Enterprise Learning Centre To Help Bristol Students To Be Top of the Class
09 September 2008
Due to officially open on 15 September 2008 the newly built Brislington Enterprise College (BEC) is set to become a world class centre of learning excellence using the latest innovative technology to engage and educate its students.
BEC has been designed on a ‘school within a school’ model with seven learning communities within the one building – providing a more personalised and intimate learning environment for each student. Each learning community will have 60 laptops for student use during school hours as well as wireless capacity to support their own wireless devices. With a capacity for 1685 students, BEC aims to create the best possible setting for young people to learn in with innovative technology available to support classroom teaching.
The school is equipped with the very latest learning and teaching tools such as tablet PCs and handheld internet enabled devices which will revolutionise how teachers educate students. Situated in different areas around the school 15 plasma screens allow for bespoke alerts to be displayed on each screen, supporting the school’s messaging strategy. The school is fully wireless enabled allowing students to be able to access their work from different locations throughout the school and offers flexibility for teaching staff to share resources.
At the heart of the new school is a custom built Enterprise Learning Zone which will ensure learners have access to the very latest technology and enable BEC to become an e-learning centre of excellence. It is designed to be much more than a traditional library, a large light airy space providing students with 70 Desk tops, 60 laptops for students use, networked projectors and whiteboards and full wireless coverage. In addition, the school site has a dedicated Apple Mac suite comprising 330 laptops available for students to use. The main hall has a huge four metre drop-down networked screen for whole school assemblies to add to that ‘wow’ factor.
As part of the innovative ICT available each learner at BEC has access to an online Managed Learning Environment (MLE) called N-able designed by Northgate Managed Services in collaboration with various stakeholders. N-able provides students with their own personalised learning area with the support and assistance they need to maximise independent study and to progress in line with their own individual learning plan. Accessible via the internet from any location, the MLE gives each learner their own online space to work on assignments, store work and access emails enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Each teacher has a digital tool box to enable them to continually assess pupil's work and offer as much or as little guidance as they might need. N-able also allows the school to incorporate management and administration systems such as pupil access and registration, as well as pupil achievements such as exam and homework marks.
John Matthews, Principal, commented: "Brislington Enterprise College is set to become an exemplar site for e-learning. Both teachers and students will be able to access world-class ICT facilities and support the individual learning journey of every student. Our partnership with Northgate will be one of innovation and challenge in this exciting area of development.”
The implementation of a Managed Learning Environment enables learners and teachers to share and store work and resources that can be securely accessed anywhere and anytime. N-able is part of a wider ICT managed service provided for BEC by Northgate Education. Along with educational resources, Northgate also provides a centrally managed printing solution which limits the amount of printers and paper used and ensures no printers are left on overnight or at the weekends.
David Hyland, Managing Director, Northgate Managed Services, Education, commented: "We are extremely proud to be working with Brislington Enterprise College to help transform learning and teaching for the students. By installing innovative technology the school is going way beyond Government requirements to ensure that its students have the best possible education resources available. The school has some fantastic resources which can be used by the teachers to make education really engaging. We are delighted to be involved with such forward thinking school and feel the benefits to young learners will make BEC a best practice model for BSF projects in other areas.”
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