Disadvantaged children across England are set to receive laptops and tablets

[saggu]

Any primary maintained school is been contacted by the LA yet?

[pete]

We (Trust) had the LA (Lincolnshire) email late yesterday re the social care laptops. Our schools are filling in the info now.

[timbo343]

Just been told the Chromebook is the Dell Chromebooks with 32Gb storage and 4Gb ram. I'm guessing they are on par with the Lenovos too. There has been 30,000 order by the govt, and 30,000 are due again soon.

[Andycat]

I've been told we are due to get 15. We've opted for the Windows Laptops, but equally we've already provisioned most students with an iPad anyway.

[DrCheese]

We're trying for 24... Lets see what we get!

[LewRichAIM]

I have filled out the survey, nothing back as yet, went for windows laptops as we are an O365 trust. Anyone managed to got any info on specs yet?

[southhamster]

Our head mentioned that we have been offered 3 - luckily he sensibly chose chromebooks. Yes!

[timbo343]

Just been told the Chromebook is the Dell Chromebooks with 32Gb storage and 4Gb ram. I'm guessing they are on par with the Lenovos too. There has been 30,000 order by the govt, and 30,000 are due again soon.

 

They are due to be released - AT THE EARILEST - end of may, beginning of June.

[3s-gtech]

The Welsh system is starting to make sense now. For those schools that didn’t do this off their own backs and already handed stuff out, we’re due to start handing out to parents next week. The other factor is that we won’t be hit by price gouging - we’re deploying older kit, and can replace it when appropriate at the normal market rate (instead of the 150% markups which these schemes always get hit with).

[the_quick]

We are looking at a different scheme and will be buying few chromebooks.

 

Anyone know 3g/4G dongles that work with Chromebooks?? I couldn't find any approved items list at all.

[enjay]

Anyone know 3g/4G dongles that work with Chromebooks?? I couldn't find any approved items list at all.

 

Aren't they universal? Surely the device just sees a wifi network, it doesn't know how it is being delivered. Certainly, I've never had a problem tethering devices, including Chromebooks, or using 4G dongles.

[JJMC]

I think the OP may be referring to plug in USB rather than an external tetherable device.

[JJMC]

...

Anyone know 3g/4G dongles that work with Chromebooks?? I couldn't find any approved items list at all.

 

In terms of plug in USB dongles, Google offers the following information

 

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/3463300?hl=en-GB

 

An external 4G router allowing tethering would IMO be better.

[the_quick]

Thanks, already seen that page: Currently, Chromebooks support a few models of dongles, such as Huawei - not much information really

 

The problem with router is, others in the house can connect to it, before we know it data will be gone. At least with the directly connected device we can limit it just a bit

[enjay]

The problem with router is, others in the house can connect to it, before we know it data will be gone. At least with the directly connected device we can limit it just a bit

 

I suspect the data will go pretty quickly anyway. One of our students ran up 20GB in two weeks!

[JJMC]

The problem with router is, others in the house can connect to it, before we know it data will be gone. At least with the directly connected device we can limit it just a bit

 

Whilst I agree, in terms of the DfE providing the device, 'we' may not even have a choice. So little information generally not even who the service provider will be, very important - we have signal coldspots dependent upon provider, nor a mention of any usage limits other than supposedly none for educational resources but who knows.

[enjay]

nor a mention of any usage limits other than supposedly none for educational resources but who knows.

 

Nor, how they define "educational resource" to be free from data charges. Youtube, for example, is undoubtedly an educational resource, but I suspect it won't be free.

[timbo343]

Hope this answers a few questions that some have though it might create a few more. I've seen the following and removed our data from it.

 

Thank you for completing the online form requesting your online application for laptops and tablets to help families, children and young people stay in touch with social care services, and enable remote education.

 

Your form has been received by our delivery partner, Computacenter, including the number and type of device (Google or Microsoft) you’ve requested.

 

This email:

 

- confirms how many laptops and tablets you’ve been allocated

- informs you of your initial allocation of 4G wireless routers

- explains how to order devices

- gives you information on how to get devices to children and families

 

A reminder of the package of support available can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19

 

How your allocation has been calculated

As a *data removed* you’re responsible for ordering and distributing laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers to disadvantaged Year 10 pupils who:

 

- do not have a social worker

- do not have the means to access a laptop, tablet or internet connectivity

 

Children with a social worker have been allocated a device through their local authority and should not be included within your allocation.

 

It is important that the devices you request are considered alongside any local provision and the needs of the individual children and families.

 

Your allocation is based on the number of eligible children and young people that:

 

- you’re responsible for

- we estimate do not already have access to a device or internet connection through another source, such as privately owned device or device loaned to them through their school

 

We recognise that academy trusts and schools are best placed to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices.

