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PAT testing of Dc's gadgets for vocational school use


Billyelliott

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That sounds a bit ridiculous to me.  We rented a flat out a few years ago and got all electrical items tested, although it wasn't a legal requirement (although highly advisable): think it probably cost about £50 (and I see when I Google the term that ads from £30 come up).  It would surely be far more economically viable for the school to get this done at registration: they could pay somebody(bodies) to be there all day, and spread the cost around the pupils if need be.

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I remember going through this for Elmhurst - we were lucky and the local independent electrical shop did it for a small charge. I think Elmhurst said that they would confiscate and test any items that did not have the right PAT label and as I recall they would have charged more. in the event i don't think I heard of this happening though.

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In my experience it is not as easy as you might think to get this done cheaply. For several years I have rung round local electricians and really struggled to find anyone who can or will do it. Most companies (even the smaller ones) only cater for the "bulk" PAT testing eg testing a large number of items for pubs or people letting out houses. Most of my enquiries met with confusion that I wanted only a small number of items testing, and a response that they could do my 7 or 8 items but only at a cost of, say £50 or more which I consider to be too expensive!

Eventually I did find an electrician who charged me about £15 for the lot, and came to the house to so them, but I do think its wrong that they have to be tested before term starts, and agree that the school should arrange to do this on the first day back. After all, it is them that are insisting on the testing being done!

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Well thanks everyone ! I shall try popping into a local shop to ask , but so far online I have only found contractors for business testing or if you want your whole home checked etc ! Failing that it will have to be done by Elmhurst at the start if term if they find time !

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Hi Billy......Elmhurst will test everything for you. I asked the question and they can do it in the school no problem. All you have to do us fill in the form with all the serial numbers. They will also do older stuff as DS laptop is a few yrs old and they said its not a problem.

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My instinct is to say neither! But that's probably not realistic now (my son only graduated last year but times have changed!!) He had a basic mobile phone and didn't have a laptop until year 10 when he could use it for GCSE work.

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I love my iPad as its so easy to use but maybe for school work a laptop would be better.

 

Also with an IPad you need an air printer.....if I want anything printed off I have to send to the main computer so we can use the Epson.

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Think about what a year 7 is going to need..... Actually at Elmhurst in year 7 neither. If they want to play games..... Your choice, bothnmine like Skype or FaceTime for keeping in touch, but laptops or iPads aren't needed at all for school work. The Internet connection isn't always great depending on which house you are in and how many kids are accessing at any one time so we have gone for weeks not being able to Skype or FaceTime. Dont spend money on expensive gadgets they aren't required. Your choice, it's your family.

 

NL

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I agree with Nana Lily. There is definitely not much need for either in year 7. Don't listen to any 'but so and so has one...' . For school work, they have the computer suite. Maybe later years they will become more needed. Personally, I think they can be used very well for educational reasons if used properly. We have also skyped now and then, but not that often.

 

If you want to buy one for his leisure use, then that's up to you, but your son doesn't need one for yr 7 work. Save your money and see what new things come about for year 8/9.

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My daughter is 14 and didn't get her first ipod touch until Christmas! She is allowed to use our laptop on a rationed basis but doesn't have her own PC. Obviously she isn't away at school but even if she were, she certainly wouldn't have a £300 ipad - nor would she want the responsibility of having such an expensive and fragile piece of technology when away from home.

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Think about what a year 7 is going to need..... Actually at Elmhurst in year 7 neither. If they want to play games..... Your choice, bothnmine like Skype or FaceTime for keeping in touch, but laptops or iPads aren't needed at all for school work. The Internet connection isn't always great depending on which house you are in and how many kids are accessing at any one time so we have gone for weeks not being able to Skype or FaceTime. Dont spend money on expensive gadgets they aren't required. Your choice, it's your family.

 

NL

 

 

I agree with Nana Lily. There is definitely not much need for either in year 7. Don't listen to any 'but so and so has one...' . For school work, they have the computer suite. Maybe later years they will become more needed. Personally, I think they can be used very well for educational reasons if used properly. We have also skyped now and then, but not that often.

 

If you want to buy one for his leisure use, then that's up to you, but your son doesn't need one for yr 7 work. Save your money and see what new things come about for year 8/9.

 

Agree completely with the above - its only a social toy rather than an academic tool.  My DD survived quite happily with an iPod Touch which she used for skype as well.  They are limited to prep in their rooms and have no access to resources after school hours so prep is set allowing for this restriction, lap tops not a requirement.  Internet access is also very limited.  

 

In fact when she first started laptops weren't even allowed for years for younger years, this is a new items they are now allowing.

Edited by BankruptMum
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Well thanks for all those helpful comments , my problem is that he has been using a laptop for school homework since year 5 as he was expected to do PowerPoint presentations and other projects in year 6 - they would then email their work to school ! They were also expected to visit maths websites for quizzes etc .

Things have moved on so rapidly .....so not sure . He has an iPod , but the storage is insufficient so we were planning to upgrade it to perhaps an iPad mini and hand the ipod down to younger DS , but I was worried that it would be unsuitable for homework .

Do the children have a school email address ?

If they have access to the school pc's for homework or they are not expected to use a PC then thats fine I suppose !

Since we have been asked to provide a memory stick I supposed their work is saved on that so it could be brought home to work on and I had assumed they were expected to complete anything they we behind on in their spare time .....perhaps I'm wrong and its not for that purpose !

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They can work on laptops, it just isn't a requirement.

 

And work such as power points etc is done, but using the in school computers. The school also uses online maths and other quizzes, but again in the computer room.

 

I am all in favour of every child having their own laptop and using them wisely... I fact my job rests on the very notion that all have their own online ICT access at school and home! (So maybe I am a little biased). But at elmhurst it is not an essential item in year 7.

 

And having said all that... My son had a laptop there since year 8. So it really is up to you. With regards to choice. The school does use some websites that need flash, and so are not available through using iPads. But then there are some super ipad apps for learning...

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If they can't access resources after school hours then looks like their homework won't be laptop dependent whereas children in ordinary schools seem tobe expected to do more of their homework on computers with even the school computer having each classes home work on and the children are even interactive with the school class site. This is at Junior school level.....don't know so much about year 7 and beyond and also level of homework etc in vocational schools.

 

So doesn't look like from what people have said he will need a laptop or iPad etc.

 

Most children I know use computers regularly at home though for research etc in a more serious way from Year 9 at least but for general homework from about year 5 on a regular basis.

Whether these are their OWN computers.....most likely not...but access to them they do need!! So looks like there must be a sort of homework time at these boarding schools and once that is over there will be no access to resources/computer suites etc......at least they get their homework done reasonably early that way!!!

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I would go for a laptop, an iPad is a fantastic toy but no word processesing/ PowerPoint/ access to flash websites etc would make it much less suitable for school work IMO. If you got a laptop with a DVD player incorporated he could watch films aswell.

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I have managed to get word processing and PowerPoint equivalent for iPad plus one can download films tv etc to view , but if the wifi is not that great , that puts a new spin on things !

At least we don't have to decide now - that can be a save up for Christmas type plan !

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Certainly the younger years at Elmhurst are limited in their access to online resources for prep and research, much less than my DD had been used to in primary school and this has restricted the depth of some of her pieces of work.In general year 7 can access computers in the library twice a week for homework and year 8 the IT suite once a week.The children are allowed with permission from the houseparent to go over to the IT suite during prep if there are at least 2 going. My DD has had a laptop in school but the Internet access in house is patchy and slow ; she says it is adequate for research but poor for Skype or FaceTime (apple devices).

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