Chromebooks

Is it compulsory for my child to own a Chromebook?

It is not compulsory at all, but we would recommend Chromebooks as our choice of device for those interested in buying a device because of their value, longevity, compatibility with Google Workspace for Education applications and Google accounts, size, weight, battery life of up to 10 hours and start-up time of 8 seconds.

We believe that a Chromebook supports your child’s learning beyond the classroom and as we have seen more than ever during lockdown remote learning plays an important role in the educational development of our students. As a Google Reference school that regularly uses Google Workspace for Education applications such as Docs, Slides, Sheets and Classroom to support learning, our community benefited from this access and experience during lockdown, and we will continue to do so.

How do we order the Chromebook?

First, complete the form handed out on the parents transition evening in June or on our website to register your interest in purchasing a Chromebook from the school. Then you will need to pay for the Chromebook on parentpay. The Chromebooks will then be collected by parents/carers within the first two weeks of school. We will provide you with more details about the collection closer to the time.

Order Form for Chromebook Device: https://forms.gle/pY3zJtkPo8UpRFzw9 

When you purchase the device from us you will have to register for the warranty yourself directly with Lenovo using this link below. You should register for the warranty as soon as you receive the device. https://support.lenovo.com/gb/en/solutions/ht510563-how-to-register-your-lenovo-systems

We already have a Chromebook or we are looking to buy one outside of school. Can my child bring this in?

If you have not bought a Chromebook yet but are interested, we strongly recommend buying through us because of the service, offer, warranty and guarantees that we can provide. We have a good understanding of which devices are supported by the education management license and how long each device supports this.

If you already have a Chromebook or still wish to buy one outside of school, you can bring this in but only when you have paid for a management license to be installed on the device. This is required for the device to be able to connect to our Wi-Fi in school and also to access our services outside of school.

Please complete the form below to order the £35 license and agree to the terms and conditions. We will then set up a payment option for this on parentpay for you and arrange a date for the device to be brought from September once it is paid and you have been notified to bring it in. If you buy the Chromebook device from us, you will not need to pay for the license as this is already included.

Order Form for Chrombook Licence:  https://forms.gle/6j11ok2mV6e161Wp9 

My child already has a different device, such as a laptop or mobile. Can they bring that in instead?

No. These may not be fully compatible with the Google Apps and add-ons that we will be using for teaching and learning. Also, the battery may not last on a single charge, the device may not boot-up within 8 seconds, and the device will not be managed by the school. Technicians and teachers will not waste valuable time on lots of different, individual devices. Please refer to our E-Safety policy and acceptable use agreements on our website for more information. The only device that can be brought in is a Chromebook.

What happens if my Chromebook gets damaged?

If you buy this Chromebook from us it comes with up to 3 year manufacturing/accidental warranty but only 1 year on the battery. This is included in the £215 price above as long as you register for the warranty in advance (see above).

Details of the full warranty and what is covered is outlined in the link below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hYE1_bLq2vOaq0k2efqI7vXPNCR1JcXR/view?usp=sharing 

We strongly advise that you register the warranty of your Chromebook as soon as you receive it as without the warranty being registered you will not be eligible for repair.

Will the Chromebook be insured?

No. If you would like insurance this will have to go through your own provider.

Who owns the Chromebook?

Any Chromebook that is being bought through us will belong to Redden Court School until the full payment is received. We will be able to claim the device back if it is not paid in full. Please contact us if you are having any issues with payments.

Is my child expected to bring their Chromebook in everyday?

No. Teachers should give students advance notice when they are planning a Chromebook lesson and may ask students who have one to bring theirs in if they can. Alternative resources will be available from the teacher to ensure that no child is left out by not having a device. Often it will be possible to use chromebooks in lessons even if not specifically planned by teachers as they are useful for research purposes and extension tasks, but this is at the discretion of the teacher.

The Chromebook scheme is there to provide students with a suitable, working device at home that can give them access to their school work and resources outside of school. It is also to give them the option to use it in school at the teacher’s discretion. 

How do I set up the Chromebook for use at home?

Connect to your home wifi when prompted just like you would with any other device. Your child can then login with the username they use at school, which in most cases is the first letter of their first name and then their whole surname. They may need to add the email address if it does not appear automatically.

For example

Username: jsmith@reddencourtcloud.co.uk

Password: this will be the same password that is used at school to log in.

How do we set up the Chromebooks to print at home?

Please follow this link for instructions on how to print: 

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/7225252?hl=en-GB

Do we need to print work at home?

No. There is no expectation for you to print from home for the school. Staff have been trained on how to use Google Classroom, our virtual learning environment, and other online systems for the submission of work online and most will use this. Some subjects may still require a print out occasionally as evidence for work, particularly some controlled assessments in Key Stage 4. However, your child can print any work they have done at home on the printers in school using the PCs in the ICT Suites

How does my child access the school systems, including Google Workspace for Education Apps (Google Docs/Sheets/Slides/Drive/Classroom)?

They can all be accessed through RMUnify. We use a single sign on service so that when your child logs in to the Chromebook with their school account and opens up Google Chrome, they will not have to log into any of the above sites or systems. They can just click on the icon through RMUnify.

RMUnify should be the default homepage for Google Chrome but if that is not the case, simply visit reddencourt.rmunify.com and login with the same username and password used at school. More details can be found on our website and in the information pack we will provide upon device collection.

Are there any tutorials we can access on how to use Chromebooks and G-Suite apps?

Chromebooks use the Chrome Operating System and you can find a lot of support at the website below on how to use the Chromebooks and Google Workspace Apps such as Docs, Slides, Sheets, Drive and more. https://support.google.com/ 

Will I be able to use the device to access apps or websites at home that may have restrictions in school, such as Netflix and YouTube?

There are some restrictions when using your school account. However, you can sign in on the Chromebook device with any google account and install apps or visit websites unrestricted. Any other restrictions can be applied through your overall home internet connection by your internet service provider. The settings can usually be found under parent controls.

Will my child’s work be backed up?

Yes. The Chromebook is always backed up, our students have unlimited storage space in the Google Cloud. This is already set up and associated with their Redden Court School email address.

Will my child need their own Google account? If so, how will they be able to install apps?

Your child’s Redden Court School email account is in fact a Google account and will be used when they are in school. The school will use management software to enable us to distribute apps to any Chromebook registered with it and effectively will ‘gift’ the app to the device. Only apps appropriate for teaching and learning will be distributed.

I am concerned about my child’s data being stored with Google

​The ​data is the property of Redden Court School​ –  Google Workspace for Education customers own their own data, not Google. Google offers customers a detailed data processing amendment that describes our commitment to protecting your data: https://www.google.com/intx/en/work/apps/terms/dpa_terms.html

As a school we are following DfE and ICO advise in this area and are fully compliant with the Data Protection Act: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cloud-software-services-and-the-data-protection-act

Google do store and log information but this data is encrypted in transmission and at rest, at the same time Google has a contract that says they do not share the data. http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/terms/education_terms.html

This contract is more rigorous than most educational contracts and has a section on privacy

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I hope that we provided you with all of the information that you need regarding Chromebooks at Redden Court School. Should you have any further questions or comments, please email us at info@reddencourtcloud.co.uk and we will respond as soon as we can.