroom.

Yes same, been using Google on our own since 2014 and there has never been a persuasive argument as to why we should move to HWB and cause a massive amount of hassle for our teachers (and learners). And therein lies the problem. There is no automated transfer system - you will either have to do it manually file by file, and probably get into a right mess, or just start on HWB from scratch. If HWB had created an easy migration route we would have moved years ago. But as it is - I am not screwing over my department, and all my teachers and learners just to satisfy someone elses political agenda.

Interesting - keeping an eye on this as this is hopefully coming my way soon. Just to clarify mikes - your using your own google tennancy but the chromebooks are enrolled in HWB, or are the chromebooks enrolled in your own google tennancy too? Cheers

You should be able to look at your print lease to work out per page print costs - add that to the cost per sheet of paper and you then have your actual cost. Each school does it differently so depends if you want to use your actual click cost price as above, or add staff time on and other associated on costs such as equipment leasing costs etc.

We had a chap from samsing came in as they kindly loaned us a screen for a concert. Chatting to him - he was quite surprised at the amount of equipment we had for just one school. Also got to talking about chromebooks, I was quite suprised to learn they are google top to bottom and everyone including him had a chromebook. Just goes to show there are companies using google day in day out, we just don't get to hear of it in general. If it wasn't for that chance conversation we wouldnt know.

Were 1:1 chromebooks. 1. Your wifi sound like it not up to scratch. You need 1 AP in each classroom on a solid managed WIFI system. Theres literalyl no point in proceeding any further if your WIFI is going to give you continuous problems every day - it will turn teachers and learners right off using the technology if it is not reliable. What wifi do you have? We're Aruba at the mo (through no choice of my own) but also used Cisco and Unifi. 2. You already have access to any "app" that is on the internet via web browser, there are plenty of websites. Also you have access to the google play store on chromebooks and there are plenty of apps on that too. Don't be daunted, your users will fly with it - i wouldnt have believed that my art department who have been obsessed with getting apps like photoshop on PCs or Macs for the last 10 years don't care a jot about photoshop now, asked me to remove their PCs so they'd have more room, and are happy as larry just using websites (Photopea) on chromebooks. 3. No not really, a chromebook is a chromebook. They are secure, and just work. Trying to dual boot linux on them would totally destroy all the good things about them. 4. Theres no right click - but if you press bottom left and bottom right trackpad at the same time (i.e what would have been both buttons on older laptops) you do get a right click with basic options on. Feel free to ask any more Q's if we can help, we will!

Thinking about it there is one benefit to leasing and that is if your SLT are not committed to funding ICT properly, leasing things guaruntees investment in ICT as you HAVE to pay those lease payments legally so it's not something SLT can just suddently claw the money back with no notice, or cancel it - your in that lease for 5 years and you've got the equipment up front. Sadly that poor attitude to IT funding is all to prevailant in Wales so I can understand why finance would want to lock equipment purchasing into a lease which is guarunteed to be paid year on year (thatis unless your Headteacher likes being in court).

Just bare in mind that you are going to be effectively paying 25% to 50% more for your fleet if you are leasing them so I don't realy see the point. It's like PCP cars - it "seems" cheaper you've got a £50k merc on the drive for only £500 a month but ultimatly all you get is no car that you don't own and you still wasted £500 a month over the last 3 years plus deposit etc. Doesnt make sense to me when ed tech PCs are very good value.

Thats ageist

Hahah Are you serious? There are fortune 500 companies out there with tens of thousands of empoyees using google and chromebooks every day. By the way - you should be teaching skills, not software. I am gobsmaked - I have never met a single person that didn't think google was waaaay easier to use than the absloute hot mess that is teams/sharepoint/etc I still see corporate and educatiuon people struggling with teams meetings literally 5 years after we were all forced to use it in covid. Wheras we ran an entire school on google meet for 6 months with almost no training needed for staff or pupils one minute we were in school teaching as normal the next it was google meet on chromebooks 5 times a day.

You make it sound like they've put them in the cubicles. When it is done. It's usually in the communal hand washing area or simply covering the front door in and out. Exacty the same as say a motorway services or football stadium which you (and your wives/sons/daughters) happily use day in day out without you kicking up a big quibble. Your post reads as simply an advertisment for halo vape sensors. CCTV can assist with a totally different set of issues (bullying/safeguarding/health and safety/wellbeing) We haven't done it inside the washrooms here but we do have cameras in the main corridors covering the main door in and out of each washroom as it's pretty essential.

Google is a way better teaching and learning platform and has way better admin management and is way easier to use for all users including us admins. However MS still has a stranglehold in many areas so we use both. In an ideal world I would be google only but we don't live in an ideal world and I still need M365 and several areas of the school which require PCS.

I always deny first and ask questions later.

Ah ok I am glad there's filtering etc in place. So if you are changing the router - I am guessing whatever filter you have provided by the third party will need some settings changed such as pointing to the routers IP address etc. Either everything points to your filtering/router and when that's updated to point to the BT router it should work. Or you may need to change some settings on the devces such as the default gateway. All depends what you got and how it's been set up in the past to be honest no way for us to guess. Good luck! Maybe ask the third party that et up the filtering etc for help?