Disadvantaged children across England are set to receive laptops and tablets

[djm968]

We got 40 laptops, we would of much rather had Chromebooks.

 

We didn't get a choice.

 

The person that the email was originally sent to for your School would have been able to make that choice, did they not ask you what devices you would prefer?

Edited October 1, 2020 by djm968

[DGardiner]

The person that the email was originally sent to for your School would have been able to make that choice, did they not ask you what devices you would prefer?

 

Anyone with a social worker seemed to get managed from the LEA with us onthat initial batch of vulnerable people.

 

The september allocations seem to have all went direct to the trust for sorting thankfully!

[Ditto]

I've just had a look at this new scheme. It seems to be focused on primary whereas previously it was secondary. Looking at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-laptops-and-tablets-for-children-who-cannot-attend-school-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19#when-laptops-and-tablets-can-be-ordered, it quite quickly becomes apparent that it's quite a restrictive set of criteria that gives you the right to apply. For schools in MATs, does anyone know if the school should apply or does the MAT trust do it on behalf of all the schools?

[andy_b]

I've just had a look at this new scheme. It seems to be focused on primary whereas previously it was secondary. Looking at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-laptops-and-tablets-for-children-who-cannot-attend-school-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19#when-laptops-and-tablets-can-be-ordered, it quite quickly becomes apparent that it's quite a restrictive set of criteria that gives you the right to apply. For schools in MATs, does anyone know if the school should apply or does the MAT trust do it on behalf of all the schools?

 

At Trust level I can nominate a school contact and they can order (annoyingly I can't be Trust contact and School contact).

 

There should have been an email:

Dear colleague,

The Department for Education (DfE) is providing laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children in certain year groups who are affected by disruption to face-to-face education at their school due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

You can now let schools order their own devices. We recommend doing this because it’s the quickest way to get help to those who need it.
What we need from you

Use the Get help with technology service to give us contact details for people who will order laptops and tablets for schools.

An account has been created using 

https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk/start

You need to use this to give us contact details for:

   schools who will manage their own orders, or
   representatives from XXX if you decide you want to manage orders centrally

If you would like someone else to complete this information, you can invite additional users.

If you’re managing the process on behalf of schools, we suggest you contact them with details about the offer, and tell them how they can include devices in their planning for coronavirus restrictions.
What happens next

Nominated contacts will get an email explaining the ordering and delivery process. They’ll also be able to see the number of laptops and tablets allocated to the school(s) they’re ordering for.

Devices will only be available to order when local coronavirus restrictions are confirmed, or if devices need to be requested for clinically extremely vulnerable children who are shielding following official advice.

Email [email protected] if you have any questions about the programme, or wish to opt out.

Regards,

The Digital Infrastructure Team

 

They are pretty good at reply if you email them.

 

iPads arrived 1 day after ordering.

[StevieM]

I've just had a look at this new scheme. It seems to be focused on primary whereas previously it was secondary.

 

I don't see that. It says, "Devices can be ordered for disadvantaged children in years 3 to 11" - i.e Key Stages 2, 3 & 4. Did you read it as age 3 to 11, perhaps?

 

Looking at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-laptops-and-tablets-for-children-who-cannot-attend-school-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19#when-laptops-and-tablets-can-be-ordered, it quite quickly becomes apparent that it's quite a restrictive set of criteria that gives you the right to apply.

 

Again, I don't see that. The only catch-out I can see is if a child is self-isolating because of contact with a confirmed case outside school, in which case there has to be at least 14 others self-isolating, too. Other than that, if the school or even a single bubble is closed, then any disadvantaged children would be eligible.

 

That's how I see it, anyway. But, like a certain famous droid, I have been known to make mistakes... from time to time.

[andy_b]

They seem to judge eligibility on the information submitted to:

 

https://form.education.gov.uk/service/educational-setting-status

[Ditto]

. Did you read it as age 3 to 11, perhaps?

Yes - good spot! However, many in secondary should have been helped already, whereas primary were largely left out - excepting those with social workers.

In terms of restrictions, the earlier link includes the statements

 

• with no digital devices in their household
  
• whose only available device is a smartphone
  
• with a single device in their household that’s being shared with more than one other family member
  

I don't recall the details of the previous offer, but these aren't simple things to determine and to have 'no digital devices' seems to be a brush with a very broad sweep.

