Information Technology:
Information Technology is seen as a major benefit to the
pupils at St Edwards, particularly in teaching and
learning. There continues to be substantial investment
to deliver a dependable, fast and professional service,
with more than 1,200 relatively new workstations around
the school.
Each classroom is equipped with a
computer and projector linked to a multimedia machine
capable of playing any media. We record five terrestrial
TV channels throughout the day and store selected
programmes for use in the classroom. Teachers use a wide
variety of applications, graphics, presentation tools,
animations and digitised video clips to enhance the
quality of teaching and learning of their pupils.
Each function has at least one classroom fully
equipped with 25 computers (the maximum class size is
24). This enables individualised learning; pupils
working at their own speed seeking help from the teacher
when they require it, and receiving one on one teaching
tailored to their needs within the classroom.
Each house also has a substantial number of networked
computers available for pupils’ use (more than one
between two), this enhances independent learning; where
the pupil has full access to the applications used in
the classroom and, supported by the resources of the
internet and our internal intranet, is empowered to
drive their own understanding forward.
St
Edwards’ philosophy is that the school provides and
supports the computers that the pupils rely on for their
education. This has tangible benefits: It delivers
quality equipment that is managed, maintained and
supported by a superb team of IT professionals. The
infrastructure is of industrial strength, with a robust
and highly available architecture. The pupil’s work is
secure, protected from viruses, and always backed up
every night.
Information Technology is so
integrated into the school and all the academic subjects
that we regard the service as mission critical. We are
confident to rely upon it in the classroom, house and
office to enable us to deliver the exceptional education
to which we aspire.
Library and Careers Centre:
Situated right in the heart of the school, the
Library combines the Victorian beauty of the former “Big
School” with up-to-date technology and computer
facilities.
The Library aims to provide a
peaceful place for pupils and staff to work, to offer a
stimulating research base, encourage independent
learning and make reading a positive alternative to more
frenetic free-time activities.
The “Old Library”
was recently renovated and made part of the School
Library, therefore upstairs is now called the “Reading
Room” and downstairs retained its name as the “Old
Library.
The Reading Room contains over 12500
non-fiction books and provides research material in all
academic subjects. Most of these books are available for
loan, while the most popular items are reserved for use
only within the Library. Several daily newspapers and
approximately fifty magazines covering a wide range of
interests, from Current Archaeology to Four Four Two are
also provided in the Reading Room.
The Old
Library contains the fiction and biography stock of
about 2000 books which appeal to every taste from
serious classics to tongue-in-cheek fantasy. This
popular section of the library is regularly supplemented
by recommendations from staff and pupils, by novels
short-listed for prizes such as the Booker, Orange and
Whitbread, and anything else that catches the
Librarian’s eye. There is also a stock of lighter
entertainment magazines like Topgear, Sight and Sounds,
Hello, Elle and Essentials to encourage leisure reading
in this space.
All the books are catalogued using
Heritage, and the database can be searched from anywhere
in the school, using the intranet. All members of the
school community are entitled to join the library, to
work here, and to borrow books both during term-time and
over holiday periods. The Heritage fingerprint borrowing
system is used, allowing users to self-issue books at
any time.
There are 100 work spaces which
includes 23 computer workstations linked to two printers, a scanner
and a photocopier. Both Library rooms have wireless hubs
and pupils are encouraged to come in with their Laptops.
Pupils may use the library during study periods, free
time and evening prep. Teachers may also book the
library for a class on a one-off basis or a series of
lessons for a research project.
The library is
staffed by two full-time librarians, and is open from
8.30am to 9.00pm Monday to Friday, and 8.30am to 1.00pm
on Saturdays.
The Reading Room also houses the
Careers Library, where pupils can find university
prospectuses and a wide range of higher education and
careers advice. The Head of Careers, and Head of Higher
Education have regular “office hours” in the Library to
meet pupils and discuss UCAS applications and other
options for further study or employment.
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