How iPads are transforming education in schools: 'I’m not having to carry around big folders'

• A UK company which helps schools embrace technology in the classroom has seen tens of thousands of iPads fly out the door this year.
• Some multi-academy trusts are handing them out to both staff and students, and say it’s beneficial for both.
• Schools say they help children connect with what they are learning better - with noticeable improvements in just weeks.
• Young people say they don’t have to lug around heavy folders, and can use apps to help with homework.

Ditching the pen and paper and doing schoolwork on an iPad appears to both help children retain what they’re learning better and free up teacher time, schools say.

Manchester-based tech company Sync has provided more than 90 thousand iPads to some 1,100 UK schools this year alone, as entire multi-school trusts shift towards a more tech-driven way of teaching and learning. The Apple devices were ‘revolutionising’ classrooms, the company says, and were already making a big difference to student engagement, creativity, and academic success - even for groups which sometimes struggle in a traditional school setting.

Sync’s head of educational partnerships, Marcus Durkan, said they had long been champions of “using tech for good” in education, but the response they have had from schools trialling the iPads has been off the charts. “We’re thrilled to see the positive impact our solutions are having on schools across the UK. By focusing on improving learning outcomes and empowering teachers, we’re creating future-ready students who are engaged, creative, and prepared for tomorrow’s challenges.”

But what difference does iPad-based learning really make? Here’s what some of the schools, educators, and pupils who have embraced tech in the classroom had to say:

What impact has it had on schools?

The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) has rolled out some 11,000 iPads to its staff and student body, and has already noticed some big differences. At Belgrave St Bartholomew’s Academy - just one of the 21 Midlands-based schools it manages - within just two weeks students were retaining 70-90% of what they learned, compared to just 10-20% before.

“I’ve been using the iPads since the start of this year. I use it for a lot of my coursework, to help keep track of all my subjects,” Gabriella, a Year 12 ATLP student said. “All of my schoolwork is [compiled] in one specific place, instead of having to write it all out on paper. I’m not having to carry around big folders that I would usually have to in sixth form.”

Suriya, a Year 6 pupil, added that the iPad’s various apps were a big help with her schoolwork. “Recently we started making model playgrounds out of cardboard, and I used Freeform to plan it all out. I think my ideas became a lot better with that.

“We have an app called Showbie on our iPads. All of our lessons are on there, and all of my homework will be on there,” she continued. Gabriella’s classes used the same app, and it even allowed students to collaborate on their projects and get teacher feedback.

Even ATLP’s teachers had embraced the technology, with the trust receiving “overwhelmingly positive” feedback on its pilot programme this year. Staff said they were saving an average of more than seven hours a week, and some 80% of them believed the iPads had made learning more accessible. One teacher, Stephen Peace, said: “Teachers can adapt their teaching. I feel empowered to do my job better than before.”

Another institution at the forefront of this shift is the New Bridge Multi Academy Trust, which caters to students aged four to nineteen with learning difficulties and complex sensory needs. The trust said it has seen remarkable improvements in student participation and communication since introducing the new tech.

Digital lead Richard Bright said the iPads have had a profound impact, giving a voice to students who previously struggled in traditional classroom settings. “We’ve seen children who once found it difficult to participate in lessons now actively communicating and collaborating with their peers... Whether it’s a wheelchair user or someone with limited motor skills, they now have access to the world.”

The devices perfectly aligned with the trust’s - and its schools’ - values of ambition, creativity, and inclusion. “There are no glass ceilings,” Bright added. “We’re using technology in ways that are accessible for all.”

What do you think about using more technology in schools to help with learning? Have your say and make your voice heard by leaving a comment below.