Chromebooks
The Chalfonts Community College is committed to providing the best learning experience for our students, preparing them for the wider world outside of school. We strongly believe that this means providing students with access to technology and equipping them with the skills that will benefit them.
We want to provide each and every pupil with their own personalised learning device which they can use at school and at home. We know that for parents, making an investment in technology isn’t always possible. If the technology is available at home, it may not be suitable to bring it into school, in case of issues with security and compatibility.
In order to provide seamless access to technology, we are working with a preferred schools partner edde education.
After relaunching our 1:1 Chromebook Initiative with edde education in September 2024/25, after some updates to funding and ESFA regulation, we will continue to provide our parents and students with the best Digital Learning Tools at accessible prices. You can find below, our Chromebook 1:1Initiative brochure.
A Google School in the Making
At The Chalfonts Community College, we are embarking on our journey to become a Google-recognised institution starting in 2024/25.
We aim to embed pedagogically evidence-based strategies that not only enhance our EdTech offering but also grow the skills and knowledge of all the students and staff who attend our school.
A key resource to help make this drive a reality is our 1:1 Chromebook Initiative. Starting in 2024/25, as staff, we will be looking to not only use Digital Technologies and pedagogically sound learning strategies more frequently in the classroom, but also aim to ensure that all students who attend our school are taught the skills that they will need to join the modern workforce.
Whether that might be entering a career in programming and development, office administration, entrepreneurship, or trade. We know that no matter what job market you enter, you will be expected to interact with technology for work on some level, and we want to ensure that our students have the best start.
Our goal is not to replace all the amazing things we, as teachers, already do in our classrooms with a 1:1 Chromebook device. Rather, our goal is to ensure that, where we can, we enhance and complement the learning that is already happening in class.
The use of these 1:1 Chromebook devices provides our students with the opportunities to:
- access their work outside of school,
- access tools that help them complete their homework and research or inquiry-based learning tasks,
- reduce their carbon footprint by lessening our paper dependency,
- access enrichment tasks more easily, which teachers can upload directly to Google Classroom,
- access school-provided learning-enhancing tools, such as Read&Write, Bibcitation, and an array of safeguarding extensions linked to their school Google Accounts.
Mr James Gaunt
Leader for Digital Learning
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I purchase a Chromebook through the edde education scheme and not myself?
When a Chromebook is purchased through the scheme, parents get peace of mind. Besides the Chromebook itself (which is carefully selected by the school to meet the needs of our PedTech curriculum), the Chromebook also comes with a comprehensive insurance policy (which protects from accidental damage and theft), a sleeve to help protect the Chromebook as well as a Chrome Education Licence which allows for the school to manage the Chromebook on the behalf of parents, ensuring that all safeguarding and protective measures are in place.
What payment plans are available on the edde education 1:1 Scheme?
Understandably, investing in a digital device might not be easy for all. Therefore, we have worked with edde education, to help parents with some payment options that might make the choice easier:
- You can pay outright for the device if you wish; this means you own the device from the outset. For this option, you can also opt for an insurance option as well, should you wish, or simply add it to a policy that you already have.
- We offer payment plans via DirectDebit that you set up on purchase through the edde education portal. Currently, we offer a 12, 24 or 36-month option for parents. The longer you take the plan out, the less you have to pay. All payment plan options also come with an insurance policy for the duration of the plan.
How often can parents/carers purchase a Chromebook via the edde education portal?
Currently, we open the edde education portal for two to three-week periods at the end of the Winter, Spring and Summer terms. Once orders are made, we ask that parents be patient, as students will not get their Chromebooks immediately. Only at the end of the purchasing period are the Chromebooks ordered from our preferred suppliers. They will then be delivered to the school, and parents/carers and students will be told when to collect their Chromebooks, or tutors will deliver them to students during registration time.
I purchased a Chromebook on the FreedomTech Scheme that was offered before 2023. How do I get information about my Debit Order, how long I have left to pay, etc.?
You can use the Contact Us page on the FreedomTech website to reach out directly to FreedomTech regarding your insurance, payments, etc.
If we happen to unenroll from The Chalfonts Community College and still have a payment plan with a Chromebook, what options do we have?
Due to the structure of the scheme and the financial agreement, the Chromebook is owned by the school until the full obligated term of payment is met. Therefore, if you have a Chromebook on the scheme at the time of unenrollment, you have two options.
- You can either return the Chromebook to the school, or
- You can settle the outstanding balance with edde education, and you will be able to take ownership of the device. We will ensure that all school restrictions are removed.
My child/ren qualify for Free School Meals/Pupil Premium funding. Does the school support my child in getting a Chromebook?
Yes, the school offers subsidised Chromebook pricing through the edde education portal. As of 2024/25, we currently help parents/carers by offering a subsidised 50% off the full price over a 12/24/36-month period. The remaining 50% of the monthly direct debit will have to be paid by the parent/carer who takes up the offer via the edde education portal.