An Aberdeen school that has become the first in Scotland to be Gigabit-enabled is pressing ahead with plans that will enhance pupils’ learning using new technology.
Albyn School is one of the first sites in the city to be connected to the Aberdeen CORE, which is transforming the Granite City into Scotland’s first Gigabit City.
The first phase deployment of the state-of-the-art pure fibre network has seen businesses in Union Street, School Hill and Queens Road connected and services going live this week.
ISP provider Internet For Business (IFB) has partnered with CityFibre in the multi-million pound investment that is turning Aberdeen into one of the best digitally connected cities in the world.
Albyn School saw the need to future-proof its requirement for digital because of the rise in the amount of data and content used and transferred throughout the school, as well having more devices requiring internet connectivity.
The school is now able to access ultrafast internet speeds and improved connectivity that will enable it to expand its IT capacity and support pupils learning.
A school spokesperson says: “Albyn’s mission statement is continual improvement and that’s why we signed up for the Aberdeen CORE.
“It is a logical step that will enable us to carry out the technology projects which we have planned, and to deliver our technological commitment to our pupils in the new digital age."
In addition to having laptop stations throughout the campus, every pupil at Albyn has access to Office 365. The school is dramatically increasing its digital capabilities, with 500 desktop devices throughout the school and increase in its number of iPads from 300 to 450. The provision of iPads in the school, will allow students to use technology to aid learning, by using apps and online tools such as Book Creator, Explain Everything and iMovie. The Aberdeen CORE will allow content created on these devices to be shared instantly and securely throughout the school.
“Getting them involved in using technology at school is a great way of opening up the possibilities of what a career in technology can bring,”
Graeme Gordon, CEO of IFB says: “We are thrilled that as an IFB customer, Albyn School will be one of the best connected schools in the country. We know Albyn School has growing technological commitments, which require robust technology.
“By being among the first wave of organisations that are part of the Aberdeen CORE, Albyn will benefit from next generation connectivity has access to a secure and reliable network, to open up new learning applications and facilitate these projects, now and into the future.
“The Aberdeen CORE is delivering a digital revolution to the city, establishing Aberdeen as Scotland’s first Gigabit City. It provides ultrafast speeds which in turn offer better communication and helps future proof-businesses and organisations that have opted to be part of the city’s state-of-the-art pure fibre network.”
Mr Gordon sees education as a key vertical and hopes that delivering advances in technology as part of pupil learning may have the spin-off of helping encourage young people into the industry in the future, and hopes to connect more schools to the network in the future.
The next phase of Aberdeen CORE works takes in Altens, Dyce and Bridge of Don and is due to be completed later this year.
The network routing is determined by demand from the business community. Since announcing plans to bring gigabit speeds to Aberdeen in September, hundreds of businesses have registered their details. Businesses are asked to register their interest online and to encourage neighbouring businesses to do the same to ensure the best chance of attracting the network to their street or business park.
To register your business simply visit www.aberdeencore.com