Oldham academies to provide an iPad to every student as part of its Horizons programme

Three primary and two secondary schools in Oldham are set to distribute an iPad to each student and staff later this year.

The venture, part of Oasis’s fundamental offer to students and their families, is designed to address inequalities that exist outside of school by making online learning accessible to all.

Oasis Academy Broadoak, Clarksfield, Leesbrook, Limeside and Oldham - part of the Oasis Community Learning family of schools - is distributing more than 3,200 iPads with rugged keyboard cases.

Oasis Horizons will be rolled out to all 52 Oasis Academies over the next academic year, totalling over 30,000 devices being delivered, enabling students to conduct their own research delving deeper into their subject and enabling them to follow their own lines of enquiry.

Helen Arya, Regional Director for North West Primaries at Oasis Community Learning, said of the project: “Staff and students at Oasis Academy Broadoak, Clarksfield and Limeside are delighted to be part of this exciting project that provides new opportunities for every one of our young people from Reception to Year 6.”

Jane Hughes, Regional Director for Northern Secondaries at Oasis Community Learning, added: “We are passionate about all of our students having the opportunities that they deserve to make great progress.

"Both staff and students at Oasis Academy Leesbrook and Oldham are incredibly excited to be part of this project.

"We are always looking for ways to continue innovating and the iPads are the next piece of the jigsaw, making online learning accessible to everyone, whether that is inside or outside of the academy."

The devices will support every student on their learning journey regardless of their starting points, removing many of the barriers some young people face in accessing learning resources outside of school.

Every pupil will be taught how to make the most of their device, and how to look after it.

If an iPad is reported missing it can be locked remotely, and then have its location tracked.

The project is a collaboration between Oasis Community Learning and Apple authorised education specialist company Sync.

Tom Crump, National Education Manager at Sync, said; “The equitable delivery of education through digital means has never been more important.

"By equipping teachers and students with an iPad, OCL are preparing for the long-term delivery of equitable learning - whether students are in school or at home.

"We are proud to be working with OCL on their ground-breaking Horizons project - the largest provision of iPad in education happening in England to date.”

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