The minimum BYOD specification that we require is:

From September 2022, students in the Senior School should bring a device that meets our BYOD minimum specification with them daily. Where possible, this should have the functionality that meets our specification, however, we recognise that initially this may not be the case. For example, the device may not be touchscreen or have a keyboard. The use of smartphones in lessons will not be permitted.

No.  All school devices should be Windows devices in order to ensure consistency.

There is no expectation of a minimum amount of money spent on the device provided it meets the lowest specification.

There is a great deal of choice on the open market, and you may choose to source the device that meets our minimum specification.  We recommend that you look carefully at the terms of any purchase and have in place warranties that you consider sufficient when buying. Alternatively, the school has worked with a supplier to offer a choice of three appropriate devices and a range of purchasing options. Please visit our dedicated purchasing portal for more information about these: www.hardsoftcomputers.co.uk/digital-learning-at-st-gabriels-school/

All students have access to the Microsoft Office 365 suite of applications through their school email account. This gives them access to the online version of key apps such as MS Teams, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneDrive. The device is owned and maintained by you and, as such, you can install whatever additional software you choose to. We would ask you to consider keeping additional software installs to a minimum to ensure the smooth running and operation of the device. Each student also has 1 TB of storage data through their school account. 

Certain subjects may request that a very specific piece of software is installed, for example Python for Computing lessons. This will usually require Administrator permissions on the device, and we would ask that you help in these cases to ensure that your child has the software they need. 

The device should come to school in a protective case that can withstand the inevitable rigours of the school day. The device is owned and maintained by you, and we would expect, as you would, that students take care of it, as they would any other personal item of value. We would recommend that the device be covered by an appropriate level of insurance. You can insure the device under your household insurance policy (many policies will already provide cover and you should check this). The school cannot take any responsibility for damage, loss or theft, and the device is not covered by the school’s insurance.

Online safety is of the utmost priority. Devices brought into school access the internet via the school’s monitored and filtered dedicated BYOD Wi-Fi network and students are subject to the Acceptable Use Policy that is rigorously enforced. Educating students about safe online behaviours forms a key part of our PSHE programme delivered through our pastoral system.

The use of technology in education has developed significantly over the past two years and as a school, we are keen to unlock the many learning opportunities it affords. We recognise the huge benefits technology can bring to our students’ understanding when blended with traditional methods of teaching and learning. We wish to avoid technology for technology’s sake. Devices may not always be used in every lesson but will always be used in a thoughtful and considered way to support student achievement and engagement.

Devices should be light enough to be carried during the school day. Lockers are available in form rooms. If a student is taking part in an after-school sports activity Sports Hall lockers can be used. 

To future-proof your purchase and allow the student to interact with their work in a more intuitive way we ask that all devices used by Year 7 are touchscreen. During remote schooling, teachers began to unlock the potential of touchscreen technology in lessons and to not have this would be a backward step. A touchscreen device allows a student to, for example, annotate maps in Geography, draw diagrams in Science and practise writing algebra more intuitively in Mathematics. Teachers are continually finding innovative ways to support learning using touchscreen technology. We understand that some students in Year 9 to Year 13 may have a recently-purchased non-touchscreen device that meets the BYOD specification in every other respect. This may be used in the interim with teachers finding workarounds.  

Devices must come to school fully charged with a battery capacity that lasts the school day (see specification). We will not be able to provide plugs or charging cables or charging capabilities. 

The school will provide support to enable the device to connect to the school’s BYOD Wi-Fi and access the Microsoft Office 365 suite. Should teachers use specific apps in their lesson then they will provide instruction on how to access and use them. Other technical issues relating to, for example, software, the mechanical health of the device, updates, faults and warranty remain the responsibility of the student. Please check all warranty information when you purchase the device to ensure that it adequately meets your needs.