Sheffield MP calls on the Government to provide an ‘urgent’ response to the 5,000 youngsters in Sheffield still without a laptop

The MP for Sheffield Heeley, Louise Haigh, has written to the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williams, for an ‘urgent’ response to the situation which has left 5,000 secondary-age and post-16 students in Sheffield unable to attend online classes.

The Department for Education has so far failed to deliver enough laptops to schools across the country, as was promised at the start of the pandemic, meaning many are now falling behind with their studies.

Ms Haigh said: “In the first lockdown, schools were closed without a proper strategy in place to ensure children could learn remotely or that disadvantaged children had proper access to the tools to allow them to learn from home.

“It is desperately disappointing and represents a total failure on behalf of this government that at least 5,000 children in Sheffield are still without laptops.

“It is essential that pupils do not fall further behind and a clear plan is in place, not just to reopen schools safely, but to ensure children’s education is protected and working parents are supported.

“That is why it is not only the provision of equipment but also affordable access to the internet that is essential if we are to halt the widening of the attainment gap and ensure disadvantaged pupils reach their potential and see no child priced out of the education they are entitled to.”

She has asked for confirmation from the Government of when Sheffield will be receiving its full allocation of devices and how it will be ensuring every child who needs it has access to the internet.

The Department for Education has claimed that schools are ‘well-prepared to deliver remote education’, with 560,000 laptops and tablets given to schools last year, and a further 100,000 this week.

The Laptops for Kids campaign - launched by The Star, WANdisco and Learn Sheffield in September 2020 - has stepped in to help provide free computers to disadvantaged young people throughout the city.

For more information about the campaign, visit: www.LTFK.co.uk

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