Getting set up
What you need at home
You almost certainly already have it. Most families join IWS on the laptop they own, with a headset that costs less than a takeaway. Here is exactly what matters, and what does not.
- 7 yearsHow old a laptop can be
- 5 MbpsDownload speed we ask for
- NothingTo download or install
What computer does my child need for online school
Almost any laptop or desktop made in the last seven years will run IWS lessons. Live lessons are taught through BigBlueButton, which runs inside a normal web browser, so there is nothing to install. A machine with 4GB of memory running a current version of Chrome, Edge or Firefox is enough, and a broadband connection of 5 Mbps download is comfortable. The three things that actually affect a lesson are a wired headset with a microphone, a stable connection rather than a fast one, and a keyboard your child can type on for written work.
Check the device you are reading this on
This runs entirely inside your browser. Nothing is sent to us, nothing is stored, and you will not be asked for permission to anything.
- Browser and lessonsOpen Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari and check it is up to date. A current browser is all a lesson needs.Check yourself
- MemoryWe ask for 4GB. Almost any laptop or desktop from roughly the last seven years has it.Check yourself
- ConnectionWe ask for 5 Mbps down. Run any speed test from where your child will actually sit, and look for a steady result rather than a big one.Check yourself
- MicrophoneAny headset with a microphone works. A wired one is better than any laptop speaker.Check yourself
- CameraA built-in webcam is enough. Most laptops have one already.Check yourself
Work down the five checks above. If they all look right, your child is ready.
- A wired headset with a microphoneIf you buy one thing, buy this. Any wired model does the job, whatever it costs.
- A keyboard for written workIt matters more as your child gets older. At IGCSE and A Level, written work is long.
Two things we cannot check from here
The full specification
| What | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Computer | Any laptop or desktop from roughly the last seven years | Bought within the last four years |
| Operating system | Windows 10, macOS 11, ChromeOS or a current Linux | Windows 11 or macOS 13 |
| Memory | 4GB | 8GB or more |
| Browser | Current Chrome, Edge or Firefox | Chrome or Edge, set to update automatically |
| Download speed | 5 Mbps | 25 Mbps or more |
| Upload speed | 1 Mbps | 5 Mbps or more |
| Microphone | Any headset with a microphone | A wired USB headset |
| Camera | Built-in webcam | 720p or better |
Three things a specification table will not tell you
The headset matters more than the computer
Open laptop speakers feed the teacher’s voice back into the microphone, and the echo disrupts the lesson for everyone in it, not just your child. It is the single most common problem we see, and a wired headset of any price fixes it permanently.
Stability beats speed
A steady 10 Mbps is better than an unreliable 100. Upload speed matters more than most families expect, because that is what carries your child’s voice and camera outward. Moving closer to the router solves more problems than upgrading a broadband package.
Some home networks block lessons
If your child can see and hear the lesson but cannot be heard, that is usually the network refusing the audio connection rather than a broken device or microphone. It is common, it is fixable, and our team can talk you through it.
Can my child use a tablet
Yes, and for younger students it often works beautifully. An iPad running iPadOS 15 or later, or an Android tablet on Android 11 or later, with a screen of ten inches or more, will join lessons, play back recordings and complete quizzes without trouble.
Works well on a tablet
- Joining and taking part in live lessons
- Watching a teacher share their screen
- Reading, quizzes and short written answers
- Primary and Lower Secondary, most days
Needs a laptop instead
- Sharing your child’s own screen with a teacher, which neither iPad nor Android tablets support
- Long written coursework and past papers
- IGCSE and A Level work, day to day
Not sure what you have is enough
Tell us what your child would be using and we will tell you honestly whether it will work, before you buy anything.
