Portsmouth schoolchildren to receive tablet computers to learn from home

Portsmouth's Elementary Education Trust has made the decision to allocate £70,000 to schools, in order to buy tablets and Chromebooks.

These will go to children from families on low income who are doing schoolwork from home due to cases of Covid-19 at their schools.

The £70,000 will pay for up to 700 of these computers, according to the trust.

Chairman, Councillor Hugh Mason, said: ‘It's been very difficult to educate children who don't have access to a computer and Wi-Fi at home.

‘This grant means that schools can loan these tablets to pupils to allow them to engage in online teaching, do their homework and keep up with their lessons. For many families on the very lowest incomes buying a computer and paying for Wi-Fi is just impossible.

‘Children from the poorest families often do less well at school, and we want to make sure these children don't fall behind during the pandemic.’

Schools are expected to stay open during the second national lockdown, from November 5 to December 2.

But if there are positive cases in classes, then instructions are issued for anyone close to that individual to self-isolate for 14 days.

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