The DfE have announced a new pot of funding available for schools and academies to order laptops and tablets for children who can’t attend school due to COVID-19 restrictions. Read our blog to find out what your school is entitled to and how to place an order.
The Get Help with Technology Scheme set up by the DfE last term has already provided more than 220,000 laptops and tablets, and more than 50,000 4G wireless routers to Local Authorities (LA) and academy trusts to allocate to children, families and young adults most in need. For this academic year, more equipment has been made available for disadvantaged children in certain year groups who can’t attend face to face education at their school whether that’s due to disruption of classes caused by COVID-19 or if they have been advised to shield because they are clinically vulnerable.
These devices will allow children to access remote education and provide access to social care and other services to support their safety and wellbeing.
4G wireless routers can be provided to enable remote education for children that do not already have access to the internet at home. Along with two pilot schemes to increase internet access; one scheme will provide free access to BT Wi-Fi hotspots and the other will raise data allowances on mobile devices.
If schools do not already have the resources to facilitate remote education they can also apply for support funded by the government through The Key for School Leaders which will give them access to two free digital education platforms.
The DfE are contacting LA’s and academy trusts in England to request contact details within each school of who will be responsible for placing orders.
All registered contacts will receive instructions on how to place an order.
If you are a registered contact and have received instructions from the DfE you can sign up now to prepare to order laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children in case face to face education is disrupted in your school.
Orders will be assessed based on availability of stock and the extent of local COVID-19 restrictions at the time. Once an order is confirmed, the devices should be delivered to the school within 2 working days.
Following delivery all devices will be fully owned by the school or academy trust who receive them, and it will be their responsibility to loan the devices to those who need them.
Click here for further information
To ensure you are ready to order, sign up with the link sent to your school from the DfE as eligibility to apply will be assessed on which tier of lockdown your school may be in and as such pupils could need the equipment quickly.