First Borders school pupils pick up free iPads

Thousands of pupils in the Borders will get free iPads as part of the scheme

The roll-out of a project to provide thousands of school children in the Borders with free iPads has started.

Students at Selkirk High School are the first to benefit from the £16m Inspire Learning scheme.

All nine secondary schools in the region will be equipped first with the primaries set to follow in 2020/21.

Once the roll-out is completed every child from P6 to S6 will have an iPad. Younger children will get access to a shared device.

Scottish Borders Council is one of a number of local authorities providing the devices

Jamie Bryson, headteacher at Selkirk High School, said there had been "great excitement" about the project.

"Our teaching staff have fully embraced the technology and students are already experiencing a more creative and collaborative learning experience," he said.

"We have had great feedback already from parents as well as students and all teachers are working together to maximise the benefits of this technology for the future."

Over the course of the 10-year programme, 33,000 iPads will be deployed with more than 11,000 iPads being in circulation at any point.

The council said it was "extremely proud" of the programme

Carol Hamilton, Scottish Borders Council's executive member for education, said it was "extremely proud" of the programme.

"It is one of the biggest and most ambitious digital learning projects in the country which we aim to deliver in the shortest time," she said.

"There has been a huge amount of work gone into the roll-out to teachers and the first pupils and the feedback even within the first week has been delightful.

"Already we are hearing stories of improved pupil engagement, behaviour, increased participation and better communication."