Teachers forced to beg for cash to buy poorer kids laptops

Government fails on supply pledge

CASH-STRAPPED schools are having to crowd-fund laptops and tablets to stop thousands of kids falling behind in home learning.

Headteachers are relying on online fundraisers, parents and community groups after the Government failed to deliver on a vow to deliver 1.3million computers for pupils in England.

So far, just 800,000 have been given to needy families and heads fear they may have to axe teacher jobs as they fund laptops, cover the costs of making classrooms Covid-safe and pay for supply staff to cover sickness. Raphael Moss, head of Elsley Primary in Wembley, North London, said his £3million annual budget has a £100k shortfall due to the pandemic.

He said: “We have only received 32 Government laptops and had to raise £7,000 to buy extra devices to get students online. Some families have a device per child but others are trying to access education for more than one children through a single device, maybe just a smartphone.”

He said the school lost vital income from not being able to let out its hall for events, and put in a claim of around £35,000 with the Education Department, adding: “Our real costs were about £70k and we got back £8k.”

Nottingham’s Archway Learning Trust has launched a crowdfunding appeal to raise £75,000 for 500 student laptops. CEO Sian Hampton said: “The DfE provided some laptops but it does not take into account all the children who don’t have a device.”

The National Association of Head Teachers said a poll found almost half of schools had received fewer than 10% of the laptops needed.

Its head Paul Whiteman said an estimated 1.8 million UK children had been “miserably let down”.

The DfE said it “provided extensive support to help teachers and pupils access quality remote teaching”.