Issue details

Supporting Remote Learning by Providing Laptops to Lancashire Schools

Currently, schools are open to two key categories of pupils: vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. The Department for Education has made it explicitly clear that children and young people not falling into either of these categories should continue to access learning remotely.

 

Updated guidance from the Department for Education published on 7 January, 2021, sets out a minimum amount of remote education which must be provided at each Key Stage for primary and secondary schools. Access to remote learning during the pandemic is dependent on the availability of laptops.

 

The guidance states that schools must overcome barriers to digital access for pupils by distributing school-owned laptops by a user agreement or contract.

 

Lancashire has 175,701 pupils at 628 schools and to ensure that all children and young people are able to access remote learning presents a challenge. Our data tells us that 37,367 (21.3%) children and young people across the county are identified as disadvantaged, ranging from 11.9% in the Ribble Valley to 31.2% in Burnley.

 

The objective of this report is to meet this challenge, through the allocation of free laptops for pupils who have not been able to access remote learning through any of the national or local schemes currently available.

Decision type: Non-key

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Divisions affected: (All Divisions);

Notice of proposed decision first published: 28/01/2021

This decision will be taken under urgency procedures.

Reason for urgency:
This decision is urgent and cannot await the next meeting of Cabinet on 4 February 2021. The reason for this is that there is a real risk in terms of being able to secure any supply of laptops and BT Lancashire Services has confirmed 1,800 devices can be supplied immediately (at approximately £350 per device) but these devices can only be held until 5pm today, after which point the opportunity may be lost and they may be sold to other organisations. This decision is therefore being taken on behalf of Cabinet by the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order C16(1).

Anticipated restriction: Part I  -

Decision due: 28 Jan 2021 by Leader of the County Council

Decision due: 28 Jan 2021 by Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools

Lead member: Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, Leader of the County Council

Lead director: Executive Director of Education and Children's Services

Contact: Sarah Callaghan, Director of Education & Skills, Education & Children's Services Email: sarah.callaghan@lancashire.gov.uk.

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