Does my son need a laptop for secondary school?

[graffitiwall]

Just that really. Just thinking about what he needs for secondary school? Does he need a laptop for doing his school work?

I went to school a LONG time ago - before computers - it was all jotters back then that you covered with left over wall paper to protect them.

So, in the modern world, will he need a laptop? And if so, where's the best place to get a decent but affordable one?

Thanks : )

Do you have any form of computer at home he can access?

Dds school is all online for homework so she will need access.

Yes. I have an HP Pavilion which I got from Currys on eBay. They have a returns store. You'll have to buy Windows.

I would say yes - both DC have online homework, especially maths. You could do it on a phone or tablet, but a laptop is much easier ime.

Thanks. We have one desktop, but I don't want arguments if he needs to use it when I do. So will look at buying him his own.

Some schools make you buy one that fits their scheme.

I presume you'd know about that if he is going to one of those schools.

They didn't mention it in the parent's meeting, but I haven't read through the new pupil booklet yet, so I'll check that before buying anything. Thanks.

Yes he probably will. We got our kids chrome books... can't remember how much they cost exactly but no more than £200...might have even been about £100

My son had to have an iPad for year 7. The school offered a monthly buy and support plan which lots of parents took.

DS1 (15) has a laptop - mainly because he loves generating computer graphics. It gets used maybe once a month for homework.
DS2 (13) borrows the laptop maybe twice a year.

Both use their tablets for homework.

I'd put the money aside, and see how things go (DS1's was a Christmas present, DS2 has been told he can have a laptop when he wants one)

I would wait and see what platform and software the school is using. A lot of schools don’t use Microsoft ( and Teams) anymore, they use Google Classroom and Google Docs etc, although you can move between the two. As a secondary teacher and parent, I would say in most schools that it is useful to have more than one device at home, especially if he doesn’t have a smartphone. Frequently, we are all working on laptops at home in the evening and homework in most schools is issued and submitted via platform - Teams, Google Classroom or Satchel One/ Show My Homework. Also, a lot of HW is set via apps in subjects such as Maths and marked online. Even when work is handwritten, students often need to photograph it and upload it for marking. Unless the school has specified a device, a Chromebook should be sufficient. Definitely, by the GCSE years, students do need access to a laptop or computer at home. iPads are good for research based stuff but not so great for extended writing.

Finally, if students need to work at home again en masse due to a Covid outbreak, snow or problems with RAAC, then the expectation now is that lessons will run remotely using the platform snd this is tricky when parents are working from home and using the household device.

Does your school provide laptops for those children without use of one at home?

Your comment about covering books in wallpaper made me laugh. Remember doing that. I teach in a second school and would say generally pupils would find they are at a disadvantage if they did not have access to a device. Sometimes a phone is not great. We use Power point a lot. If pupils do not have this then they are at a disadvantage at my school. Look through the info you have been given, it will,hopefully, help u make the right decision. If u are unsure I'd wait till u can speak to someone at the school, perhaps head of year 7?

pretty much yes. i'm also from the generation of wallpapered books, but we're in a different century now.

Thanks everyone! That's been really helpful!