Clitheroe, UK

Background

As part of a three-school consortium in the EdTech Demonstrator Programme, Ribblesdale High School in Clitheroe is a leader in developing sustainable digital transformation plans and efficient, effective technology utilization for schools. Working with Microsoft, the school of 1,400 students has supported more than 250 schools across the UK and shares its education technology expertise globally.

Ribblesdale’s successful 1:1 device program is 100% parental supported. Parents contribute to provide HP 2-in-1 convertible laptop/tablet devices, with school devices on loan to ensure universal student access. The program allows for students to seamlessly transition their work from school to home, and gives teachers the flexibility to incorporate technology into their classrooms to enhance and support their curriculum appropriately.

Challenge

In the years leading up to the 1:1 device program established today, Ribblesdale was gradually adding laptops year after year. Their fleet, that grew to more than 150 devices, was stored in the library in a shared cabinet where students had about a 10 minute window of time to retrieve a laptop every morning. They then returned the laptops every afternoon in a span of roughly 5 minutes. The workflow was way too congested, and laptops were often left scattered, not plugged in, and sometimes damaged.

Solution

After researching different options, the IT team requested a demo unit of the FUYL Tower™ Pro 15 by LocknCharge. They appreciated the opportunity to test their implementation before committing valuable resources to a solution that may or may not fit their use case. With that demo, they confirmed the FUYL Towers offered everything they needed to smooth out their workflow and compliment their program.

Results

Ribblesdale now has 17 Towers, for a total of 255 public charging bays accessible throughout the school. Their top requirements have been met, which ultimately has a ripple effect on the overall success and impact of technology’s role in supporting and enhancing education.

1. The ability to access individual cabinets: Now every student has an assigned PIN for their personal device. With a self-serve model, the FUYL Towers have empowered students to be responsible for proper care and charging of their own laptops.
2. The robustness of the solution for a school setting: There are many people who need to access the FUYL Towers. By automating manual processes, they’ve lightened the workload for staff and IT support.
3. Cost effectiveness: Ribblesdale, like most schools, is acutely aware of how they spend their resources. The investment in the Towers was carefully calculated and made complete financial sense based on the comprehensiveness of the solution.

What’s Next?

Ribblesdale High School feels equipped and prepared with the right infrastructure and hardware to continue to fully embed technology into every aspect of teaching. They are an influential point of reference for other schools looking to go 1:1 with Microsoft. Visitors touring Ribblesdale can’t help but notice the FUYL Towers, which regularly become a topic of conversation. With their deep knowledge and growth mindset, the Ribblesdale IT team is a valuable resource to LocknCharge as well, as we always strive for perpetual improvement.