Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I spread the payments over?
5, 17 or 29 months depending on how long your child has left at the school. You can also make a single up front payment if you prefer not to spread the cost.
What happens at the end of the agreement?
On your final payment the device becomes yours. If paying upfront then the Chromebook Is yours from day one, however whilst at The Duchess’s Community High School, ALL devices will be managed via the Chrome Management Console and Senso filtering.
Will there be any credit checks?
No everyone is approved and there aren’t any credit checks.
What happens if my device stops working or is damaged?
There is a repair service and warranty that covers each device. In the event of a fault or damage to the device your child must bring it to the IT Team at School. They will then provide a spare device to your child and the faulty/damaged device will then be collected and repaired/replaced for free. More information about this service can be found in the documentation provided with your order confirmation.
Can they use the device at home?
Yes, the student can use the device to further enhance their learning and we recommend that you set your security setting on your Wi-Fi accordingly.
How many devices can I order?
One per student at the school.
When will I receive the device?
Once the ordering window closes your first direct debit will be collected on 25th of the month.
Devices will be delivered to the school towards the middle of the following month.
How will I make payments?
Payments will be made via Direct Debit using an online portal provided and administered by Freedom Tech.
Is there any financial assistance available?
If you are interested in the programme but are experiencing financial hardship, or you are eligible to Free School Meals or Pupil Premium, please get in touch with the school for a conversation in confidence, and we will explore what support we can provide.
What happens if I miss a payment?
Please contact Freedom Tech if you have missed a payment using their ticket service www.freedomtech.co.uk/help/ Please note until your payment is made, your repair cover is not valid.
What happens if I can no longer afford the device?
If you can no longer afford the device, please let the school know in case of any eligibility for financial support. If this is not applicable you will need to return the device to the school and let Freedom Tech know via their ticket service www.freedomtech.co.uk/help/
What happens if my child leaves the school?
You can either pay off your outstanding balance to keep this device or you can return the device to the school and let Freedom Tech know via their ticket service www.freedomtech.co.uk/help/
Can I purchase my own device and bring my own device to school?
Yes, but it will not be allowed to connect to the school network or internet and therefore unable to access any of the school systems. The school accepts no liability for devices that are not adequately insured and therefore any device bought into school is done so at your own risk.
What happens if I don’t buy a Chromebook?
The School have a limited number of devices that can be borrowed to use in lesson time, these devices will be kept in the School and given out when the learning requires. Students will not be able to take these devices home.
Are Chromebook used in every lesson?
Chromebooks are a tool designed to access educational apps, resources and interaction that really will make the difference for our students. They are not designed to replace normal teaching methods. They will not be used in every lesson but will be used to enhance to learning experience for our students. Our students will still use standard handwriting skill as well as technology.
Working in this way we are able to give our students the freedom to innovate and remove learning’s biggest barriers. With the Google suite of devices, apps, and resources, we are able extend learning beyond the classroom.
We have already seen the positive impact of the use of Google across the school and this project is the next step in our vision to make The Duchess Community High School a leading education provider.
Are Chromebooks secure?
Yes. Chromebooks are designed with multiple layers of security to keep them safe from viruses and malware without any additional security software. A full 10% of boot time is dedicated to re-verifying that the device has not been tampered with, so every time you power on a Chromebook, your security is checked. Google also adhere to all data policies including GDPR and does not share data with any third parties.
Connections are already monitored and additionally filtered, when using the school internet, as part of Keeping Children Safe in Education. The school filtering is to both the CIPA (Children’s Internet Protection Act) and IWF (Internet Watch Foundation) standards with all traffic logged.
Who owns the device?
The device belongs to Freedom Tech whilst the device is subject to a payment plan. The student will be able to use the device 24/7. The student will own the device once the final payment has been made.
Does this mean exercise books will be outdated?
Most definitely not! Traditional methods of learning and teaching still have an important place in education and will continue in our school. The device should be seen as an additional educational tool, a tool to enhance learning rather than replace these methods. This will ensure students` handwriting skills continue to be developed.
How do I log a repair service ticket?
During term time, please report to the School IT Office, the IT Office will report and log the fault for repair and issue a loan device to use while the repair is undertaken. When repaired and returned to the school, the school will contact the student to swap back the devices.
Outside of term time, you can log the repair claim at https://freedomtech.co.uk/help.
Complete the requested webform in full to submit a ticket to our repair centre using ticket type ‘Broken Device’ or ‘Claim – Warranty’. Once the ticket has been submitted an automated email response containing a unique FTCS_XXXX reference number will be sent to the given email address. The repair centre will organise the collection of the device. Contact made within estimated 4 working hours (Monday to Friday) The student device will be collected by a courier in a secure box on the arranged date. Once repaired the device will be delivered back to the collection address, unless otherwise specified.