DOVER LODGES SUPPORT LOCAL SCHOOL WITH COMPUTERS

The PGM for East Kent Neil Hamilton Johnstone

At the beginning of March this year Snar Gate Lodge received a request for funding for computing equipment via our member Leon Blackman whose sister-in-law is the secretary of the Parent Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA) for Temple Ewell Primary School.

She wrote to say the School is a small village school with a very small pupil intake per year. As with many small village schools the funding of new equipment is always difficult. This request was for computing equipment within the school which is in need of urgent replacement.

ICT is taught to all students from Years 2 onwards. The students as part of the curriculum use the current computers and laptops that are available within the school.

Year 6 students use the computing equipment on an almost daily basis as part of preparation and transition to Secondary School. The equipment is used for a range of teaching from word processing ,internet browsing ICT skills, touch typing and so much more. It is acknowledged that such skills are now essential in the world we find ourselves in and in preparing the students for life beyond Primary School.

The school has relied heavily on donated equipment over the years with some laptops now in excess of nine years old and the equipment varies in make and model.

The computer equipment is sadly no longer fit for purpose.It is unreliable and no longer has the battery life to support a school days worth of us usage.

Students are required to share the equipment with there often being three pupils around one computer. This is not an efficient way of teaching as children have to rotate their learning during a session. The equipment is slow and often requires rebooting during lessons.

The PTFA are supporting the school in the purchase of 32 new Chromebooks and accompanying headsets. This number allows a class set where each pupil within that class will have use of one Chromebook during a lesson.

The school has limited space which is why standalone computers are not an option. The most cost effective Chromebooks which meet the requirements have been sourced and on average £180 per Chromebook.The total cost of this and accompanying handsets averages at just under six thousand pounds.

The PTFA has been tirelessly fundraising to support this purchase but needed additional support. The benefits of new computing equipment are significant. It will allow pupils to work collaboratively and efficiently on group tasks and individual assignments.

The teacher’s time is better utilised as all students will have the ability to follow one set of instructions where rotation around a device is not required. Having equipment which is consistent in make and model allows the pupils to become familiar with the equipment they are using which in turn enhances their learning.

On Monday 18th November representatives of the Cornwallis East Kent Freemasons Charity, Snar Gate Lodge 6770, Peace and Harmony Lodge 199 and Military Jubilee Chapter 2195 attended the Temple Ewell Primary School to present cheques to cover the Chromebooks as detailed above.

They were welcomed into the under tens classroom and spent some time with the children who were very pleased with their Chromebooks and demonstrated to us all the extent of the work they were able to undertake.

Report: Mike Gooodwin, Secretary Snar Gate Lodge No.6770 / Charity Steward, Military Jubilee Chapter No. 2195

← Thanet Freemasons in the Community Evensong at Canterbury Cathedral attended by East Kent Freemasons →