Chromebook Q&A
When will the Chromebooks be issued to pupils?
Years 7 and new pupils in Secondary form Year 7 to 13
What if my child already has a Chromebook?
With the agreement of the parents, pupils who own a Chromebook already will be able to bring it to the school but it will have to be included into the school management network to monitor its use. The battery must last for at least 9 hours and it must have 802.11ac wireless connectivity.
Transfer/New Pupils Distribution
All transfers/new pupils must participate in a school orientation and will be able to pick up their Chromebooks from the school. Both pupils and their parents/guardians must sign the King’s College Chromebook Agreement prior to picking up a Chromebook.
What is the school going to do with the current ICT suites?
We will be maintaining our investment in the ICT suites which run specialist software including our suites of MacBooks for music and technology facilities.
My child already has an iPad/Android Tablet, can they use that instead?
No. These are not fully compatible with the Google Apps and Chrome add-ons that we will be using for teaching and learning.
What is the model of Chromebook being offered?
New models will be offered soon.
Is the battery good enough? How will charging work?
Chromebooks have a battery life of 9+ hours. This varies depending on what the Chromebook is being used for (e.g. web browsing is very different to using YouTube). As long as students charge the Chromebook overnight it should last them for the entire school day.
Pupils are responsible for bringing their charged Chromebook to school every day.
Can my child put their own content onto the Chromebook (music, video, apps)?
Yes, your child should treat the Chromebook as their own. A big part of the success of this scheme will rely on pupils valuing the Chromebook as part of their wider life and therefore taking care of it, charging it and bringing it to the school every day. Storage space is provided via the Google domain that the school provides and will be unlimited so pupils can store videos and music and still have ample space left for school-provided apps and content.
Did you look at Windows, iPads, Mac, Linux or Android as alternatives?
Yes, very seriously. We've visited other schools running 1:1 iPad and laptop programs and performed in-depth consultation with our teachers. We learned that iPads are fantastic tools for consuming media but they are not so good for creating content and allowing our students to work collaboratively. Whilst the range of applications available on iPads and Android is vast, many of the resources that teachers currently use in IT Suites would not be available.
We also looked at traditional Windows, Mac and Linux laptops. Although these devices are indeed more powerful they are also more complex, more expensive and have poorer battery lifetimes. The simplicity of the Chromebook overcomes these barriers so that the focus will be on learning.
How do I connect the Chromebook to the internet in my house?
Chromebooks use wireless to connect to a network, so you will need Wi-Fi at home to use the Chromebook on the internet. If you have Wi-Fi, your network security key can be added to the Chromebook before login. If you don’t have Wi-Fi at home, the Chromebook will still work for many things (most apps, reading eBooks, etc.) but things like email and web browsing won’t be accessible until the Chromebook is back within the school network.
What happens if my Chromebook needs repairing?
All Chromebooks will include a two year hardware warranty from the vendor. The vendor warrants the Chromebook from defects in materials and workmanship. The limited warranty covers normal use, mechanical breakdown, and faulty construction. The vendor will provide normal replacement parts necessary to repair the Chromebook or, if required, a Chromebook replacement.
The vendor warranty does not cover against damage caused by misuse, abuse, or accident. In the event of doubt as to whether the fault is due to a manufacturer's defect or missues, abuse or accident, the Chromebook will be returned to the manufacturer who will inform us whether the warranty covers the damage. If the damage is not covered a quotation will be provided which will need to be paid by parents before the unit is repaired and returned to school.
The school will provide an optional third party insurance agency to provide insurance against accidental damage. You can purchase this accidental insurance at the same time than the Chromebook.
What happens if the Chromebook is stolen?
In case of theft, vandalism, or other criminal acts, a police report MUST be filed with the local police department and a copy submitted to the school office which the pupil attends.
What technical support will be three be for pupils?
The school IT department will be able to help resolve many technical issues but one of the major advantages of the Chromebook is that it rarely goes wrong. We are going to be running a weekly Chromebook surgery for pupils to come to with any problems or questions they have.
Initially this will be run by staff but we will also have ‘Chromebook Pupils Leadership Scheme’, our Chrome Leadership Pupils will be trained to help others.
How are teachers being helped to maximise the potential of Chromebooks?
We have been trialling Chromebooks for a little while but, importantly, we have all been working (for two years now) with the Google apps suite (which will provide the bread and butter learning apps). Teachers’ expertise has been growing throughout this time through regular training events and shared professional learning relationships. Every pupil already works with Google Apps and associated cloud storage. We will be developing a specialist teacher team of Chromebook users who will be given additional support in developing their practice so that they can help other teachers they work alongside. We will be continuing to focus on the use of Chromebooks in the regular staff training that the school runs.
How will the Chromebook be backed up?
The Chromebook is always backed up, our pupils have unlimited storage space in the Google Cloud. This is already set up and associated with their email address.
Are there any Chromebook guides available?
Yes, there’s a lot of (free) guidance out there. This link is a good place to start:
www.chromestory.com/chromebook-user-guide
We will make sure all of our students receive the teaching input to get them up and running with their new Chromebooks when they are issued and we will provide an on-line course they can access to develop their expertise. During their ICT lessons there will be some Chromebook skills development.
How will inappropriate use of the Chromebook at school be dealt with?
Pupils, with the support of their parents, will be required to sign up to a set of ‘Chromebook Rules’ which set out some simple rules to ensure things go smoothly. These rules are currently being developed and will be added to this FAQ shortly. Some of the rules will be about management (for example: ‘I will bring the Chromebook to school every day, charged’) and some will be about classroom behaviour (for example: ‘I will stop using the Chromebook when my teacher asks me to’), with the overall intention of creating a way of operating that all students, parents and staff understand and agree with.
What is the school doing to help with e-safety problems with the Chromebooks?
We already operate internet and email filtering which we will extend to Chromebooks.
Will the Chromebook be monitored?
The school has a very effective web filtering system and all devices attached to our network go through this web filter. The school will not be actively monitoring pupils’ Chromebooks; we feel it is important that pupils feel that the device is ‘theirs’ and they are not being watched. We will be able to look at web filter logs, should an issue become apparent. Chromebooks will be fitted with anti-theft software and can be disabled to prevent reselling if lost or stolen.
Will my child need their own Google account, if so, how will the school be able to put apps on the Chromebook?
Your child’s King's College account is in fact a GMail account and this account will be used when they are in the school. The school will use management software to enable it to distribute apps to any Chromebook registered with it and effectively will ‘gift’ the app to the device.