Introducing iPads for 1st and 2nd Years 2023-2024

This page was last updated: 19th May 2023

St. Vincent’s Castleknock College will be introducing iPads on a 1:1 basis for our incoming 1st Years and incoming 2nd Years (our current 1st Years). The College has chosen Wriggle Learning as its iPad partner.

iPads must be ordered directly from Wriggle as Wriggle apply additional controls and restrictions not present on store bought iPads.

These measures are to ensure the iPad is suitably restricted so that it is not a source of distraction or used for purposes other than for learning.

How do I order my iPad?

Please go to the Wriggle Store page at https://store.wriggle.ie/OnlineStoreLogin.

The store code for St. Vincent’s Castleknock College is 299422900 .

You can then purchase your son’s iPad and pay for the Wriggle support package.

A protective case is mandatory while insurance is optional but highly recommended.

The iPad will be delivered to your home in time for September.

Payment can be made upfront using a credit or debit card or via monthly payment via Humm Finance.

Important! You must only order your iPad from Wriggle – use of existing iPads or use of new iPads ordered through other retailers are not suitable and cannot be used in the College.

How do I set up my iPad?

The iPad delivery will contain a number of instructions within it including setting up the iPad, logging in with your Apple ID, activating eBook accounts and signing up to Wriggle Connect Family.

At this stage, you will only need to set up the iPad on your home WiFi, log in with your Apple ID and work through the setup menu to completion and allow the apps to automatically download to the homescreen.

The College will be running dedicated technology classes during the first week of returning to school in August covering all other aspects of setting up and configuring the iPad including the College Office365 apps (Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, OneNote, Authenticator, etc.), registering the eBooks for your son’s chosen subjects with the various provider apps, getting started on Wriggle Connect Family and ensuring the iPad is ready for use once teaching formally begins.

If your son is joining us in 1st Year in August, they will not yet have received their College Office365 login details, which includes their e-mail account. If you try and set up some of the eBook providers that require you to verify your e-mail then you will not be able to do this. Don’t worry! These details are provided inside of the homework journal which your son will receive during the registration day in August. Your son will also be receiving technology classes where we will walk through the setup of all aspects of the iPad with them.

Who do I contact for support with ordering my iPad or if I run into an issue?

All queries relating to ordering, troubleshooting or repair of your son’s iPad should be made directly to Wriggle Learning, who you can contact:

  • By phone at 015009060.

Wriggle’s team are on hand to support you with all aspects of your son’s iPad year round.

Please read all of the information included below as well as your [parent information pack] before you contact Wriggle as your query may be answered there already.

You can watch a replay of the parent information evening that was delivered online to our present 1st Year parents. The same presentation was also delivered in-person to our incoming 1st Years during the Entrance Exam morning in March.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is this optional?
No, the iPad will be required for all students entering 1st and 2nd year in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Q. Is this decision final?
Yes. The decision to introduce the iPad has followed extensive consultation with a number of various groups within the College, including the PRA. The final decision was put to the PRA at the most recent meeting.

Q. Once the iPad is in use next term, can the school please ban the use of phones by the boys during the day?
Absolutely. This is one of the primary reasons for introducing the iPad to students.

Q. What are the costs of subscribing to the publishers electronic versions in addition to the purchase of text books?
As part of our response to Covid we have made sure that the booklists for as many of our subjects as possible includes a bundled eBook with the paper copy. The cost of the device is the only additional cost.

Q. What if I’ve already redeemed the eBook as these are use-once codes?
No problem. When you redeemed the eBook you would have had to register an account with the book publisher. When you receive your new iPad you can simply log into the iPad using this existing account and your eBooks will automatically move across. Wriggle are on hand to support you if you encounter any difficulty in redeeming or moving across eBooks on the new iPad.

Q. How many subjects can be obtained on the iPads compared to text book subjects?
As part of our response to Covid we have made sure that the booklists for as many of our subjects as possible includes a bundled eBook with the paper copy. If there are any exceptions, this will be accounted for in that particular subject.

Q. How do we add new books onto the iPad e.g. in 5th year when new subjects/curriculum starts?
When you receive your new books in fifth year, these will come supplied with the eBook redemption code. Full details of how to redeem your eBooks are available via the Wriggle Connect Family portal, details of which will be supplied alongside your iPad delivery. Wriggle are on hand to support you if you encounter any difficulty in redeeming or moving across eBooks on your iPad.