 

Your allocation

Your online form showed that you anticipate needing more devices than had initially been allocated to your *establishment*. To consider this additional demand we will require you to query your allocation and provide evidence of this additional need.

 

*enter school / academy here* have been allocated a fixed number of devices and 4G wireless routers to support disadvantaged children in Year 10.

 

Laptops and tablets

 

Your allocated number of laptops and tablets is: *number of devices*

 

To enable you to receive your devices as quickly as possible we will continue to prepare the number of laptops and tablets based on your initial allocation, which is set out above.

 

To consider your request for additional laptops and tablets, please provide evidence of this additional need. The process to request additional devices is set out in the section below.

 

4G wireless routers

 

Your initial allocation of 4G wireless routers is: *number of devices*

 

You can find out how to query this allocation below.

 

How to query your allocation

If you wish to query your allocation decision, you must contact us by *date*. This will help us get devices to disadvantaged children and young people as quickly as possible.

 

We recognise that some children will have access to a privately owned device, and some will already have a device provided through their local authority or school.

 

Before querying your allocation for children or young people you’re responsible for, you should make sure that the child or young person is not able to receive a device from another source, such as their local authority school or a privately owned device.

 

To query your allocation, you should:

 

- email COVID.Technology-allocations @ education.gov.uk to explain your query

- provide evidence about how you’ve calculated your device numbers.

If you need more time to complete these checks, please let us know by *Date*.

 

Get laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers: step by step

- Check the number of laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers you’ve been allocated. Computacenter are preparing these devices for you to order. This includes enabling settings to make sure they’re safe and secure for online use.

- Register with Computacenter’s online store: TechSource. You, and the colleagues you nominated on your form, will receive an email next week asking you to register on TechSource.

- Order your laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers. When your devices are available for order, Computacenter will notify you. Please do not worry if you’re not notified straight away, it may take a few weeks for your devices to be available to order.

- Receive your laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers. Once you submit your order you’ll receive the devices within 5 working days. Your devices may arrive in separate deliveries.

 

How to prepare to receive and distribute devices

You will own the laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers you receive, and loan them to children with a social worker and care leavers.

 

As a priority we will deliver devices for children with a social worker and care leavers. This will be followed by devices for disadvantaged Year 10 children who do not have access to a device through other means.

 

Laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers will be delivered directly to the schools named on your order. You need to consider applying your own security settings and software to match the education resources you use, and to fit with your own policies.

 

You should think about how to get devices to vulnerable children and young people as quickly as possible. You can:

 

- arrange for them to be collected by families from school; or

- organise for them to be delivered to children’s homes.

 

This should be done in accordance with social distancing guidelines: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-social-distancing-in-education-and-childcare-settings/

 

What other support is available?

You can also apply for Government-funded support to access one of two free-to-use digital education platforms: G Suite for Education or Office 365 Education.

 

They can apply through The Key for School Leaders: https://covid19.thekeysupport.com/remote-learning/

 

If you have any questions, please email COVID.Technology @ education.gov.uk.

 

You can also find more information in the Department for Education’s COVID-19 guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-technology-for-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19

 

Regards,

The Digital Infrastructure Team

 

My questions are:

- any 4g data caps? Fair usage policies. I guess the school pays for them

- are the 4g devices linked to only the devices? if not how to do this?

- Is 4g actually available in the student's home? If not this could have an impact on the speed / quality of the connection

Edited May 10, 2020 by timbo343

[mavhc]

Any details on the device specs yet?

[timbo343]

The chromebooks are the Dell Chromebooks 32gb, 4gb, celeron from what i know.

 

Still not sure what the windows devices are.

[keyboards]

Are the chromebooks being provided by the LA just going to be vanilla chromebooks then and not enrolled or licensed into G-suite?

[timbo343]

For us they will be sent to our schools directly for us to configure

[mavhc]

Are the chromebooks being provided by the LA just going to be vanilla chromebooks then and not enrolled or licensed into G-suite?

 

Even if they are vanilla, for god's sake, don't lick them.

[saggu]

Hope this answers a few questions that some have though it might create a few more. I've seen the following and removed our data from it.

 

 

 

My questions are:

- any 4g data caps? Fair usage policies. I guess the school pays for them

- are the 4g devices linked to only the devices? if not how to do this?

- Is 4g actually available in the student's home? If not this could have an impact on the speed / quality of the connection

 

Thank you for posting this.

So for any query we need to send to this email ID: COVID.Technology-allocations @ education.gov.uk

 

Correct?

[timbo343]

Thank you for posting this.

So for any query we need to send to this email ID: COVID.Technology-allocations @ education.gov.uk

 

Correct?

 

I guess so. Let's see what they have to say when School IT Support staff start emailing them.