Children at St Mary’s Primary School in Twickenham with their new devices

Children as young as five have been given Apple iPads by their primary school as part of a drive to bring technology into the classroom.

Some 90 infants at St Mary’s Primary School in Twickenham, west London, will have access to an ‘iPad learning’ scheme aimed at boosting their creativity and technical skills.

Parents raised money through crowd-funding for 30 of the devices.

Headteacher Angela Abrahams told Metro.co.uk: ‘We live in an ever-changing, technological time. Our pupils arrive more technologically minded than ever before, with an increasingly advanced skill set.


‘iPads remain very much at the cutting edge and it is vital that St Mary’s keeps pace with all the developments and enhancements they provide to the curriculum.

It is hoped the iPads will improve children’s technical and creative skills

‘Our children are the citizens of the future. We are a non-selective, mainstream primary school, so regardless of their background we have a duty to ensure our pupils are prepared to successfully compete in a highly technological world when they leave education; the foundations for this begins here.



‘It is for this reason that we strive to provide up to date equipment and teachers who are enthusiastic, aspirational and well trained.’

The iPads will now be given to all pupils in the infant school and it’s hoped that pupils in other parts of the school will also get tablets in the future.

Parents will also be given classes in how to use iPads, while teachers will draw up special lessons designed with the devices in mind.

Ms Abrahams praised parents for coming together to raise cash to pay for the pioneering scheme.

‘With increasingly stretched budgets, schools are having to rely more upon financial support from parents, through voluntary donations to keep abreast of technology,’ she added.

‘At St Mary’s, we were delighted that crowdfunding by our families enabled us to take delivery of a set of 30 iPads, loaded with the latest technology which now enhance our curriculum, encourage our pupils to learn from and with each other and assist us in preparing the children for the world they live in.

‘The resource has limitless possibilities and develops creativity, which lends itself to deeper engagement with learning. Using iPads, the children are inspired to explore and experiment, develop communication and learn to problem solve, making connections with their world.’

The state school will celebrate its 375th anniversary next year and was given an outstanding Ofsted rating in 2011.

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