School Managed Devices

The school has chosen to standardise on a Windows laptop because it gives the strongest teaching and learning experience: when every pupil uses the same device with the same apps, settings and access, staff can plan lessons confidently, give consistent instructions, set and collect work reliably, and avoid time lost to compatibility problems or pupils being unable to run required resources. Windows provides wide support for curriculum and specialist software, enables the safeguarding, filtering and monitoring tools the school must use, and allows the IT team to fully manage updates and security and provide fast, consistent support - helping lessons run smoothly and keeping pupils safe both in school and at home. 

To provide a safe, secure, and consistent digital learning environment for all pupils, we require the use of School Managed Devices (SMDs). Personal laptops cannot be used on the school network because we must; install licensed curriculum, safeguarding, and security software that is only permitted on school‑owned hardware; ensure cyber‑security through consistent patching, encryption, filtering and monitoring that pupils cannot disable; and maintain full device management so the IT team can apply policies and troubleshoot quickly. A single, unified device also brings important teaching benefits: staff can plan and deliver lessons knowing every pupil has the same apps, settings and access, which reduces time lost to compatibility issues, supports fair and consistent assessment, and helps keep learning running smoothly in every classroom. 

No. At the end of the lease term, devices will be returned to the leasing provider rather than reissued to students. 

The lease cost reflects this arrangement, as it takes account of the future residual value of the device, which helps to reduce the overall cost to families compared with purchasing devices outright. 

The selected specification is designed to support pupils over the full lifespan and lease duration of the device, including the demands of later courses. A Level Computer Science does not require additional hardware beyond the standard device provided. 

Most work is stored via the cloud platforms that are used at school i.e. Google and Microsoft. Any work stored locally will be backed up via Microsoft One Drive. 

No. The specification has been developed in consultation with teaching and support staff and is designed to support pupils over a five‑year lifespan. While it comfortably meets current curriculum requirements, it also ensures the device can run future software and platforms as teaching and learning continue to evolve - avoiding premature replacement or costly upgrades and providing better value over time. 

The school has taken a structured and experienced approach to procurement. A range of options were explored, including recognised education framework agreements and direct supplier engagement. Following this process, the school selected Lenovo as its partner and agreed an open‑book pricing model, providing full transparency over costs. 

By following established procurement best practice - including benchmarking and obtaining multiple quotes - the school has been able to secure strong educational pricing and ensure good value for money for families. 

Full details of an Optional Device Repair Contribution Scheme terms and conditions are included at the end of this document.  

It is difficult to predict future pricing with certainty, as hardware costs can fluctuate year‑to‑year due to factors beyond the school’s control. However, the school is working with Lenovo as a long‑term partner and has established a strong commercial relationship. 

The pricing secured to date reflects not only the initial purchase but also the expectation of ongoing procurement over multiple years. As a result, the school expects to continue achieving comparable education‑level discounts in future years. 

Many modern educational platforms are web‑based and can be accessed from a variety of devices. However, not all software used across the curriculum is browser‑only. Some applications require local installation or work more effectively on a specific operating system, providing full functionality and a uniform learning experience. 

The school has chosen Windows devices to ensure maximum compatibility with both current and future educational software. Windows is the most widely supported platform in education, and the vast majority of educational software developers ensure compatibility with it. 

In addition, the school’s safeguarding, monitoring, and filtering systems are designed to work most effectively on school‑managed Windows devices. This ensures consistent online safety controls both in school and at home, and allows the school to meet its safeguarding and compliance responsibilities with confidence. 

The School is mandating a School Managed Device for school use to ensure consistency, safeguarding and compatibility with teaching and learning. 

Families are, of course, free to decide whether or not to provide any additional personal devices for use at home. The School does not require or expect pupils to have a second device for personal use. Pupils will have access to websites that they would have access to within School. 

Modern laptop batteries are significantly more reliable than earlier generations and incorporate technology designed to preserve long‑term battery health. The devices selected are rated for up to 10 hours of use on a full charge. 

Even allowing for natural battery degradation over time, the school expects the battery to retain sufficient capacity to comfortably last a typical school day. 

All pupils will have a device induction based on need. Furthermore, digital literacy is taught within the Computing curriculum, Pastoral Curriculum and within Illuminate. For example, Year 7 cover many aspects of device use during Computing lessons within the first half term. Digital skills are also covered in other subjects when completing work and assignments. 

The school’s IT Support Department already provides support to both pupils and staff and will continue to do so for school‑managed devices. Because all pupils will be using the same standardised device, the IT team will be able to offer more effective and timely support than is possible with personal devices. 

