The complex computer network at Millfield High School, in Thornton-Cleveleys, has placed the school at the forefront of computer networking in schools and plays a major part in the delivery of the curriculum. The school continues to take steps to ensure that the leading edge that the school has in computer technology is further enhanced. In a joint venture with Research Machines plc, the U.K.’s premier suppliers of educational computer networks, Millfield High School is to become a field trial site for a service that will enable access to the Internet.
The Internet offers pupils the opportunity to access educational establishments and institutions at every level, all over the world. For example, the Hubble Space Telescope downloads its spectacular images to the Internet, for all to access. The Internet is becoming friendlier every day. More and more schools in the UK and around the world are beginning to realise that the Internet offers their pupils a truly global education. Not only that, but schools are going on-line themselves, putting their own sites on the popular World Wide Web. Access to the Internet has been restricted to single computer workstations in other most schools but Internet For Learning, coupled with a high speed communications link, will enable access, simultaneously, from potentially any computer on the schools network.
Millfield will be the one of the first schools in the country, in the top five, to access Internet For Learning through a high speed direct connection with British Telecom. This connection is an ISDN line (Integrated Services Digital Network) a that offers speeds of 128 kilobits per second - almost 5 times the speed of the fastest modem that is currently available.
Internet For Learning, from Research Machines plc, a service that will enable pupils at Millfield High School to travel the information superhighways will facilitate electronic mail, World Wide Web access to information, curriculum support, downloadable resources tailored to the curriculum, enhance communication skills, share information and experiences. Internet For Learning has been designed especially for teaching and learning with a high degree of security built into it; this will allow controllable access to all areas of the Internet appropriate to the school environment.
More information can be obtained from Research Machines plc (Oxford): Tim Clark 01235 - 826000 or Millfield High School: Brian Peacock 01253 - 865929, email bpeacock@mailbox.rmplc.co.uk