iPads for STEM Education

St. Oliver Plunkett Primary School, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Proposal

We are an Apple Distinguished Primary School, in fact we were the first to attain the status on the island of Ireland and the only one to hold that recognition currently. Additionally, we are recognised as a Digital School of Distinction, a 360 Degree e-safety school and a Social Media School. Given the socio economic background that we are situated in, we are extremely proud of these and all other recognitions of work undertaken on behalf of our children. Daily, we strive to create a level playing field for our pupils as they move forward in their lives, we want them to have the aspirations that we have for them. We live in the real world and the Apple Recognition is particularly noteworthy when you take the time to look at the other ADS around the globe, there are not too many, if any, that are from a similar profile of deprivation

The enormous stresses and pressures that are impacting on education budgets in N. Ireland has been well documented, those pressures have resulted in our iPad estate becoming more and more obsolete. So much so, in fact that the science experiments that we want our children to undertake they simply cannot do as the software is not compatible with the hardware.

We are not asking for a new iPad estate of 700 rather the funds to be able to purchase approximately 15 devices with data loggers so they can be used by our STEM after school’s club as they begin preparations for the third RDS Primary showcase event. Our focus on STEM is part of that daily effort to give our children not only a sense of wonder and awe about STEM but to also give them the aspiration to pursue a career that may allow them to access opportunities and experiences they may otherwise not have been able to grasp.

Kind regards
Paddy McCabe
Principal

Funds Requested:

$6,000 17 iPads at £250 each

TOTAL: $6,000