How Arts and Media School Islington Saved £50,000 on IT
Four years ago, Arts and Media School Islington (AMSI) in London, England, were spending around £80,000 a year on printing, using outdated, slow IT equipment and spending hours a week on administration.
Today they’re working towards becoming a Google Reference School. They have saved £50,000 on IT, made homework accessible from any device and strengthened student collaboration.
We caught up with Anban Naidoo – Head of ICT at AMSI, who spearheaded the school’s move to Google and Wizkids.
No books, only Chromebooks
AMSI uses Chromebooks which are computers that keep files on the cloud rather than on the device itself, meaning that they have unlimited storage space. They power up in around eight seconds so students can get to work straight away. They have long battery life and built-in virus protection, making them practical and secure for students and staff alike.
Introducing Chromebooks has meant that student and staff resources and files are all in one place, streamlining many of the everyday processes in the school. Activities like marking and general administration are carried out faster and more efficiently with the array of Chromebook and G Suite functions. Teachers can now focus on their other duties such as lesson planning.
“As long as you make the teachers lives easier, they’ll love it”
Changing the life of the student
At AMSI students often say “I did my homework on the tube”. They are able to do their work on the go, from their Chromebooks. With the Wizkids’ sync and a Chromebook, students can access their timetable, classwork, and assessments, giving them a new, digital way of working. They are less restricted to working in the confines of a classroom or at home, meaning they are much more productive. Students are a critical part of driving the change, encouraging all teachers to make use of technology and adopt Google Classrooms.
“It’s really taken off with the kids! Kids don’t have a problem with adapting.”
An answer to tight budgets
In many schools around the UK, budgets are tight, so it’s essential to reduce overheads wherever possible. Supported by Wizkids, AMSI has made incredible savings by switching to G Suite. Previously, homework, classroom resources, and other administrative documents were printed out and shared. Now, with G suite, documents and resources can be easily and securely shared electronically – eliminating the need for costly printing.
“Switching to Google has saved us £50,000 a year in printing costs alone”
Effortlessly increase efficiency
Edulife Connect means that so much of the administration is done automatically. With Wizkids syncing the Google domain from the MIS, time-consuming admin has been removed. Everything from calendars to classrooms is updated daily. Not only does this reduce tedious manual admin but Edulife also allows the school to harness the full power of the Google platform. Wizkids dynamically sets up the whole school community online so the school can start using the platform quickly and easily.
“I am much more productive in the way I work”
Each department has a “Google Champion”
Through CPD and Wizkids training days at AMSI, staff and students have empowered themselves to make the most of the Google platform. The continued success has also been due to AMSI’s own efforts to support members of the school should they need additional help. This support network has been invaluable.
This is what AMSI says about G Suite …
“It’s cost-effective, easy to use, you can use it anywhere with a wifi connection, you can set up offline use, everything is in one place. Wizkids have supported us throughout our journey. And it makes my life easier!”
At Wizkids we are proud of how far AMSI has come and how they are thriving with the new technology. It is our hope that their inspiring story will help other schools follow in their footsteps; by embracing technology and saving time and money.
If you want to find out more about G Suite for Education, Wizkids can support you, just get in touch.