More than 1,500 laptops to help pupils learn through lockdown

More than 1,500 laptops are being provided to help Stoke-on-Trent continue to learn through the coronavirus lockdown.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is distributing a total of 1,533 laptops and 135 4G routers to city schools so more pupils can access online learning. The authority has taken stock of 17 pallets of the computers, worth £429,000, from the Department for Education specifically to help schoolchildren in the city.

Council leader Abi Brown said: “The laptops will be a much-needed boost for pupils in the city, to help them to continue their learning during the coronavirus lockdown. They will help young people to not only catch-up on their school work, but will also allow schools to provide more tailored learning activities and build up resilience before students move on to college courses which will require good research skills. The laptops are loaded with software to support pupils and their families. They include Cisco Umbrella security software to ensure pupils are kept safe when using them. Schools have used a variety of methods to keep in touch with pupils during the lockdown, including through hard copy work packs and online activities. We’re also looking at supporting other pupils who don’t qualify for this scheme who do not have suitable IT at home, and work is ongoing with schools on this.”

(Pictured in main pic Cllr Abi Brown takes stock of two of the 17 pallets of laptops that are being delivered to schools across the city.)

The laptops are being given to care leavers, children and young people with a social worker, and year 10 pupils at maintained schools who do not have access to other devices.

For more information and advice on coronavirus (Covid-19) please visit Public Health England: https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/01/23/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/ and the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.

All residents are reminded about the critical importance of regular handwashing with soap and hot water for 20 seconds. The significance of this action cannot be underestimated.