byo iPad programme for grade 1 - any other schools doing same?

[MimsyStarr]

DS is 6 and the school is about to introduce a byo iPad programme in grade 1. His Dad and I are not keen on him having his first individual device just yet. We were thinking they would just be using class sets for a couple of years yet!

We are in Australia, and can't find anything about other schools here doing BYO iPad at that age. How about in the U.K?

We don't have iPads although we are talking about purchasing a class set to be used in school.

To us adults it's amazing how easily very young children take to coding

Thanks hula that is good to hear a computing lead say that about the iPads.

I am amazed that there would be time to teach prep & grade 1 coding, they have so much to learn - reading, writing, sitting still, listening, everything, just getting used to school, I didn't think it was possible to jam anything else in, they get so tired as it is!

In my primary school, which was not THAT long ago (Surely?) in reception we used slates which were about the size and shape of an iPad mini. They ran on chalk not batteries, but they could do colour...

DS is doing simple coding in reception. They have ICT once a week and he really enjoys it. They just use desktop computers.

Holly that's good. I would love if they used desktop computers. There is one in DS's classroom and there must be a computer room somewhere.

Happy to install any apps the school recommends on our home tech. Can't see why they can't manage with class sets until they get their laptops in grade 4. If they are doing presentations at home couldn't they have a class Dropbox for presentations or use a memory stick to the class pc???

Is it the world's most expensive way to carry presentations to/from school?

I still haven't got a compelling reason for why my 6 year old has to have an iPad air 2 to carry to and from school. I'm flat out getting him to bring his hat home some days.

I must admit that this discussion reminds me rather of ones that happened a number of years ago about whether calculators should be allowed in exams......(instead of log tables). I mean I can see why lashing out 200 pounds on an iPad mini for a small child, who will then leave it on the bus(!) does not ethuse, but I would imagine this school, which is fee paying, is trying to be an outlier before their use becomes so common as to pass without comment.

I would expect the price of an ipad mini within 5 or 6 years to be down to fifty pounds or below, which will rather alter the discussion.

prices might even fall faster than that as iPad sales are showing signs of slowing, as it looks as if ipad users feel no urge to upgrade (unlike, say, iPhone users). In which case, if Apple cannot think of dramatic new features, to encourage upgrades, they are likely to cut the price instead.....

The iPads are full size and heavily discounted but many schools here who rushed in are now realising they do have limits