SkieOSHow to manage student tablets: a practical guide for school administrators
A tablet programme works when you decide ownership and rules first, enrol every device the same way, give teachers control of their own class, and watch for problems early. The technology matters less than a clear policy and a repeatable process.
1. Decide who owns the devices
School-owned devices give you the most control and the simplest support. Student-owned devices lower cost but add reset, support and fairness questions. See BYOD versus school-owned devices.
2. Write the policy before you buy anything
Decide which apps students need, whether the browser is open, and what the device may do outside school hours. A template is in School device policy template.
3. Set up the structure
Mirror your organisation: the school group, its branches, then grades and sections. Rules set at the top flow down, and a class can add or remove from them. This keeps 500 devices consistent without 500 settings.
4. Enrol devices the same way every time
Reset the device, enrol it into its group and check it applied the rules. Doing this in batches with a checklist avoids the odd device nobody remembers configuring. More in How to provision Android devices at scale.
5. Give teachers the controls they need
A teacher should be able to open an extra app for one lesson without raising a ticket. Role-based logins make this safe because the teacher only sees their own class. See Role-based access for school device management.
6. Plan for loss, damage and tampering
Agree what happens when a tablet is lost, broken or reset. A replacement should take over the original device's seat and group. See Lost or stolen managed tablet.
Frequently asked questions
How many staff do we need to run a tablet programme?
It depends on size, but role-based access lets teachers handle everyday changes so a small IT team can support many devices.
Should students be allowed a browser?
That is a policy choice. Many schools allow a filtered browser for some grades and none for others. The setting can differ by group.
How do we stop students resetting tablets?
Use device-owner management, which blocks factory reset at system level. See the guide on preventing factory reset.