Preparing for the digital world

At Wolverhampton Grammar School we want to ensure our children are as prepared as they can be for the digital world ahead of them. The very best schools worldwide are using digital technology to add to the skills and learning opportunities in the classroom. We began this journey in 2017, and technology is now integrated seamlessly into lessons using iPads as an effective educational tool. We are proud that whilst being one of the oldest schools in the country we are certainly looking to the future in our approach!

By using iPad technology we can offer students their own bespoke textbooks tailored to their needs. Whilst traditional texts are available digitally and are used for the GCSE and A Level syllabus, in Years 7 to 9 we enhance students’ learning further by creating customised teaching and learning resources by handpicking the best mix of different offline and online resources. These are then differentiated for students so that each is getting a learning experience tailored to them.

For example, resources for a history lesson might include an image, a video to watch and extracts from a variety of printed texts; they might even include a newspaper cutting. This will then be followed by questions and activities for the student to record on their iPad. Students’ resources, notes and feedback are all stored in one location backed up in the cloud so they can be accessed anywhere.

This unique approach allows us to continually update our teaching resources as we discover new and relevant content. When students add their work to the iPad this is instantly received by the teacher, who can then mark and give constructive feedback. Likewise homework is set online and completed on the iPad. Parents and students alike can see the teacher’s comments, and everything is conveniently stored in one place.

By Year 10, students will have learnt research and digital skills to give them the very best opportunity possible in their preparation for GCSEs, Sixth Form and beyond. From then onwards, they will continue to use their iPad but also work with a book or file in each subject.

As all children have their own device, they can follow the lesson at a pace that suits them, for example when viewing a video or presentation, they are not bound by the pace of the demonstration at the front of the classroom; instead they can view directly on their iPad and investigate independently.

The iPad will be preloaded with a variety of educational apps. For example using virtual and/or augmented reality students would be able to explore the human body, jet engines or geographical sites in ways that would not ordinarily be possible. All of which enhances the learning experience and opportunities for our students.