Student Microsoft Surface & Digital Levy Policy
Academic Year 2026–27
This policy explains what the Digital Levy is, what it includes, and what we expect from students who use a school Surface. Please read it alongside the Student IT Acceptable Use Policy.
Every RGS Prep (Year 3 upwards) and RGS student must bring a school-issued Microsoft Surface, supplied through the Digital Levy, each day. Personal laptops, iPads, alternative Windows devices and privately bought Surfaces cannot be used in their place. The Levy is billed termly, in advance, per student.
Read alongside: the Student IT Acceptable Use Policy, the IT Account & Password Policy, the Word Processor Policy, and the School’s Privacy Notice.
Breaches. Breaches of this policy are dealt with under the School’s Behaviour Policy and the Student IT Acceptable Use Policy. The AUP §17 sets out the sanctions ladder that applies to Surface misuse.
1. About this policy
This policy applies to every student issued a school Surface through the Digital Levy.
Read it alongside our wider IT policies — the Student IT Acceptable Use Policy and, where relevant, the Word Processor Policy.
All RGS Prep (Years 3–6) and RGS students must bring a fully charged Surface to every lesson. RGS students must also bring their stylus. Use of a Surface is a privilege that depends on responsible behaviour and a positive contribution to lessons.
2. Devices and how they’re issued
2.1 The standard device
For academic year 2026–27, every new Surface issued to all year groups will be: Microsoft Surface Pro 12″, 16 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, Windows 11 Pro.
Each Surface comes with:
- Microsoft Type Cover keyboard
- UAG Metropolis SE protective case
- tempered-glass screen protector
- three years of Microsoft Accidental Damage Protection
- a Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2 (RGS only — not RGS Prep)
A single device standard keeps teaching consistent, simplifies support, and ensures every student has the same apps and features. Requests for an alternative device on educational grounds must be approved by the SEN department.
2.2 When devices are issued
New Surfaces are issued at three points: entry to Prep Year 3, entry to First Form, and entry to Fourth Form. The Fourth Form Surface is kept through to Upper Sixth. Students joining at non-standard entry points are issued an appropriate device on arrival.
| Year group | Device issued | Refresh point | Pen | Termly cost inc. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prep Years 3–6 | Surface Pro 12″ | Entry to Prep Year 3 | No | £102 |
| RGS First Form – Third Form | Surface Pro 12″ | Entry to First Form | Yes | £126 |
| RGS Fourth Form | Surface Pro 12″ | Entry to Fourth Form | Yes | £126 |
| RGS Fifth Form – Upper Sixth | Surface Pro 12″ (kept from Fourth Form) | — | Yes | £168 |
2.3 Use in examinations
Up to and including Fifth Form, using a word processor in exams is not an automatic entitlement. Students are encouraged to develop strong handwriting so they’re ready for all exam conditions. Where a word processor is needed, the School’s Word Processor Policy applies.
For Sixth Form, word processors are typically permitted in most subjects, by arrangement with the Examinations Department. Use in lessons is at the teacher’s discretion.
3. The Digital Levy
3.1 What it is
A termly charge, paid in advance, that bundles the hardware, software, support and insurance needed to use a Surface safely at RGS. The Levy is operated at cost — the School does not profit from it.
3.2 Who’s on it, and how to opt in
The Levy is mandatory for:
- all new RGS Prep students (Year 3 upwards)
- all new RGS students
- any current student who needs a new device
If a year group hasn’t yet joined the Levy, parents can opt in via the School Parent Portal. A one-off £25 surcharge applies to mid-year joiners.
Once enrolled, families remain on the scheme until the student leaves RGS, except in exceptional circumstances. Significant resources go into supporting devices over the long term, so opt-out is not normally available.
From September 2027, all students in all year groups from Prep Year 3 to RGS Upper Sixth will be enrolled in the Digital Levy.
