A Walthamstow Primary School is celebrating after receiving a new set of class laptops which will help children who have to self-isolate carry on learning from home.
Barn Croft Primary School has been given 30 new Chrome Books by housing association L&Q so that pupils who do not have access to computers at home are not disadvantaged.
Head teacher Tracey Griffiths said: “We were working with L&Q on creating a mural for St James Street station, and they asked us if there was anything else that we needed. We’d had huge issues around pupils not being able to learn from home during the first lockdown because they didn’t have access to devices, so we asked for some funding to buy class laptops and they arrived last week.
“This donation is so important because it stops some pupils from being disadvantaged if they have to self-isolate or if there is a class sent home. We did a survey earlier in the year and around a quarter of our pupils are classed as vulnerable and disadvantaged so we really wanted to support them to make sure they don’t fall behind as a result of the pandemic.
“In the first lockdown we had been sending out paper packs for learning to pupils who didn’t have access to a device, but now that they can access the class platforms on the Chrome Books it will make a huge difference to struggling families. It also means that we can teach twice as many IT classes in school, improving the pupil’s computer skills and their knowledge of online safety.”
L&Q manages over 4,000 homes in Waltham Forest. The donation was made by the housing association’s Community Fund for South Grove.
Matt Corbett, Director of the L&Q Foundation, said: “Digital exclusion is an issue that affects a huge amount of children who have been learning from home throughout the pandemic, and we are pleased to be able to support Barn Croft Primary School in helping pupils to continue learning when they are not able to come into the school.”
