Google Apps

Chiltern Academy has adopted Google Apps for Education.

The Google Classroom is an easy to use online tool that allows teachers to send information to students in their classes.

Sometimes, this will be simple class messages (“Don’t forget to come to the revision session tomorrow lunchtime”), but more often it will be instructions and resources for homework.

With Google Classroom, Google Drive, Google Docs and other Google apps, staff and students will be able to collaborate and communicate in a secure way.

Google Classroom 

Staff, parents and pupils can log on to Google Classroom by clicking here.

To find out what work your child needs to complete please click here.

Google Drive

Staff and pupils can log on to Google Drive by clicking here.

Google Pupil Learning Platform

Staff, parents and pupils can log on to Google  Pupil Learning Platform by clicking here.

Why we use Google Apps for Education at the Chiltern Academy:

Inspire collaboration

Students can work together in real time in Google Docs (and Sheets, Slides and Sites) to complete that group project – in class and at home

Manage with ease

Administrators at the Chiltern Academy can set user permissions, security settings and allow/deny settings for any account on our domain

Keep data secure

The Chiltern Academy Google Apps for Education Administrators can configure many critical security settings & features which will benefit our students.

Stay connected anywhere

Students, staff and the Chiltern Academy community can work together anytime, from any device.  With offline apps, they can keep working even without the internet

It is free

Every member of the Chiltern Academy is able to have a Google account that belongs to our domain. This allows them to use everything that Google has to offer, all under one umbrella. Students who do not have the Microsoft Office package can use the word processing and document editing tools that are provided free of charge with Google Apps for Education.

What’s included in Google Apps?

• Gmail provides email storage with extra security including the option for restricted incoming and outgoing email.
• Google Calendar enables us to create and share school or class calendars with events.
• Google Drive lets pupils create and share documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings and forms. This also allows students/Pupils to work collaboratively on projects simultaneously in real time. Students/Pupils will be able to work on the same document from their own homes.
• Google Sites makes it easy to collect, share, and publish all types of content in a single website. Students/Pupils will also be using sites to create portfolios of work.
• Other applications such as Google SketchUp, Google Video, Blogger and much more are available via the Google Apps for Education suite.

What are the benefits of Google Apps?

• Ease of access: Students/Pupils can access Google Apps at anytime, anywhere. It is designed to work in any browser (e.g. Google Chrome, IE, Firefox etc.) and on any computer or tablet. This enables access to your email, calendars and documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher alternatives) from school or at home.
• Online storage means that no flash drives (memory sticks etc.) are required with documents and files stored in Google Docs.
• Collaboration between Students/Pupils from other classes, schools*, even different countries*, working together on group projects. (*carefully selected and teacher lead). During collaborative work teachers can monitor progress of each child and provide instant written feedback visible to the group or to the individual. This enhances teaching and learning and provides instant and accurate assessment.
• Online portfolios of work can be developed by students.

Within the Chiltern Academy Google Apps service:

• There will be no advertisements.
• Inappropriate use of any Google Apps for Education account on our domain will result in suspension of the account and referral to a member of the Senior Leadership Team
• All email communication and comments within collaborative work are monitored. This information will be used in conjunction with the behaviour policy.
• Work uploaded to Google Drive remains the property of the creator; it is not copied or kept by Google if it is removed by the creator.

User Access

Students/Pupils will be shown how to use Google Apps safely, in school as part of our e-safety procedures and expectations.

Students/Pupils will be provided with unique usernames and passwords. Parents/Carers are encouraged to explore Google Apps with their children by logging in together and accessing their school work stored in Google Apps. Students/Pupils will follow school policies for appropriate use when using Google Apps. The service is an extension of the school’s own network. Students/Pupils know that the school has the right and ability to monitor user accounts for policy and e-safety purposes as well as having the ability to remove access to some or all Google Apps.

Summary for Parents

Google Apps for Education is an essential part of the curriculum, for all subjects, and Students/Pupils without parental permission will be unable to participate in any lessons across the curriculum using Google Apps.

TCS encourages parents to login and explore Google Apps with their children. All email communication can be accessed by the school where necessary and the school’s Acceptable Use Policy enforced. School staff monitor the use of Google Apps when Students/Pupils are at school. Parents/Carers are responsible for monitoring their child’s use of applications when accessing Google Apps from home. Students/Pupils are responsible for their own behaviour at all times. The Please do not hesitate in asking for more information about the decision to use Google Apps for Education, how it will impact teaching, learning and communication and your child’s education. More information about each app can be found using the links above.

Please click here for Google Apps for Education terms of service