SELKIRK High School pupils have been getting to grips with their new iPads as part of Scottish Borders Council’s digital learning programme. 

The Inspire Learning Programme was one of the flagship policies to come out of the Tory/Independent alliance’s 2019/20 budget, which has seen the local authority purchase  iPads for every P6 to S6 pupil, which they will be able to take home and use with their family.  

Devices will also be given to P1 to P5 pupils at a ratio of one for every five children, although these will be kept at their school.

The project will cost £15.7 million over a ten-year contract with American technology giant Apple and Canadian firm CGI.

Selkirk High School pupils are among the first to use the devices, and on Tuesday September 17 the school opened its doors to allow journalists to observe the iPads in action. 

In a science classroom, teachers demonstrated how the iPads can be used to deliver interactive lessons, where teachers can ask pupils questions which can then be answered via their iPads. 

Teachers are also able to email pupils before lessons to let them know what they may need to bring, or what the focus of the lesson may be. 

Pupils were given tasks to complete with their iPads, and during the demonstration, pupils were asked to make short videos detailing what they’ve learned.

Speaking about her experience with the new iPads, S5 pupil Hannah Richardson, 15, said: “Obviously we were only given them a few weeks ago, and it’s been a little bit different getting used to them, but it’s definitely been positive. 

“For example, when writing things up for English, we used to have to book computers out, which were sometimes unavailable, but now we have iPads with us. 

“A lot of what we use them for is writing, but we also use them to take pictures of revision material and slideshows if our writing is too slow to keep up, which allows us to come back to that material later. 

“Our parents have had to go to a talk about the iPads, and although they haven’t been doing much on them they are there for them to use if they’d like to. 

“This is how the world is now. Going into a business or a jobs market, there is going to be technology like this that we need to be able to use.”

Millie Macdonald, a 12-year-old S1 pupil, commented: “From what I have experienced in primary school last year I think the iPads have made quite a big difference in people’s lives. 

“Previously, I was taking all of my books and pens to school, which was a bit of a nuisance, but with the iPads it’s not something you’re likely to forget because it’s a piece of technology, whereas with notes and pens people used to forget to bring them, sometimes on purpose. 

“We have been using Microsoft OneNote and Whiteboard quite a lot, and Kahoot, which is an interactive quiz game which is fun and educational. 

“We use OneNote as a filing system, where we add folders with our homework, filed under each subject such as French or biology. 

“I don’t think my parents were very keen on the idea at the time, but now they’ve had a talk and heard my brothers and myself talking about it they’ve come around to the iPads.”

Speaking after the demonstration lesson, council leader Shona Haslam said: “The roll out has gone so well, we’ve had such good engagement from the young people and parents at Selkirk High School, so it’s a real big thank you to them for taking this onboard, and as you can see today what difference it has made to learning.

“The cost of the Inspire Learning project needs put into context: the digital learning roll out is just one per cent of the overall education budget per year, for ten years. 

“It seems like a lot of money but when you look at it in the wider context of the budget it’s actually quite affordable.

“Of course, teachers remain the most important part of our education system, this is just an additional tool that allows them to teach better and to do their jobs better.

“There is quite a lot of restrictions on the iPads in terms of sharing photos and videos from them. What they also allow the schools to do is look at the use of phones in school as well.

“Previously, kids would take photos of their homework on their phones, which they can now do on their iPads, so we can look more at how we engage kids with technology.”

The digital learning programme is set to be rolled out to Kelso, Hawick and Earlston High Schools before Christmas this year, while Peebles, Galashiels and Eyemouth are scheduled for the winter term 2020.  

Berwickshire High is scheduled for the summer term 2020, with Jedburgh Grammar rolled out to the new campus in 2020.