Understanding the importance of 1-to-1

In 2010, St. Cyres School took a chance on Apple technology. They were determined to deliver a high-quality, technologically advanced learning experience to their students that was both engaging and enjoyable. By 2015, each one of the school’s pupils received an iPad upon admittance. The implementation’s impact hasn’t gone unnoticed.

In 23 years of teaching at St. Cyres, Damian Parker, faculty director for the Art Design technology, said the classroom has never been better. “Apple technology has totally transformed our teaching,” he said. “Pupils can access support staff at any point in the day. Staff can mark work and send feedback instantly. Staff can collaborate when producing resources for pupils to use, and share with pupils when needed.”

The school’s iPad implementation started with a conversation around restrictions. As a unique approach, instead of locking down student devices, St. Cyres left them almost entirely open for student use. While there were concerns from both faculty and parents around this decision, Ian Stark, the school’s ICT manager, said a less-restrictive environment benefits their student population.

“With this sense of ownership, we believe the iPad can be used more creatively by students to learn and complete school work the way that suits their development,” Stark said. After providing education around how the iPad devices would be managed in school, and could likewise be managed at home, initial concerns dissipated. Students now enjoy access to the App Store, iTunes and the iBook Store as a way to elevate their learning experience.

Stark said all the work they’re doing with Apple technology in the classroom is possible because they have the proper mobile device management (MDM) tool with Jamf Pro. “Jamf is like having a member of staff within my support team who is providing one-to-one support for every user 24/7,” he said.

In addition to the huge benefit of using the tool to introduce Apple Classroom to teachers, Stark said Jamf allows him to deliver an elevated level of support for macOS devices. This reduces the need for manual updates and software installs. “I have fallen in love with Jamf,” Stark said. “It has given the teachers confidence that the iPad is ready for every lesson. And since introducing Apple Classroom, managed by Jamf, teachers have visibility of all student iPads and can provide a guided lesson from their own devices.”

To learn more about how St. Cyres is using iPads to create more dynamic classrooms for their students, read the full case study.