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Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Wednesday 31st March 2021

Asked by: James Daly (Conservative - Bury North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many laptops, iPads and other IT and broadband support has been given to schools and other education providers during the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including making 1.3 million laptops and tablets available for disadvantaged children and young people. The Government is providing this significant injection of laptops and tablets on top of an estimated 2.9 million already owned by schools before the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

To date, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts, local authorities and further education colleges. We are making further deliveries on an ongoing basis, and any school that has not yet ordered their allocation of devices can still do so.

Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts, local authorities or further education colleges who can lend these to the children and young people who need them most, during the current COVID-19 restrictions.

We have also partnered with the UK’s leading mobile operators to provide free data to help over 30,000 disadvantaged children get online as well as delivering over 70,000 4G wireless routers for pupils without connection at home.

We are grateful to Asda mobile, BT Mobile, EE, giffgaff, iD Mobile, IQ Mobile, Lebara, Lycamobile, O2, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone for supporting the mobile data offer.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Tuesday 30th March 2021

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which (a) Government department or (b) organisation will be responsible for (i) assessing the number of children and young people who remain without access to an appropriate (A) digital device, (B) internet connection and (C) data after the rollout of the Get Help with Technology scheme is complete; and what steps his Department is taking to tackle digital exclusion among school pupils after the rollout of that scheme.

Answered by Nick Gibb

I refer the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central to the answer I gave on 19 March 2021 to Parliamentary Question 168911.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Friday 26th March 2021

Asked by: George Howarth (Labour - Knowsley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in the event of future covid-19 lockdown restrictions to schools, what proposals he has to ensure that all children have access to appropriate devices for online learning.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including making 1.3 million laptops and tablets available for disadvantaged children and young people. To date, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered to schools, academy trusts, local authorities and further education colleges.

The Government is providing this significant injection of laptops and tablets on top of an estimated 2.9 million already owned by schools before the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Once received, the laptops and tablets will be owned by schools, academy trusts, local authorities or further education colleges who can lend these to children and young people who need them the most. These laptops and tablets are intended to give schools the flexibility to provide remote education support and can continue to be used in the longer term either in the classroom or from home.

The Department also provided support for over 100,000 families to get online through uplifts in mobile data and 4G wireless routers.

We are considering future options on digital education, and we will set out our plans in due course.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Tuesday 23rd March 2021

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what ongoing support will be provided to schools and colleges by his Department to tackle the digital exclusion of their pupils after the completion of the roll-out of the Get Help with Technology Scheme.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department for Education is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. The Department is making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets and have already delivered over 1.2 million of these to schools, colleges, trusts, and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

All devices provided to schools and colleges by the Get Help with Technology scheme are the property of these institutions. The devices are intended to give schools the flexibility to provide remote education support and can continue to be used in the longer term either in the classroom or from home.

Those placing orders for devices through the Get Help with Technology service were given the option to select laptops and tablets with or without the Department for Education safeguarding and security settings applied. For those who required Department for Education settings, we are providing support and guidance to ensure they are prepared so devices can continue to be used to support educational activities in advance of the licence expiry date of the end of September 2021.

Schools can apply to gain access to and training on a free digital education platform. They can choose to apply to use either Google G Suite for Education or Office 365 Education. They can find out more and submit their application through the Get Help with Technology programme. The Key for School Leaders website also provides feature comparison and case studies on how schools are making the most of these platforms to help schools make the most appropriate choice.

Online education support is available for schools through the EdTech Demonstrator Programme, a peer support network offering training and advice to schools and colleges on ways technology can be used to strengthen remote education and catch-up arrangements. It provides access to a network of schools and colleges who are already using remote education technology resources and can help those new to online education platforms to develop effective practice. This will help schools understand how to best use technology to promote pupil engagement and achievement and consider how best to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Digital Platforms Programme, within the Get Help with Technology Scheme, has been extended for a further 12 months. The extension will give other schools the opportunity to apply to the programme and claim their grant by the end of March 2022.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Friday 19th March 2021

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which Department or organisation will be responsible for (a) assessing the number of children and young people who remain without access to an appropriate digital device, an internet connection and/or data after the roll-out of the Get Help with Technology scheme is complete and (b) tackling that gap.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Ofcom runs an annual survey which publishes data on children’s access to technology. This data informed the Department for Education’s COVID-19 response through the Get Help with Technology programme.

The Department has invested over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We have secured 1.3 million laptops and tablets and have already delivered over 1.2 million of these to schools, colleges, academy trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, academy trusts, local authorities, or further education colleges who can lend these to the children and young people who need them most.

The Department has partnered with the UK’s leading mobile network operators to provide free data to disadvantaged families, which will support access to education resources. Families will benefit from this additional data until July 2021.

We are working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to improve broadband connections in schools. DCMS has powers to address some affordability issues for some telecoms services.

We are building on the foundations of the Department’s significant investment in technology and exploring future options, which we will set out in due course.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Thursday 18th March 2021

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many digital devices have been allocated to disadvantaged pupils during national restrictions since March 2020.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department is providing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of 15 March 2021, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak. The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time, and the next publication will be Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts, local authorities or further education providers, which they can lend to children and young people who need them and are intended to enable schools to provide remote education. In the longer term, the Department expects that schools and colleges will continue to make effective use of the devices they have received.

