Find out what happened at Oasis Academy Hadley when the Horizons Project rolled out iPads for every student.
Oasis Academy Hadley Roll Out Project Enhancing Education & Changing Lives
Oasis Academy Hadley students unleashing the powerful potential of Oasis Horizons
Oasis Horizons reached Oasis Academy Hadley at the beginning of the Spring term and soon every student and teacher will have received their own personal iPad. After the first few weeks with the devices, students and teachers alike are beginning to understand the powerful potential of the iPads.
A total of 1300 iPads have already been given out with roughly 200 remaining. The anticipation is growing amongst a group of sixth form students we spoke to who are itching to get their hands on a device of their own. “Seeing everyone using their iPads around the school is really exciting. I saw an incredible piece of work my friend was working on in art."
Naima, a Year 12 sixth form student received her iPad a few weeks ago. “My iPad is so practical and very useful in all my lessons. I didn’t know how much I could actually do on an iPad, and I absolutely love it”.
The iPads are also making a big impression amongst the younger children at the Academy’s primary phase. We spoke with a year 4 student who recently moved to the United Kingdom from Eastern Europe whose iPad has played a big part in their transition to their new school. They are using their iPad to access learning, to communicate with classmates and teachers, and to develop their speaking skills. “I love my new iPad; I can play games on it and learn English too”.
This young pupil’s use of their iPad is living out one of the overriding aims of Oasis Horizons - being able to offer young people the freedom to enhance their learning inside and outside of school, and to ensure that everyone has the opportunities that they are entitled to.
It’s not just the students who are enjoying the benefits of the new iPads, but teachers too. Staff can use their device to mark homework and assignments, see students’ answers live during lessons, as well as taking advantage of the camera features to capture and showcase work produced by their students. EAL teacher, Miss Hatice explains, “The new iPads are exciting for the students, and extremely useful to me – it has helped me in my role immensely.”
Ms Thompson, Principal at Oasis Academy Hadley, spoke about the opportunities for her students. “It’s a landmark moment in the enhancement of our students’ education. Education is not just obtained at school but also at home; this now creates a level playing field for all students regardless of external factors outside of the Academy.”
Written by Henry Agyeman
Cluster Communications Officer (Enfield & Hadley)