HEREFORD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE
CASE STUDY
OVERVIEW
iLockerz were approached by Hereford Sixth Form College as a need had been identified for a more practical and effective way of loaning out laptops to students.
With students from across Herefordshire, Wales and the adjoining counties, the College sought a seamless solution which would bolster their ‘can achieve culture’ and improve student performance by making technology more easily accessible.
CHALLENGES
Hereford Sixth Form College is a co-educational state funded sixth form college, accommodating around 2,000 students from neighbouring counties. Offering access to over 1,000 computers, laptops, and tablets for learning activities, it can be a major challenge to manage devices and ensure they are readily available to students.
Having been awarded Beacon Status and graded Outstanding by Ofsted, the College use a wide range of strategies to inspire and challenge students which requires making the right technological tools easy to access. Recognising a need for providing self-service assignment of digital devices, the College also wanted a facility that would securely store and charge laptops when not in use.
With devices already placed in dedicated computer rooms, in the Library and spread throughout the different departments, it became apparent that an automated storage service where students could collect and return laptops would enhance the College’s IT offering to students.
Hereford Sixth Form College’s ICT Network Manager, Dunstan Lawrence, stated: “We were considering implementing a self-service facility for loaning out laptops which would be more effective than traditional sign-in and sign-out methods. When exploring solutions, I discovered iLockerz and the ability to integrate their intelligent lockers with our library management system was an attractive prospect, as was the company’s willingness to provide support on new configurations.”
SOLUTION
iLockerz installed an intelligent locker system at the College to enable 45 laptops to be loaded into individual compartments and accessed by authorised users whenever needed.
The system was linked with the College’s Heritage LMS, enabling laptop loans to be effectively managed, whilst in-compartment charging sockets paired with Last In, Last Out (LILO) technology ensures laptops are fully charged and ready for use by students.
Using the most advanced software means the College have the flexibility to reconfigure the system’s functionality and, as such, a BYOD feature has since been installed to allow staff and students to also store and charge personal devices or other items for short periods of time.
Students can now easily collect and return laptops when convenient for them, making sure each device is fully operational for the next user. They can also make use of its short-term storage facility, offering peace of mind to both students and staff that their belongings are secure.
Ryan Slaney, Managing Director at iLockerz comments: “Our systems use powerful software that not only allows students to access the laptops they need, when they need them, they also enable admin to monitor and manage the lockers remotely."
RESULTS
The system gives the College greater control of its laptop loans service whilst providing students with a hassle-free way to access the tech they need to learn.
Dunstan Lawrence, ICT Network Manager, says: “This new system has enabled us to provide a self-service solution for assigning digital devices which, along with its ability to keep stored laptops charged, is really helpful for our students and staff.”
Ongoing support following installation of the system has highlighted greater potential for its use, including upgrades which feature RFID technology and more advanced power options to further enhance the system’s capabilities.