The team will be thoroughly familiar with the hardware, software, and configuration, will hold spare parts, and replacement devices where required, and will not need to troubleshoot unknown applications or settings. This ensures issues can be resolved quickly, minimising disruption to learning. 

The school uses a small number of specialist systems to manage devices securely and meet safeguarding responsibilities, including Microsoft Intune (device configuration and security settings), remote management tools (updates and compliance), and safeguarding monitoring (alerts for potential safeguarding concerns). Because the devices are school‑owned and school‑managed, this monitoring cannot be opted out of. The school does not routinely track device location, but it may be used in specific circumstances such as when a device is reported lost or stolen. 

The school can send updates to devices remotely. The IT Team can also provide remote support, but only with the pupil’s permission; this is used for support purposes, is auditable, and pupils are aware when it happens. The school does not have routine remote access to the device camera. 

Yes. Each new Year 7 cohort entering the Senior School will be issued with a School Managed Device as part of induction. As a result, within two further years all year groups in the Senior School will be using School Managed Devices. 

We are also developing an equivalent scheme for the Sixth Form, with details and timings to be shared in due course and with appropriate notice. 

At the end of Year 11, students will return their devices and be issued with a new device for Sixth Form. This approach ensures that all Sixth Form students work on a consistent set of devices, including those joining from other schools, and allows the School to manage and support systems efficiently while keeping overall costs as low as possible.

No. In order for the scheme to deliver the educational, safeguarding and operational benefits outlined elsewhere in this document, participation must be universal. A consistent, School Managed Device for all pupils ensures fairness, reliability and effective support in the classroom, and would not be achievable if the scheme were optional. 

While we cannot monitor screen time on the school managed devices it will be monitored closely through pupil, staff and parent surveys and through regular lesson observations. Teachers know that pupil devices are to be used to enhance lesson provision. They should not replace handwritten tasks, reading from books, critical thinking or discursive and interactive activities in lessons.  .  

Through Pastoral Curriculum and Tutor Time, pupils will be taught and regularly reminded of how to use their laptop comfortably and safely. This is based on research and will promote healthy postures. It is important to note that pupils will not be using their laptops in every lesson and certainly not excessively. Pupils also naturally move around the school site at regular intervals and take part in physical activity which promotes healthy postures and development.  

Having a school managed device should not affect the frequency, volume or timings of homework and when it is set. Pupils should have reasonable notice to complete homework tasks. If a pupil feels this is not the case, their form tutor will be able to support them in raising their concerns.  

No. Devices are issued on a one‑to‑one basis and are configured for use by a single pupil. 

The restrictions applied by the school are an essential part of the school’s safeguarding and cyber‑security arrangements. 

School‑managed devices are trusted devices on the school network and are configured to work securely with internal systems and services. Allowing additional logins outside of these controls would reduce the school’s ability to ensure the device remains properly secured and compliant while in school. 

For these reasons, devices remain fully managed, ensuring they are used safely, consistently, and in line with the school’s safeguarding responsibilities.

At present, it is possible to access the school’s cloud services from a range of devices. However, as the school continues to strengthen and develop its cyber‑security, this is an area that may evolve over time. 

In the future, access to certain PGS cloud services may be restricted to school‑managed devices only, in order to provide greater assurance around security and safeguarding. Pupils who are issued with a school‑managed device would not be affected by any such changes. 

Providing pupils with a PGS device therefore helps ensure consistent, reliable access to school systems now and in the future, without disruption.

Once a School Managed Device has been issued to a student, the device remains the responsibility of that student and their family, including taking reasonable care of it both on and off the school site. 

We recognise that accidents, loss, and theft can occur despite best efforts. For this reason, the school is offering an Optional Device Repair Contribution Scheme, which would cover most unforeseen incidents, including accidental damage and theft. Deliberate or malicious damage by the student themselves would not be covered. Please see Scheme terms and conditions at the end of this document. 

The current proposal is a lease arrangement where devices are returned to the leasing company at the end of the term, which helps keep costs down for parents. If a device were to be retained by families, it would need to be wiped, as the operating system and other software are licensed to the school. 

The devices will not be configured to connect directly to most home printers. However, printers that support recognised cloud‑printing services may still be usable. 

Instead, pupils will be able to print to school printers from their device, both on and off site. Each pupil will be provided with an annual allocation of printing credit and will be able to securely retrieve their printouts at school using their ID card. 

This approach ensures printing remains secure, reliable, and straightforward.

The overall cost includes: 

• Microsoft 365 

• Windows Defender XDR and Endpoint P2 

• Papercut (printing) 

• RMM tool for updates 

• Safeguarding monitoring tool 

• Filtering solution 

• Extended warranty 

• IT support 

• Protective case 

• An extensive range of educational software used within the taught and non-taught curriculum