Perthshire Microsoft school will use technology to encourage new way of learning
The new £32million Bertha Park High School will open its doors to pupils for the first time on Wednesday 21st August.
A new £32million Perthshire school is hoping to use digital technology to encourage a different way of learning.
Bertha Park High opens its doors to S1 and S2 pupils for the first time on Wednesday 21st August.
It will be one of just 17 schools worldwide to become a Microsoft School – that means it’s signed up to the technology giant’s education programme.
Consequently, Bertha Park will prioritise technology as a tool and aid for learning.
However, this isn’t a sponsorship as the school will use Apple products as well as Windows, with every pupil being guaranteed their own iPad.
Headteacher Stuart Clyde said: “It’s hugely exciting and a really unique opportunity to question what a school is and what sort of service it provides.
“How can we do things differently? How can we do things better? Which is really driving everything we’re doing at Bertha Park High.”
He added: “Every student will have their own iPad and they’ll be able to use that through all their lessons in school.
“They’ll also be able to take them home in order to collaborate with each other, to do their own individual work and even work with teachers out with school hours if that’s what the teachers deems as appropriate.
“We have this mixed economy of devices in the school because that really reflects what life’s like in the world out of school.
“You just use whatever tool’s most appropriate for the job you’re doing at the time, and that’s the way we’re handling our technology.”
Mobile phones have also been banned at the school and pupils won't get them back until the final bell.
The idea is that it cuts down on screen time and acts a social media detox.
Convenor of the Lifelong Learning Committee at Perth Council, Caroline Shiers said: “For Perth it’s very significant, for the young people coming here it’s exciting but this is actually the first brand new school built in Scotland for over 20 years.
“Young people are much more tech savvy than when we were at school.
“There’s an expectation that they’re ready to go out into a brand new modern work environment and we will be setting them up for that."