3.3 What’s included
- A Microsoft Surface Pro tablet
- Type Cover keyboard
- Protective case and tempered-glass screen protector
- Microsoft Surface Pen (RGS only)
- Safeguarding apps and active monitoring during school hours
- Parental web filtering and controls
- Microsoft 365 apps, 1 TB OneDrive, Windows 11 Pro and Office licenses
- Managed anti-virus and Windows updates
- Insurance for accidental damage and theft
- On-site Surface support and a same-day loan device pool (first come, first served)
- A curated store of RGS-specific applications
- Optional school-provided parental controls for home internet use (opt in via the IT Helpdesk)
3.4 What’s not included
- Insurance excess, and out-of-insurance repair or replacement charges
- Repairs and replacement hardware that aren’t covered by the School’s insurance
- Replacement peripherals (e.g. Surface Pen, Surface charging cable)
- Replacement consumables (e.g. legacy AAAA Surface Pen batteries)
3.5 What it costs
The Levy is set at three rates, applied to bands of year groups rather than to individual years. The bands and termly charges for 2026–27 are shown in §2.2.
The Levy is reviewed each academic year alongside school fees, with new rates communicated in March for the following Michaelmas term.
3.6 When your student leaves the School
Families have two options:
- Return the Surface to the School at no cost.
- Buy the Surface for a small fee.
Returned Surfaces are reused as loans or wiped and recycled in line with WEEE regulations. Purchase price depends on the model, specification and age. The Surface offered for purchase may be a refurbished equivalent — not always the exact device the student used.
You’ll receive a form to choose. A purchased Surface needs a brief return to school so school data and management restrictions can be removed before transfer of ownership. A returned Surface should be brought back undamaged on the date specified at the end of term.
3.7 Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I opt out of the Digital Levy?
No — except in exceptional circumstances. Once enrolled, families remain on the scheme until the student leaves RGS.
Q. Can my child use a different Windows laptop or another Surface model?
No. Students must bring the Microsoft Surface provided through the Digital Levy.
Q. Can my child use an iPad?
No. Many Microsoft apps are available on other devices, but feature sets and update schedules differ. Staff and students are trained on the Microsoft desktop apps used on the Surface.
Q. Can I buy a device outside the school scheme?
No. All new student devices for school use must come through the Digital Levy.
4. Damage, loss and insurance
4.1 How to report damage, loss or theft
For faults or damage, email helpdesk@rgsg.co.uk with the device’s serial number and a description of the issue, or visit the IT Services office at RGS or RGS Prep. If the Surface can’t be repaired immediately, a temporary loan device is provided (first-come, first-served). If repair isn’t economic, a replacement Surface (equivalent or newer) is issued.
For theft or loss, report immediately to helpdesk@rgsg.co.uk with:
- student’s name and candidate number
- Surface serial number, if known
- date of the loss
- description of the circumstances or damage
- photo of any damage (if reporting by email)
- police crime number, if applicable
Theft on school grounds should also be reported to IT Services. All reported lost or stolen Surfaces are remotely wiped and disabled — the School is not responsible for any data lost as a result.
Faults, damage and loss should be reported during school holidays as well as term-time. We aim to resolve issues without cost to families wherever possible.
4.2 Insurance and excess
Surfaces and Type Cover keyboards are covered by the School’s worldwide accidental damage and theft insurance. To stay covered, the school-supplied case and screen protector must be installed at all times — if they are not, repair or replacement is charged in full.
Insurance excess. A £100 excess is added to the next bill for each insurance claim. Where the School’s insurance does not cover the cost, the family pays the full repair or replacement cost. The Director of IT decides whether to raise an accidental-damage or theft insurance claim.
4.3 Damaged screens
Accidental screen damage — with no other device damage — is covered by school insurance, with the £100 excess. Non-accidental damage is charged at full repair or replacement cost, and the student will meet pastoral staff to discuss the circumstances.
4.4 Repeated incidents
Where there is evidence of reckless behaviour, or a pattern of repeated damage, claims or concerns, the student and pastoral staff will discuss the circumstances. If the School finds the student responsible, the family pays the full cost of repairs or replacements.
What insurance does and does not cover:
| Covered by insurance | Not covered |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12″ tablet | Surface Pen |
| Microsoft Type Cover keyboard | Power cable |
| Screen protector | |
| Protective case |
5. Maintenance and support
5.1 Technical support
We support hardware and software issues on school Surfaces. If something can’t be fixed quickly or economically, the device is replaced with an equivalent or newer one.
IT technicians may need to format storage or delete data during support without permission. Students should back up their work using their school-provided OneDrive account — the School is not responsible for data loss or any knock-on effect on a student’s education.
Don’t take a school Surface to a third-party repair provider. It can void the warranty and insurance, and risks the privacy of school data. Costs from third-party repairs may be charged to the family.
For all support enquiries, please use the contacts in section 8.
