Thousands of schools will benefit from a ground-breaking
partnership with tech giants to gain access to education
platforms.
Expert technical support to access Google and Microsoft’s
education platforms, along with free training on how to use
the resources most effectively, will be available for
schools immediately. This will include online resources,
support getting set up, webinars and peer to peer support
between schools.
This follows the Government’s pledge to provide laptops and
tablets for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people
across England.
The Government has committed over £100 million to boost
remote education, including by providing devices and
internet access for those who need it most, ensuring every
school that wants it has access to free, expert technical
support to get set up on Google for Education or
Microsoft’s Office 365 Education, and offering peer support
from schools and colleges leading the way with the use of
education technology.
Today (24 April), the Government has written to local
authorities, trusts and other relevant organisations
overseeing schools and children’s social care outlining the
process for ordering the devices. The Government has
already placed a bulk order and organisations will be able
to register to receive their allocation from today, while
institutions that administer the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund will
be able to apply for a top-up.
Schools Minister said:
As schools, parents and children adapt to the changing
environment we are all faced with, it is vital that we
provide them with the right support so young people are
able to continue their education.
Through close partnership with the education sector and
two of the world’s biggest tech companies, we are working
to ensure that children can continue their studies while
they are at home.
Laptops and tablets for vulnerable and disadvantaged
pupils are on their way and will begin being distributed
in weeks, enabling those most in need to access online
resources.
To further support schools and colleges in delivering the
best possible remote education, twenty institutions with
outstanding technology practices have been awarded between
£70,000 and £150,000 through the EdTech Demonstrators
programme.
The programme was announced last year to boost peer-to-peer
support on the effective use of technology and has now been
tailored to help schools and colleges provide education
remotely. The reach of this programme will be expanded over
the coming weeks, and schools and colleges can register
their interest in receiving support from today.
Guidance for schools on choosing the right education
platform to meet their needs will be hosted by The Key,
including best practice case studies and myth busting. The
guidance will walk schools through the key assets of both
Google and Microsoft’s platforms and provide an option to
register for Government-funded expert support in getting
these platforms set up.
Liz Sproat, Head of Education, Google EMEA:
This is a challenging time for UK schools, educators,
parents and students and this initiative by the
Department for Education provides vital support to
schools seeking to enable remote learning.
We are delighted that our suite of tools, resources and
our partners can help schools maintain learning during
these difficult times.
Cindy Rose, CEO Microsoft UK, said:
Schools across the UK are facing unprecedented challenges
as their staff demonstrate incredible resilience,
imagination and passion to ensure children are safe and
able to keep learning while at home.
We’re proudly working with the Department for Education
to support the roll out of remote learning technology to
those who need it. For some time now, Microsoft has
offered Office 365 for Education free for schools and we
continue working on a number of fronts to support the
education community with the latest technology during
this difficult time.
