The ICT Department
The heart of the Summer Fields computing infrastructure is found within the Wavell Centre. The air-conditioned Information and Communication Technology Suite rarely sees a quiet moment during term-time, with most boys receiving two specific ICT lessons each week. In addition the Centre contains a second suite of computers exclusively for use in Design and Technology.
A significant part of our children's future lies in the world of Information Technology. In the First Year, boys learn to touch-type and start to develop their knowledge of the applications found on our network. With all teaching rooms containing networked computers and the majority interfaced with an interactive SMART board and data projector, the boys quickly learn to record, process and present information by electronic means. During free time each boy is able to benefit from the full array of facilities offered throughout the network - whether composing in the Music Department's computer suite, researching a project using DVDs and controlled broadband internet access or just checking and sending emails.
The skills that are developed will prepare the boys for the demands made of them at their senior school and in later life. The demands of ICT will change continuously and all boys must be able to understand and use the latest technology.
Currently there are seventy networked, small form-factor computers throughout the School, each running Windows XP and Office 2007 Enterprise, as well as numerous other titles including Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia, Kar2ouche, and Sibelius. Full colour, high speed, A3+ duplex printing is available throughout the network.
The network is supported by an in-house team and has an optical fibre backbone from which both cat5 cable and wireless are supported. While the network does not yet extend to the Lodges, each Lodge does have an array of computer facilities set up to support both work and play.