Q. Will books remain at home and iPads go to school?
Some teachers may wish to use the textbook in the class. If that is the case, the book can be left in the College and the eBook used at home thereby cutting down on the schoolbag weight.

Q. Will these devices replace laptops for children who currently use laptops for learning support?
Yes. The iPad will become the device for use within school.

Q. Which iPad does the school recommend regarding size?
The school are leaving that option with each individual parent. 64GB is the minimum size model and is very much sufficient for everything a student will need.

Q. Can I use an iPad I already have for my son?
No. To ensure the full suite of controls are in place and cannot be tampered with the school iPad must be supplied directly from Wriggle.

Q. Is there a discount if two siblings are purchasing the devices in two different schools?
Wriggle, our chosen iPad partner as Partners in Education with Apple, get Educational Pricing Support and this is applied to each and every device, so there aren’t any additional discounts available.

Q. The 9th Gen iPad being recommended by Wriggle will be two years old by September – with an apple support lifespan of 3-5 years would it not be better to go with 10th Gen?
Apple typically support their iPads for 6-7 years in terms of software updates. Apple are also continuing to supply the 9th Gen alongside rather than replacing it with the 10th Gen.

Q. Are all software licensing costs included or will there be additional charges as time goes on?
There may be additional costs in the form of apps required for specific subjects. These will appear as booklist items and payable to the College directly prior to the start of each year.

Q. The boys (going into 2nd year) have five years to go, but the Wriggle support package only covers three years. Will that mean a new device purchase after three years?
No, you will only need to renew the Wriggle support package on your existing iPad for a further two years. Current pricing is €120 for three years (which would be pro-rated to two).

Q. How will the College deal with lost/forgotten iPads?
To assist with forgotten devices, students will use their own head and shoulders photograph as the lock screen wallpaper. If the device is left behind in a classroom when anyone touches the home button they will see the owners face as the wallpaper. For lost or missing devices, we would recommend enabling the “Find my” feature on the iPad. Wriggle are on hand to support you in the event of an iPad being lost or stolen to attempt to identify it’s location and recover it and to prevent unauthorised misuse by locking the device.

Q. Will boys need a school Apple ID/account?
Yes. All students will receive a school Apple ID which comes with 200GB of free iCloud storage. Details will be supplied alongside the iPad. You must not use a personal or existing Apple ID.

Q. Will schoolwork be saved to the Cloud?
Yes. The Microsoft Office365 suite of apps including Teams and OneNote is used widely in the College. All data is saved to the cloud using these services. Other work (photos, audio recordings, etc.) saved to the device can be backed up using the iCloud backup feature on the iPad and all school Apple ID’s receive 200GB of free iCloud Storage. Students also have access to a private 2TB OneDrive account via Office365 for storing files.

Q. Can the device be added to the family iCloud account to ensure back up is maintained?
No. Students must only use their school Apple ID account, which will be supplied as part of your iPad delivery. All school Apple ID’s come with 200GB of free iCloud storage which is ample space to allow backups.

Q. If the 64gb is purchased but additional space is required, would an SD card suffice if purchased separately?
No, it is not possible to add additional storage to an iPad at a later stage.

Q. I bought an iPad from you guys for my daughter who attends Mount Sackville Secondary School and who no longer uses the iPad as she will be going into 5th year in September. Can I use her iPad that is just sitting in a press?
No. In order to ensure the appropriate security and operational controls for St. Vincent’s Castleknock College are present on the iPad you must order the iPad for your son directly from Wriggle.

Q. I have the Wriggle information pack, there is no code to allow me access to purchase the iPad, it just says wriggle.ie
You can access the Wriggle Online Store at https://store.wriggle.ie/OnlineStoreLogin. The Store Code for St. Vincent’s Castleknock College is 299422900.

Question not answered above?

Please submit any general questions not answered above via our online Microsoft Form [here]. Check back on this page after a few days as your response will be added to the list of FAQ’s above.

For questions or support around the ordering, delivery, setting up or operation of your iPad, please contact Wriggle Learning directly instead. Their contact details are posted at the top of this page.