5.2 Loan devices
A short-term loan Surface is available (first-come, first-served) from the IT Services office at RGS or RGS Prep, for any student who:
- has lost their Surface
- has forgotten to bring it to school
- can’t use it because of damage
Loans are normally for one school day and should be returned at the end of the day, unless otherwise arranged. A loan not returned within two weeks will be charged at replacement cost, unless the IT Service Desk Manager has agreed otherwise. Loan Surfaces only work on the school site.
5.3 Hardware returns
We may request the return of any loaned hardware at any time. On request, the specified hardware must be returned within 14 days. Alternative or replacement hardware is not accepted; serial numbers are checked on return.
- Stickers or modifications must be removed before return. If a device can’t be restored to a usable condition, a charge may apply to remove modifications or replace the device.
- Hardware must be returned undamaged (normal wear and tear excepted). Unreported damage or loss will incur replacement charges or an insurance claim.
- A replacement charge applies for any hardware not returned within 14 days — added to the family’s next bill, invoiced separately, or deducted from the joiner’s deposit.
5.4 Peripherals and replacements
Peripherals supplied with the school Surface:
- protective case
- Microsoft Type Cover keyboard
- Microsoft Surface Pen (RGS only)
- Microsoft Surface charging cable
- tempered-glass screen protector
Damage or loss of any peripheral should be reported to helpdesk@rgsg.co.uk as soon as possible. Practical guidance on the Surface Pen and its battery is in the companion Student Microsoft Surface Guidance document.
Replacements can be ordered through the Student Surface page on the Parent Portal. Once the Replacement Peripheral Form has been authorised, replacements can be collected from IT Services and the cost is added to the family’s next bill.
5.5 Operating system and software updates
Updates for Windows, Microsoft Office and other school software are downloaded over the internet. To stay compliant with school security requirements, students should follow the schedule below. Devices that fall out of compliance may be disconnected from the school network or deactivated until they are compliant.
If you are unsure, please email helpdesk@rgsg.co.uk before applying any update.
| Update type | Description | Student action | Release schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows feature update | Large, infrequent updates that add new features to Windows. | Install as soon as available. | Delayed by 30 days after release for stability checks. |
| Windows security update | Frequent security and antivirus updates. | Installed automatically as soon as available. | |
| Microsoft Office update | Infrequent updates to Microsoft Office applications. | Install as soon as available. | |
| Microsoft Store app update | Updates to Microsoft Store apps. | Installed automatically as soon as available. | |
| Windows OS upgrade | Very infrequent upgrade to a new version of Windows. | Do not install. | Not permitted; the School controls these centrally. |
5.6 Customisation, identification and asset labels
- Stick to removable items such as name labels.
- Permanent or semi-permanent changes — including stickers and vinyl skins — are treated as damage, and the cost of restoring the device may be charged to the family.
- Don’t tamper with school asset labels or serial numbers.
6. Safeguarding and security
6.1 Overview
The School has a duty of care to keep students safe online. Every Digital Levy Surface includes safeguarding apps and is subject to the monitoring set out below. Active keyword monitoring routes alerts directly to the School’s Safeguarding Team.
| Monitoring | In school | Outside school | Parental monitoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web filtering and monitoring | Yes | No | School-provided home parental controls |
| Microsoft 365 services (Email, Teams, OneDrive, etc.) | Yes | Yes | No |
| In-classroom screen remote monitoring | Yes | No | No |
| Active keyword monitoring (Safeguarding Team alerts) | Yes | No | No |
6.2 Web filtering and monitoring
At school. When connected to the RGS or RGS Prep wireless networks, all devices are filtered and monitored in line with our safeguarding policies. Filtering uses static and dynamic methods to keep content age-appropriate. If you find content that’s blocked in error, or anything inappropriate that gets through, please report it to helpdesk@rgsg.co.uk with detail of where and how it was found.
At home — parental controls. We now offer school-provided parental controls that extend our age-appropriate filtering and activity monitoring to your home network. To opt in, email helpdesk@rgsg.co.uk and the IT team will guide you through set-up.
Microsoft 365 logging continues at home in line with our safeguarding policy. Please:
- don’t install third-party filters, monitoring software or VPNs on a Digital Levy device
- don’t modify computer accounts — both will disrupt school services and weaken safeguarding cover
Microsoft Family Safety doesn’t currently support educational Microsoft 365 accounts. We’ll let parents and guardians know if that changes.
