ipad for secondary school - child is allowed laptop

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My DC has writing issues. Is very bright but painfully slow and messy writing that no matter of extra writing lesson has managed to sort out. Other than that he's very high achieving even in English.

He is allowed to use a laptop at school and has been using one. However, last term teachers commented on that it would be better with a type that he could actually use some sort of stylus pen to write notes with as typing is not always possible for certain things e.g. formulas etc.

Some friends say ipad plus pen and separate keyboard is the way to go.

What would be the best option??

Mine used an ipad with keyboard - all the way through sixth form. Worked really well.

I think the best option is whatever they will be using for exams so they get used to doing that.

You need to talk to the senco and discuss what will be best especially moving forward for exams. He needs to use using what he will be in exams

If he has to use technology because his handwriting is so poor, then he’s not going to find writing with a stylus on an iPad any easier! Personally, I’d also have a small notebook to write formulas on alongside the laptop.

Onenote and other apps on laptop that allows you to write with stylus on trackpad.
Typing on iPad is very laborious unless you buy a keyboard.
Also, there are laptops that can be convert to write due to touch screen.

Microsoft surface are great. Our local high school supply them to some pupils.

Another option is to learn to typeset the formulas. The Word equation editor is really quite reasonable now, and if you learn the keyboard shortcuts for the symbols then it can be quite quick. Unfortunately the interface gives the impression you have to do everything via fiddly menus, and so many people never discover that you can do it all by typing.
Alt= gets you into the editor, and then most symbols needed are reasonably obvious: \sqrt, \times, x^2, \pi, \theta, etc. Fractions can just be entered as 2/3 and then a space, and it automatically formats them.