The Educator Magazine U.K. September - December 2025 issue. - Magazine - Page 20
BEYOND
OUTDATED TECH:
Brighton Hill Community School
Unlocks Potential with Acer and Intel.
Overview
The Challenge
Brighton Hill Community School, a forward-thinking
coeducational secondary school in Basingstoke, Hampshire, is dedicated to providing an innovative, inclusive,
and future-ready education. As a designated Training and
Sports Specialist School, it constantly seeks ways to
enhance teaching and learning. Faced with aging
technology and increasing demands for digital education,
the school partnered with Acer for Education, supported
by Intel® and Microsoft, to transform its classroom
experience with Acer TravelMate laptops powered by
Intel® Core™ Ultra processors and enabled with
Microsoft Copilot.
With 1,280 students and a rapidly
evolving curriculum, Brighton Hill's
leadership recognized the urgent
need to modernize its outdated
technology infrastructure. Existing
devices were slow, limiting access to
essential digital tools like Excel and
web-based applications critical for
coursework and non-exam
assessments (NEAs). This resulted in
significant lag, lost teaching time,
and disengaged students.
The Solution
The school collaborated with Acer for Education to deploy a new fleet of Acer TravelMate laptops,
equipped with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors. These cutting-edge devices deliver high-performance
multitasking, fast boot-up, and the reliability essential for dynamic classroom environments.
Crucially, this rollout also enabled seamless integration with Microsoft Copilot, empowering both
students and teachers to explore AI-assisted creativity, streamline lesson planning, and enhance
classroom support. Furthermore, the program is designed to allow participating classrooms to utilize
Intel Digital Readiness programs, such as Intel Skills for Innovation (Intel SFI). Intel SFI empowers
educators by providing professional development to help them understand new skill requirements,
create action plans, and develop competencies for technology-supported learning models. It
facilitates future-ready skill-building and includes 21 Starter Packs with AI-infused content to
engage educators in course design and lesson planning.
"One of the most frustrating
things in the classroom is delay.
The Intel Core Ultra processors
should speed that process up."
- Guy Wilkinson,
Deputy Headteacher
Impact: The results have been transformational:
Enhanced Teaching
Efficiency
Personalized
Learning
Reduced
Workload
Increased Student
Engagement
Teachers have experienced
considerable time savings,
particularly in lesson planning and
resource creation, which is
supported by the AI capabilities
of Microsoft Copilot. The Intel® Core
™ Ultra processors also contribute
to this efficiency by providing fast
and reliable performance, reducing
frustrating delays in the classroom.
With Copilot, teachers can now
customize content for individual
student needs, including generating
visual prompts for creative writing
and dynamic presentations. The
integration of Intel Digital Readiness
programs, including Intel SFI, further
supports customized learning
experiences for students and helps
educators develop relevant skills.
Educators are using AI to speed up
repetitive tasks, such as creating
PowerPoint presentations and developing
schemes ofwork,which traditionally
consume a large portion ofa teacher's
time. The high-performance Acer
TravelMate laptops powered byIntel®
Core™ Ultra processors provide the
necessaryspeed and reliabilityforthese
tasks, helping to reduce overallworkload.
The fast and responsive devices have
eliminated lag, enabling newavenues
forstudent exploration and
self-directed learning. This has
"levelled the playing field forstudents
with special educational needs" and
led to increased student engagement,
learning, and progress. The program
also aims to help students accelerate
theirlearning.
"Copilot has been revolutionary. It’s helped me
reduce workload, create better lessons faster,
and even sparked curiosity in students."
- Charlie Jones, Head of English
"Since we’ve been running with the Acer TravelMate
laptops, student engagement has been sky-high.
Their learning and progress have increased."
- David Watkins, Deputy Head
Conclusion
Brighton Hill Community School's investment in Acer
TravelMate laptops, powered by Intel Core Ultra processors
and integrated with Microsoft Copilot, has fundamentally
reshaped its digital learning landscape. The inclusion of Intel
Skills for Innovation further ensures that both teachers and
students are equipped with future-ready skills, making them
more productive and engaged. The school is now confidently
positioned at the cutting edge of educational technology.