Government to provide laptops for disadvantaged Y10s

[noblegiraffe]

To help disadvantaged Y10s keep up with online learning, schools will be able to make a business case for funds to provide free tablets or laptops to disadvantaged Y10s while schools remain partially closed.

There are also plans to provide 4G routers to disadvantaged secondary pupils with no broadband access, and for mobile providers to exempt selected educational websites from data charges.

schoolsweek.co.uk/coronavirus-dfe-to-provide-laptops-for-disadvantaged-year-10s/

However anyone with one eye on the Free School Meal voucher fiasco will warn you not to hold your breath.

I wonder how that will work here. There is no mobile signal whatsoever. Our broadband is rural and crap. We are having to negotiate as a family round DD1 having online lectures and tutorials and my teaching and uploading of resources. I would like to resume teaching my 4 instrumental students online but I'm wondering how to fit it in.

I've been in touch with my (Tory) MP who has replied promptly and sympathetically. We are now waiting for Openreach to say something - no fibre or anything useful here.

As for the "Academy chain" providing lessons, I'm not holding my breath. We went through OFSTED the week before lockdown and our provision for disadvantaged students was commented on very favourably. Are we not going to be able to continue our work?

Even with crap internet I think it would be helpful. They could still download work and email it in to be marked. Much better than nothing!