Our Digital School
Harnessing technology to enhance learning
Kimbolton School is proud to be a Digital School, where modern technology plays a key role in enriching the educational experience.
Our seamless integration of technology with traditional teaching methods creates a dynamic learning environment.
With campus-wide Wi-Fi connectivity, interactive classroom tools, and a wealth of online resources, we embrace the vast potential of the digital age while staying mindful of its challenges.
iPads, used by pupils across all levels, are central to our digital approach. These devices provide instant access to a wide range of resources and apps, enabling pupils to develop a variety of skills, from film-making to digital research, in a way that was once only possible with specialist equipment.
At Kimbolton, technology isn’t just a tool – it’s an essential part of how we prepare pupils for the future.
iPads at our Prep School
At our Prep School, pupils in all years have access to a range of devices to help support and develop their reading, writing and numeracy skills. These include class sets of iPads, along with laptops and desktop computers. When appropriate, under the supervision of their teachers, children are able to engage with exciting technology that truly supports their learning.
iPads at our Senior School
All Senior School pupils are required to bring an iPad to lessons. The use of these devices across school life has been carefully developed to support pupils’ learning, as well as nurturing digital responsibility, organisational skills and independence. To be confident at using modern digital technology while also being aware of its dangers are important life-skills for all children to learn. At Kimbolton we encourage pupils to use their iPads to become digital creators as well as responsible consumers of technology.
The backbone of iPad use at Kimbolton is the use of the Showbie Virtual Learning Environment. Teachers publish class and homework tasks in their class courses, allowing pupils to keep informed of up-coming tasks, submit work, receive feedback and develop independent-learning skills.
With teachers publishing course resources in Showbie, pupils can revisit topics and lessons outside the classroom, allowing them to learn and revise at their own pace. Showbie provides the school with a central location for pupils and teachers to exchange information.
More generally iPads have allowed the flexibility for pupils to study with independence. Be it using an app to create and edit an image before making it in clay, recording a playlet to see it from the audience’s viewpoint or collaborating on a mind-map while researching a topic and then publishing it, iPads make learning more engaging, memorable and fun. They also ensure that, for all learning styles, every child can make sense of a topic.
In their Digital Learning lessons pupils also learn Python Programming, giving them a glimpse behind the scenes of the technology that underpins our modern world.
e-Safety and support
Learning to use devices responsibly and to navigate the online world safely and effectively is a key part of our school ethos. Pupils cover these topics during their PSHE lessons as well as during annual internet safety weeks, where we run events and invite external speakers to talk to pupils, staff and parents alike.
Children are often quick to grasp the workings of new technology, sometimes leaving their parents feeling ‘behind the drag curve.’ We fully support parents through the acquisition, set-up and ongoing management of their children’s iPads and have a team of e-safety staff to deal with any concerns.
For our current parents, more detailed information about iPads and e-safety can be found here.