Through the Department’s grant funded, Digital Platforms Programme, over 5,000 schools are now accessing either a Google or Microsoft digital platform for remote learning. Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision. The primary reason for selecting the Microsoft and Google platforms was that they are free to use to the education sector. Both platforms also have features and functionalities that are designed to be used for communication and collaboration that can assist teachers, pupils and students in remote education. The Department plans to examine the broader effect of the interventions we have put in place to support children and young people to continue their education during the COVID-19 outbreak.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where needed, schools are expected to offer pupils three to five hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

The Department has recently updated guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed via Get Help with Remote Education available here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Thursday 18th March 2021

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have used (a) allocated devices, and (b) digital platforms to deliver teaching; and what platforms schools have used to deliver online teaching.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department is providing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of 15 March 2021, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak. The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time, and the next publication will be Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts, local authorities or further education providers, which they can lend to children and young people who need them and are intended to enable schools to provide remote education. In the longer term, the Department expects that schools and colleges will continue to make effective use of the devices they have received.

Through the Department’s grant funded, Digital Platforms Programme, over 5,000 schools are now accessing either a Google or Microsoft digital platform for remote learning. Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision. The primary reason for selecting the Microsoft and Google platforms was that they are free to use to the education sector. Both platforms also have features and functionalities that are designed to be used for communication and collaboration that can assist teachers, pupils and students in remote education. The Department plans to examine the broader effect of the interventions we have put in place to support children and young people to continue their education during the COVID-19 outbreak.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where needed, schools are expected to offer pupils three to five hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

The Department has recently updated guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed via Get Help with Remote Education available here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Thursday 18th March 2021

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of continuing the scheme of providing disadvantaged pupils with devices and other technology post-lockdown.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department is providing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of 15 March 2021, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak. The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time, and the next publication will be Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts, local authorities or further education providers, which they can lend to children and young people who need them and are intended to enable schools to provide remote education. In the longer term, the Department expects that schools and colleges will continue to make effective use of the devices they have received.

Through the Department’s grant funded, Digital Platforms Programme, over 5,000 schools are now accessing either a Google or Microsoft digital platform for remote learning. Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision. The primary reason for selecting the Microsoft and Google platforms was that they are free to use to the education sector. Both platforms also have features and functionalities that are designed to be used for communication and collaboration that can assist teachers, pupils and students in remote education. The Department plans to examine the broader effect of the interventions we have put in place to support children and young people to continue their education during the COVID-19 outbreak.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where needed, schools are expected to offer pupils three to five hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

The Department has recently updated guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed via Get Help with Remote Education available here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Thursday 18th March 2021

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure fair competition for digital platforms which provide technology to schools.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department is providing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of 15 March 2021, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak. The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time, and the next publication will be Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts, local authorities or further education providers, which they can lend to children and young people who need them and are intended to enable schools to provide remote education. In the longer term, the Department expects that schools and colleges will continue to make effective use of the devices they have received.

Through the Department’s grant funded, Digital Platforms Programme, over 5,000 schools are now accessing either a Google or Microsoft digital platform for remote learning. Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision. The primary reason for selecting the Microsoft and Google platforms was that they are free to use to the education sector. Both platforms also have features and functionalities that are designed to be used for communication and collaboration that can assist teachers, pupils and students in remote education. The Department plans to examine the broader effect of the interventions we have put in place to support children and young people to continue their education during the COVID-19 outbreak.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where needed, schools are expected to offer pupils three to five hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

The Department has recently updated guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed via Get Help with Remote Education available here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.


Written Question
Remote Education: ICT
Thursday 18th March 2021

Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to issue new guidance on the use of technology in schools for self-isolating pupils and staff.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department is providing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care. We are making available 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, colleges, trusts and local authorities, supporting disadvantaged children and young people who would not otherwise have access to a digital device.

As of 15 March 2021, over 1.2 million laptops and tablets have been delivered. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/laptops-and-tablets-progress-data-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak. The Department has been publishing this data every week during term time, and the next publication will be Tuesday 23 March.

Once received, the laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts, local authorities or further education providers, which they can lend to children and young people who need them and are intended to enable schools to provide remote education. In the longer term, the Department expects that schools and colleges will continue to make effective use of the devices they have received.

Through the Department’s grant funded, Digital Platforms Programme, over 5,000 schools are now accessing either a Google or Microsoft digital platform for remote learning. Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision. The primary reason for selecting the Microsoft and Google platforms was that they are free to use to the education sector. Both platforms also have features and functionalities that are designed to be used for communication and collaboration that can assist teachers, pupils and students in remote education. The Department plans to examine the broader effect of the interventions we have put in place to support children and young people to continue their education during the COVID-19 outbreak.

From the 8 March, attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. Schools affected by the remote education temporary continuity direction are still required to provide remote education for pupils where their attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. This includes, for example, where such guidance means that a class, group, or small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or that clinically extremely vulnerable children need to shield.

Where needed, schools are expected to offer pupils three to five hours of remote education. This includes either recorded or live direct teaching alongside time for pupils to work independently to complete assignments that have been set.

The Department has recently updated guidance and resources for schools around safeguarding and delivery of remote education, which can be accessed via Get Help with Remote Education available here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/safeguarding.