Malcolm Arnold Academy invests in ICT to engage and stimulate students
24 August 2011
Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton is to benefit from a new robust, flexible and sustainable Information & Communications Technology (ICT) service and change management programme from Northgate Managed Services. The £1.5million contract will help equip the Academy with the tools and skills required to further engage their students when it re-opens in September 2011.
Opened in September 2010 and sponsored by the David Ross Education Trust, the academy represents an initiative to broaden the horizons of its students and is committed to increasing achievement through provision of an innovative curriculum. The Academy believes in the potential of ICT as a tool to deliver and support their innovative teaching and learning approaches and have invested in the most up to date technology and resources.
Through engaging with teaching and support staff, Northgate will be supporting the academy to prepare for change as it moves to the new ICT rich environment. After analysing existing needs, an extensive training and developmental programme has been designed to build confidence and encourage wider use of ICT in the classroom. A 'proof of concept' room has been set up so that teachers can familiarise themselves with the new hardware and software.
Teachers and students will be able to access the academy's educational resources from any device connected to the internet, at any time, with the implementation of a mix of technologies such as thin client, virtual desktop, wireless and Northgate's "cloud-based" learning environment, MY-SCHOOL. Northgate will ensure the entire program is successfully delivered through effective project management of the ICT solution which will be supplied, installed and managed by Northgate.
Principal, Philip Cantwell,
"It was important for us as an academy to have a robust IT solution that would integrate seamlessly with the existing school environment. Not only did we want a solution that was technically viable, we wanted one that was highly effective in the classroom as a teaching and learning tool. We realise the potential of how the effective use of ICT can engage and stimulate students and improve and enhance their learning. It was important for us to unlock that potential.
Teachers are already thinking about how they can use the new Interactive White Boards (IWBs) and visualisers to develop the way they can use ICT in their classrooms, such as recording clips of practical demonstrations for upload into the students' resources on MY-SCHOOL, where students can watch whenever they need to, at school or at home.
We're also very excited at the opportunities to expand teaching and learning outside the classroom with the introduction of the new campus-wide wifi network. We're looking forward to our fantastic new redeveloped atrium being used for cross-curricular and informal learning opportunities, with students collaborating in small groups with staff, using our new wifi thin client laptops and mobile IWBs.
Working closely with the team at Northgate Managed Services, we will be developing an on-going training programme to ensure that both teaching and non-teaching staff can develop their skills to ensure they benefit fully from the new ICT provision. We look forward to working in partnership with Northgate in the future"
Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services
"We are delighted to be working with the David Ross Education Trust and Malcolm Arnold Academy. We have focussed on designing a solution and change programme that meets the challenges of the school. The academy is keen to ensure that the new ICT solution is not only robust, but is one that the teachers can take full advantage of to benefit their learners. Northgate's extensive experience with schools right across the country will help them to do this."
Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK including another David Ross Academy, Havelock Academy in Grimsby.
