Empowered Learning
Pupils in our P5/6, P6 and P7 classes are given their own individual iPad which can be used to access learning across the curriculum. These are provided as part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Empowered Learning programme. This programme has given all City of Edinburgh Council pupils from P6 to S6 their own digital device as part of the Council’s ‘Edinburgh Learns for Life’ strategy. (For practical and pedagogical reasons, we have also chosen as a school to allocate individual devices to those P5 pupils who are in the P5/6 class.) You can find out more about the Empowered Learning programme here: Empowered Learning – Digital Education Team
Pupils use the iPads in school and may also take them home. This allows pupils to access home learning tasks and share their learning with parents and carers. If your child is in one of the above classes, you will be asked to complete a Home School Agreement form to give consent for your child to take their device home. If you do not complete this agreement then your child’s device will remain in school.
Pupils in younger classes (P1-5) do not receive their own individual iPad. However they receive regular access to shared iPads within the school day.
Microsoft Teams
All pupils in P5-7 have access to a Microsoft Teams account. Pupils are placed in class and/or year group Teams, which allow them to interact with their peers and teachers. There are teams for each class and year group – there may also be additional teams for groups such as after school clubs or specific curricular projects.
Teams will be used to support pupils’ learning witihin the classroom – particularly in classes where pupils have their own individual iPads. It may also be used to support home learning. Details of any home learning tasks will be provided by your child’s class teacher.
Your child should be able to access Teams via their school device. However if your child does not have a school device, or has been locked out of their account, please contact the school and we will provide your child with a new password.
Sumdog
P1-7 pupils have access to Sumdog. This is an interactive platform which allows pupils to participate in maths games which support their current maths learning and their revision of basic skills. Sumdog can be accessed via https://www.sumdog.com/login or via the Sumdog app. If you do not have your child’s login details please contact the school.
Linguascope
P1-7 pupils have access to Linguascope. This supports pupils’ learning in languages which are studied in school, and also allows them to learn other languages independently. Linguascope is accessed via a series of apps. For details and your child’s login please contact the school.
Use of videoconferencing in P4-7
Please note that this page contains details of contingency planning in the event that either the whole school needs to close, or a class / year group has to isolate for an extended period of time.
In the event of such a closure, the Head Teacher, Depute Head Teacher and /or class teachers may use Microsoft Teams to communicate with P4-7 pupils via videoconferencing.
This may involve either:
- Class teacher on video / audio, and pupils on audio only;
- Class teacher and pupils on video / audio.
While school is open, teachers regularly make use of videoconferencing software to allow their own class to communicate with other classes. In doing so, teachers provide pupils with a model of appropriate practice.
The following safety protocols will be in place for any online meeting which may take place during blended learning / school closures:
- The Head Teacher will be aware of any online meetings which take place;
- All online meetings will be hosted by a teacher, the Depute Head Teacher or the Head Teacher;
- Pupils and parents will be given notice of any online meetings which are set to take place;
- All teachers hosting online meetings will have completed suitable training, provided by the City of Edinburgh Council
- Meetings will take place in a secure online environment (i.e. MS Teams) with entry being restricted to invited staff and pupils;
- Safety guidance will be circulated to parents and pupils in the event that online meetings take place.
If you have any questions about MS Teams or online meetings, please contact our Depute Head Teacher, Simon MacLean, via admin@prestonstret.edin.sch.uk
Please also see the following documents which have been issued by City of Edinburgh Council relating to MS Teams