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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Laptop vs iPad for secondary school

24 replies

ChangingStates · 08/05/2018 22:55

Exh & I are discussing whether dd would be better getting a laptop or an iPad (with keyboard) for secondary school.
Would love some opinions from secondary teachers and parents who've done one or other.
Thanks!

OP posts:
rainingcatsanddog · 08/05/2018 23:23

Definitely laptop.

negomi90 · 08/05/2018 23:25

laptop - typing essays is much easier with a keyboard

WelshPooch · 08/05/2018 23:48

As far as I know you can't connect anything external to an iPad beyond headphones, there are no USB ports. You also can't us a memory stick or cd or increase the memory capacity.
My dd is lucky enough to have access to both an iPad and laptop, but since going to uni has not used her iPad at all.

BackforGood · 08/05/2018 23:51

Laptop
(Parent - have had 3dc go through secondary)

higgyyellow · 08/05/2018 23:56

Laptop. Mine are always doing stuff on theirs and taking it in to school on a memory stick.

VimFuego101 · 09/05/2018 00:05

You can get iPad keyboards but I can't imagine it would be easy typing a whole essay on it, so I'd go laptop.

Original poster
ChangingStates · 09/05/2018 06:08

I think a laptop but know exh, quite techy but not in education, will argue it.

OP posts:
Original poster
ChangingStates · 09/05/2018 06:09

Sorry meant to say thanks for the replies!

OP posts:
RexManning · 09/05/2018 09:31

Actually neither - you could get a much more powerful desktop for the same investment, which would last her pretty much all of the way through secondary school as well as being more ergonomic. The only exception would be if you and exh share custody and she needs to be able to transport the computer between you, in which case laptop. Certainly not an iPad.

TooTrueToBeGood · 09/05/2018 09:40

A laptop. Not much less portable than a tablet, faster, more storage and processing power, more support for external devices and is likely to be more compatible with any applications she might use at school.

rainingcatsanddog · 09/05/2018 10:04

Does your dd currently have a smart phone? Smart phone plus laptop is the most common combination to own.

My ds has an iPad and it's only used for Netflix and the odd Skype call. Laptop is used for school work, smart phone for leisure.

Rubyroses3 · 09/05/2018 11:29

A laptop 100%

Xenia · 09/05/2018 11:33

Definitely lap tops of all kinds of reasons. My teenagers need things like slots at the side you often don't get on ipads.
Smart phone and lap top at university (and one took their printer too this term). At home they do have a PC although one has a rather old one which is very slow so he doesn't use it much. The other would always use his PC at home though and the lap top is just for university. I work at a PC despite having a lap top when I am on holidays or away on business as it's much easier too.

Ifailed · 09/05/2018 11:35

I agree with RexManning, you can more for your £s with a desktop and they are far easier to repair/upgrade etc.

penguinsandpanda · 09/05/2018 11:39

Laptop but could do a 2 in 1. Smile

Original poster
ChangingStates · 09/05/2018 22:33

Thanks all, will share the overwhelming vote for laptops with Exh. Will also have a think about whether a desktop could work as hadn't considered it. Do kids never take their laptops into school to work on then (not starting secondary until sept- box standard local comp)?

OP posts:
RexManning · 09/05/2018 22:35

Do kids never take their laptops into school to work on then (not starting secondary until sept- box standard local comp)?

Honestly, no. Never ever. Too heavy to carry around, lack of secure storage, too much scope for distraction Smile

noblegiraffe · 09/05/2018 22:37

The only kids who take laptops into school have SEN and need to use them to type in lessons. Students are discouraged from bringing expensive equipment into school.

Don’t get an ipad - some websites that schools often use don’t work on them because they use flash (e.g. mymaths that a lot of schools have a subscription to).

penguinsandpanda · 09/05/2018 23:03

No never take into school, only the usb stick.

RosieLig · 09/05/2018 23:03

Definitely a laptop. My DC uses his as a normal mode of working (in exams too) but loads of them bring laptops in. At their school they need to have one as so much is in the VLE.

higgyyellow · 09/05/2018 23:27

Do kids never take their laptops into school to work on then

No, just a simple memory stick

Snowysky20009 · 10/05/2018 11:15

Laptop. + phone + memory stick.

Ds' have never taken their laptops to school, never needed, plenty or pc's in school. They just take a memory stick to print out or carry on with work (6th form ds).

Xenia · 10/05/2018 11:18

No, only those with writing problems etc take in lap tops on the whole. Mine would just email work to their school account and sometimes use a memory stick. Their school h ad a lot of computers anyway.

thalia2018 · 10/05/2018 18:40

Laptop here too. Much easier for working on, for connecting to MyMaths etc. We went for a laptop rather than desktop as she only has a small desk so she can put it away when she needs to do writing or artwork. Also she can take it with her, for example when visiting the grandparents in the holidays, to do her homework on.
She also got a wireless mouse for a Christmas present which she loves!

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