Home Access Programme
Free laptops and broadband for 270,000 families across the
country
in ground-breaking scheme
The Prime Minister and Ed Balls have
announced the national roll out of a ground-breaking scheme to give
270,000 low income families a free computer and free broadband access,
under a major drive to close the digital and educational divide between
rich and poor and help keep parents in touch with their child's
progress.
The announcement comes as Cabinet Ministers
host international Ministers at the annual Learning and Technology
World Forum, representing 1 billion children in the world, along with
other leaders in technology and learning. The UK now leads the world in
technology for education. UK education and skills exports are worth
around £28billion annually, making the UK a world leader in meeting the
accelerating demand in this dynamic sector.
The £300m investment in the Home Access
programme will help make England one of the first countries in the
world to ensure young people can use a computer and the internet at
home for their education, and get parents better involved and
understanding more about what their child does at school.
Studies show that 81 per cent of parents
think having internet access at home has helped this – and increased
parental engagement is proven to boost attainment at school. The
Government is currently legislating to make reporting to parents online
by 2012 a legal guarantee in the Children, Schools and Families Bill.
Home Access computers are also loaded with a suite of software to
support literacy and numeracy for all the family.
From today families with children in years
3 – 9 (approximately age 7 – 14), who are entitled to free schools
meals, will be able to apply for a grant to buy a computer and
broadband connection from an approved supplier, after meeting strict
eligibility criteria. Looked after children up to the age of 18 will
also receive laptops, and the scheme will offer bespoke packages to
provide more support for children with special educational needs.
The programme is being rolled out
nationally after successful pilots in Oldham and Suffolk showed a
positive impact on both the pupils and their parents:
- On average, children who received
computers from the Home Access programme spent an hour more per week
for learning online, compared to their classmates who already had the
internet at home
- 81 per cent of parents believed that home access had
increased their involvement in their child’s learning – and increased
parental engagement is proven to improve children’s educational
attainment
- 81 per cent of parents (94 per cent in black and ethnic
minority groups) said home access would improve their confidence in
using technology
- 89 per cent of parents in Oldham and 69 per cent in
Suffolk felt it would help them with their skills development
- Parents
reported using their Home Access computer to access public services
online, and to also look for work.
A recent study from the Institute of
Fiscal studies also showed that having a computer at home could lead to
a two grade improvement in one subject at GCSE. Points to note:
Eligibility for the Home Access Grant is based on the Free Schools Meal
criteria which means that applicants can apply if they are registered
for Free School Meals or if they receive one of the qualifying benefits
(income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit
but not Working Tax Credit and an income of less than £16,040,
income-based Employment Support Allowance or the Guaranteed element of
the Pension Credit). Applicants will also have to meet the other
eligibility criteria, namely:
- They have a child in years 3-9
-
They attend a state-maintained school in England or have their place
paid for by an English LA or DCSF
-
They have not benefited under HA or CfP in the past
Carers and
foster parents for Looked After Children in school years 1 to 13 are
likely to also be eligible for Home Access. From today, parents will be
able to ring to request an application form for a Home Access grant. If
they meet strict eligibility criteria, they will then receive a
pre-loaded debit card to spend on one Home Access computer and one
broadband connection per family for one year. These are available from
a list of approved suppliers. The general public will also be able to
purchase Home Access kits from retailers, so parents can be sure that
the laptops they buy are fully security checked, are safe and have all
of the software needed to support learning. For more information how
parents can apply for a Home Access Grant
Call 0333 200 1004 or visit www.homeaccess.org.uk to get more information and request
an application form.
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