Heathfield Community College announces Apple Distinguished School Award

Heathfield Community College has worked with iPads integrated into learning for quite a while now. So it is no surprise to hear that the school has been recognised as an Apple Distinguished School for 2018–2021.  This is down to its innovative approach to curriculum design – implementing the iPad as a tool to support both students and teachers in the learning process.

Apple Distinguished Schools are centres of innovation, leadership and educational excellence that use Apple products to inspire creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. They showcase innovative uses of technology in learning, teaching and the school environment, and have documented results of academic accomplishment.

Headteacher Caroline Barlow commented: “We are delighted to have been recognised as an Apple Distinguished School. For us, this recognition demonstrates the impact of our approach to technology where students’ learning, knowledge and understanding is the most important factor in all decisions. The technology we choose to use and the way we choose to use it has to deliver beyond what could be achieved in other ways. This recognition shows the evidence is there that this approach has had real impact for our students’ experiences and outcomes.”

Digital Lead, Jonathon Marrows explained: “Our 1:1 iPad programme has allowed for a truly personalised learning experience for students and encourages them to be ambitious in what they are able to achieve. Alongside dynamic teaching, the iPad has opened the door to new opportunities both in and beyond the classroom including creative approaches to assessment and has allowed for the learning experience to continue beyond the confines of the school day.”

The selection of Heathfield Community College as an Apple Distinguished School highlights their success as an innovative and compelling learning environment that engages students and provides tangible evidence of academic accomplishment.

The iPad helps to strengthen the connection between the work being completed in college and the work completed at home. It allows students to easily access all homework tasks and personalised resources. Students can use iPad to record, photograph or present their learning in different methods. This includes video projects, interactive books, digital art and ther use of creativity across the curriculum.

The school believes that the iPad allows the students choice in how they create and present their work. It also provides opportunity for students to access knowledge and skills required for their learning through a wide range of different media.

They consider that the iPad helps the learning process by building the confidence among students to choose the right tool for the job and be critical of how the outcome will be produced. The iPad has allowed the school to broaden the way in which they do this and it hopes to continue to develop innovative research-based professional enquiry and provide students a dynamic, creative curriculum.

Our recent feature showcased the Year 7 creative learning project, follow the link if you would like to read more. Learn More