GFM Year 7 Chromebook Day

“Awesome day – because I used a Chromebook for all my learning.”  Henry Harman, Year 7

Recognising the need to equip their students with tech, the GFM hosted a Chromebook Launch Day on Tuesday 3 November 2020. To launch the scheme, a whole day of blended learning planned around the use of Chrome books, was provided for Year 7 students at Brune Park and Bay House. Students started the day with a live introduction that was streamed to 23 classrooms at both Brune Park and Bay House, from Assistant Headteacher, Luke Mulhall and CEO, Ian Potter.

Teachers from different departments within the GFM, facilitated an array of learning including: interactive explorations of the globe, a live streamed Social Action project, submission of data in real time and ended with students modelling 3D cells to demonstrate better understanding Science and bringing STEM to life.

The GFM Chromebook Project has taken a year of planning. The project expanded significantly due to school closures caused by COVID19. Valuing the opinions of their stakeholders, during GFM Secondary transition, parents were approached about the scheme and there was a hugely positive reaction. The scheme was initially planned for Year 7 students, but a large number of students in other Year Groups across Brune Park and Bay House have been able to sign up successfully to the scheme as well, including students in Years 8 to 12.

Luke Mulhall, Assistant Headteacher, had this to say about the Year 7 Launch Day and the Chromebook Project:

“We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to this initiative. With a backdrop to COVID19 and an uncertain future of bubble closures, parents and students have embraced the opportunity to look for ways to bridge the gap between the classroom and home. Today we have experienced almost six hundred students taking part in online lessons at the same time, collaborating and learning together. The GFM is working to build a learning community with students at Bay House and Brune Park, working together to enhance the opportunities for all. We are also ensuring we are fully prepared for students isolating and bubble closures by developing skills in online meeting, collaboration and working so we can seamlessly flow between remote and in class teaching.”

“Chromebooks are amazing and I would say that they are very useful because that way we can all stay safe and use them if we go on another lockdown.”
Alfie Winter, Year 7

Following the overwhelming success of the Chromebook Project, we now move on to sharing Chromebooks throughout the GFM schools. Our aim is to ensure that all students have access to online learning, and to do this, we are looking for support. Radian Homes, BP (formally British Petroleum) and the Royal Navy, along with a number of others, have already provided support to enable individual families the opportunity to access online learning. Our aim is to ensure that all children have the opportunity to access the rich curriculum on offer to them, either in school or at home.

“I thought that today was a special experience because I enjoyed the online lessons and watching my class enjoy it as well. It was a beautiful day.”  Lucy Cavendish, Year 7

“What I liked about today, on Chromebook Day, was that we got to spend time on them, to see how they worked before we took them home. I think Chromebook Day is good for children because some don’t have the ability to write and so on. I don’t know if I could, or would, change Chromebook Day at all.”  Ryan Cairns, Year 7

“I enjoyed learning about the days back in the times of WW1. I enjoyed learning on the Chromebook because it is a quick and efficient way to learn.”  Lea Jack, Year 7