The “Back to School” period is an exciting time for both students and teachers. With new devices – irrespective of make or model, learning can be more interactive and engaging.
If you have just introduced or are planning to introduce Apple devices across your school, you’ll need to ensure they are ready for the students’ return in September. Here’s a simple guide to what you need to do, alongside how we can assist ‘The Academia’ way.
Step 1: Unbox & Inspect
When the devices arrive, the first thing you need to do is unbox them and inspect each one for any physical damage. Ensure all accessories, like chargers and cables, are included.
Tip: Let Academia unbox and inspect for you as part of our Back to School solution. They’ll be delivered direct to our Lifecycle services HQ.
Step 2: Prepare devices for enrolment
Before devices are used, they need to be prepared so they can be set up and managed centrally.
This ensures:
• devices can be configured consistently
• apps and settings can be applied automatically
• users have access to what they need from day one
Tip: We can handle this as part of our Back to School service, removing the complexity from the process.
Step 3: Connect to Wi-Fi
Once the devices are charged, switch them on and connect each device to the school’s Wi-Fi network. This will allow you to download updates and apps and make any necessary configurations.
Step 4: Enrol in mobile device management
Jamf Essentials for Schools provides a simple, supported way to manage Apple devices across your school.
It helps you:
• manage devices remotely
• apply settings and restrictions
• install apps and keep devices consistent across classrooms
If your school does not already have a structured way to manage devices, Jamf Essentials gives you a clear starting point.
Step 5: Install Necessary Apps
Use Jamf to install all the necessary educational apps and tools that students will need. Apps like Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams and various subject-specific tools can be pre-installed to save time.
Tip: Academia will do this as part of our Back to School solution.
Step 6: Configure Settings
Set up the devices with any specific settings required by your school. This could include restrictions on app usage, setting up email accounts or configuring accessibility options for students with special needs.
Tip: Our IT professionals can provide advice on tailoring your settings and even do it for you.
Step 7: Label the devices
Label each device with a unique identifier, such as a number or the student’s name. This helps in keeping track of the devices and makes it easier to return them to the correct student if they get mixed up.
Tip: This is included in our Back to School solution.
Step 8: Create Apple IDs (if necessary)
Depending on your school’s policy, you might need to create individual Apple IDs for each student for use with 1:1 devices or with shared devices.
Tip: Academia can do this for you with ease.
Step 9: Test the Devices
Before handing out the devices to students, test each device to ensure everything is working correctly. Check that the internet connection is stable, all apps open and function as expected, and there are no issues with the hardware.
Tip: Our Back to School solution includes device testing, so you don’t have to worry.
Have you visited Academia Schools Club?
The Academia Schools Club provides resources, support and services to help build foundational skills with IT products and integrate them into your teaching and learning.
Why visit?
– Read a range of PDFs and whitepapers from leading practitioners
– Access fantastic resources and guides to support your educators
– Build foundational skills with IT products and integrate them into your classroom
– Deliver and connect with distinguished schools
Conclusion
Preparing devices for a new school term can feel like a big task, especially when you’re managing multiple devices, classrooms or even schools.
With the right approach in place, it becomes much more manageable — and that’s where we can help.
At Academia, our team has years of experience supporting schools with Apple deployments, from getting devices ready for day one through to managing them long term. Whether you need a bit of guidance or someone to take care of everything for you, we work alongside you to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Jamf Essentials for Schools provides a simple, supported way to manage Apple devices, helping you:
• get devices ready from day one
• keep everything consistent across your school or trust
• reduce pressure on internal IT teams
• choose the level of support that suits your environment
Whether you’re introducing Apple for the first time or building on what you already have, it gives you a clear starting point, with support available when you need it.
