Apple Distinguished School - Blue Coat School

We’re pleased to be recognised as an Apple Distinguished School for 2026-2029 for inspiring, imagining and impacting teaching and learning schoolwide through continuous innovation.

The Blue Coat School Birmingham: Digital Learning

A boy looks at a map of France on an iPad.

Vision

Limitless Learning for Tomorrow’s Achievers – this is at the heart of our learning and teaching.

This vision drives our commitment to delivering an exceptional educational experience that harnesses the transformative power of digital technology every day.

At The Blue Coat School Birmingham, innovative and dynamic teaching empowers every child to become a versatile, creative risk-taker. Pupils are inspired to see possibilities beyond the classroom and to shape ideas that could change the future.

Having our own iPad which can be used in every lesson makes learning really fun and exciting. It is now so easy to discover new things for ourselves, be creative and work together on different projects.

– Year 5 Pupil

100%

of teachers are Apple Teacher certified

98%

of parents say they feel more engaged with their child's work since the introduction of 1:1 devices

10

iPad devices transform learning across 10 curriculum subjects

Limitless Learning

Access to 1:1 devices has enabled our pupils to learning in new, dynamic ways. They are moving, exploring and creating on a daily basis:

Exploring planets and the Solar System using augmented reality apps
Filming a science experience in slow-motion to see the reaction happening step-by-step
Compose and record an original piece of music using GarageBand

With Apple’s powerful accessibility tools available on the iPad, every child can access learning in a way that works for them, helping us create a classroom that’s fairer and more inclusive.

DIGITAL LEARNING AT HOME

As pupils in Prep bring their iPad home each evening, parents have full access to their child’s work via Showbie. Teachers also mark all of the work via Showbie using written and verbal comments, again extending parental insight into their child’s progress.

The school’s bespoke BCS Blue web-based assessment tool is accessible via the pupil’s iPad. This ease of access has improved pupil and parent engagement with the BCS Blue as they can more readily access their targets and progress.

I love being able to share in my child’s learning at home and this technology has opened up opportunities we’d never imagined.

-Year 6 Parent

Two girls sat in the School Hall smile at the camera.

Lifelong Love of Learning

Digital skills developed across the curriculum, alongside a strong understanding of responsible technology use, equip our pupils to apply their knowledge far beyond the classroom.

Through co-curricular opportunities such as coding club and creative digital projects, pupils develop confidence in programming, problem-solving and digital creativity.

These experiences nurture curiosity and independence, encouraging pupils to explore new ideas and pursue their interests using technology.

As a result, pupils leave Blue Coat not only as confident digital learners but with a level of digital fluency that sets them apart when they move on to senior school.