6.3 Microsoft 365 services
All data in or transferred via the School’s cloud services — OneDrive, Teams, Teams Chat, SharePoint and Outlook — is continuously logged and monitored to maintain a secure online environment, identify inappropriate activity, and support investigations where needed. Logging is conducted in line with the School’s privacy guidelines.
6.4 In-classroom screen monitoring
Digital Levy Surfaces include Classroom.Cloud, which lets school staff manage and monitor device activity during school hours only. Outside school hours, Classroom.Cloud does not permit monitoring or logging of activity.
Classroom.Cloud is used to:
- assist classroom management during school hours
- support exam procedures and technical management
- support pastoral disciplinary processes (with students and families)
- enable remote learning when needed
During school hours, screens may be viewed by:
- teachers (or cover teachers) for scheduled Microsoft Teams classes
- authorised pastoral staff
- senior IT Services staff for technical support and management
Access limits:
- not accessible outside school hours, holidays or when the School is closed
- restricted to the school network unless remote teaching is announced in advance
- all access is logged and regularly audited
Staff responsibilities. Staff use Classroom.Cloud only to manage students physically present in class, unless remote teaching has been announced. Pastoral staff may monitor specific students as part of an authorised disciplinary process. Any other use is prohibited.
Reporting accidental viewing. Any accidental or unauthorised viewing of a student screen — by staff or students — must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead at dsl@rgsg.co.uk.
6.5 Cyber-security
We take a layered approach: managed anti-virus, restrictions on tools that obstruct safeguarding, and central management of network connectivity.
Anti-virus. All Digital Levy Surfaces run Windows Defender, managed by RGS IT Services. Where security threats arise, we may remotely:
- run anti-virus scans
- disconnect devices from networks and services
- disable devices and user accounts
- in exceptional cases, format devices and delete data
VPNs. VPNs and other identity-masking tools are not permitted on a Digital Levy Surface — see the Student IT Acceptable Use Policy §3 for full detail and the consequences of breach.
Mobile hotspots. On the school site, students must not use mobile hotspots or other personal wireless connections with a Digital Levy device. They undermine security, weaken safeguarding cover, and bypass school filters and restrictions.
6.6 Restrictions and software installation
Restrictions on school Surfaces are there to:
- keep apps and services consistent for classroom management
- limit security risks and prevent the spread of viruses
- reduce distractions
Students cannot install apps directly on a Surface. Educational apps are installed via the Company Portal app on every school device. Requests for additional apps go through the relevant teacher to be added to the Company Portal.
Generative AI. Generative-AI tools other than MindJoy AI are blocked at the network and device layer. See the Student IT Acceptable Use Policy §4 for the rules on student AI use.
7. Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Classroom.Cloud | The classroom-management tool that lets staff view a student’s Surface during scheduled lessons. |
| DSL | Designated Safeguarding Lead — the staff member responsible for safeguarding. |
| Digital Levy | The termly per-student charge that bundles the Surface, software, support and insurance. |
| Files on Demand | A OneDrive feature that keeps files in the cloud until you open them, saving space on the Surface. |
| Lightspeed | The School’s safeguarding monitoring tool, which alerts the safeguarding team to concerns flagged on a student device during school hours. |
| MindJoy AI | The only generative-AI tool students may use at RGS. Every other generative-AI service is blocked. |
| OneDrive | The student’s school cloud storage; school work saved to OneDrive, Desktop, Documents or Pictures is automatically backed up. |
| Storage Sense | A Windows feature that automatically frees space on the Surface by removing temporary or rarely-used files. |
| Surface | The school-issued Microsoft Surface Pro 12″ device supplied through the Digital Levy. |
| WEEE | The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations, which govern how the School disposes of returned hardware. |
8. Contacts and support
If you have a question about your child’s Surface, the Digital Levy or anything in this policy, contact the team listed below.
| Enquiry | Contact |
|---|---|
| General technical support (RGS Prep and RGS) | helpdesk@rgsg.co.uk |
| Questions about the provisioning of student Surfaces | studentsurfaces@rgsg.co.uk |
| Safeguarding concerns | dsl@rgsg.co.uk |
| Escalation of service issues | directorofit@rgsg.co.uk |
Reviewed by: Director of IT
Approved by: [governance committee — to be confirmed]
Date of last review: Trinity 2026
Date of next review: Trinity 2027