 

Perhaps my perception is skewed by my governance school. When I asked the trust CEO (primary only) about the previous offer, he was dismissive saying it didn't apply to primaries. I think he ignored the social care option - maybe we don't have any. In this offer, I thought maybe there is more likely to be interest, but I get the feeling for the numbers we are looking at, they don't want the hassle. Personally, I think it's great the devices are being offered, I just think the press headline statements make it look far more generous than it actually is - nothing new there in relation to our press though!

[StevieM]

Ah! I missed those other restrictions.

[DGardiner]

Perhaps my perception is skewed by my governance school. When I asked the trust CEO (primary only) about the previous offer, he was dismissive saying it didn't apply to primaries. I think he ignored the social care option - maybe we don't have any. In this offer, I thought maybe there is more likely to be interest, but I get the feeling for the numbers we are looking at, they don't want the hassle. Personally, I think it's great the devices are being offered, I just think the press headline statements make it look far more generous than it actually is - nothing new there in relation to our press though!

 

This depends on the demographic of the school i think. Our allocations have been quite healthy from this round.

[Ditto]

This depends on the demographic of the school i think. Our allocations have been quite healthy from this round.

 

Yes, and I think that's right. We are in the bottom quartile for deprivation and the need is much greater elsewhere. To be honest, we have an excellent 'Friends' of School who would fund if needed. Where we have been hit hard is loss of income from lettings, after school clubs etc. It's at time like these that it really makes you realise the underlying per pupil DfE income is the most important. The non-government funding that we raise is really covering the cracks.

[mitchell1981]

So this morning I've had the email saying we are now able to place an order.

 

We have been allocated 93 devices. It's not quite clear to me, should I just go ahead and order 93, or am I supposed to order them on a case by case basis. I'd rather get them all in and imaged in one go rather than dribs and drabs. However, so far we've only had a few year 11s asked to isolate.

 

We certainly have enough students who would benefit from this scheme, but are we breaking the rules if they are ordered before the affected students are asked to isolate?

 

Thank you.

[Andycat]

So this morning I've had the email saying we are now able to place an order.

 

We have been allocated 93 devices. It's not quite clear to me, should I just go ahead and order 93, or am I supposed to order them on a case by case basis. I'd rather get them all in and imaged in one go rather than dribs and drabs. However, so far we've only had a few year 11s asked to isolate.

 

We certainly have enough students who would benefit from this scheme, but are we breaking the rules if they are ordered before the affected students are asked to isolate?

 

Thank you.

 

No idea what they WANT you to do, but I just ordered them all at once! 82 available, so I got them all.

[FragglePete]

So this morning I've had the email saying we are now able to place an order.

 

We have been allocated 93 devices. It's not quite clear to me, should I just go ahead and order 93, or am I supposed to order them on a case by case basis. I'd rather get them all in and imaged in one go rather than dribs and drabs. However, so far we've only had a few year 11s asked to isolate.

 

We certainly have enough students who would benefit from this scheme, but are we breaking the rules if they are ordered before the affected students are asked to isolate?

 

Thank you.

 

My understanding is that you can only order if you have a local lockdown in place. I guess they're just getting every 'ready' for when they happen (see how I didn't put 'if'! )

 

Pete

[DGardiner]

So this morning I've had the email saying we are now able to place an order.

 

We have been allocated 93 devices. It's not quite clear to me, should I just go ahead and order 93, or am I supposed to order them on a case by case basis. I'd rather get them all in and imaged in one go rather than dribs and drabs. However, so far we've only had a few year 11s asked to isolate.

 

We certainly have enough students who would benefit from this scheme, but are we breaking the rules if they are ordered before the affected students are asked to isolate?

 

Thank you.

 

 

The criteria for the allocation appears to be FSM/PP - We have just been ordering based on those numbers in the affected groups. until we hit our allocation total.

[Primus]

The criteria for the allocation appears to be FSM/PP - We have just been ordering based on those numbers in the affected groups. until we hit our allocation total.

 

We ordered our maximum allocation in 1 go. My office is now full to the rafters with Chromebooks!

[DGardiner]

We ordered our maximum allocation in 1 go. My office is now full to the rafters with Chromebooks!

 

I do wish we had, i was worried about getting denied and had just hoped asking for what we need would make the turn around quicker.

 

 

Just had to wait a week to get 50 we NEEDED approved.

[enjay]

to have 'no digital devices' seems to be a brush with a very broad sweep.

 

I know of one student who did all their lockdown work from the browser on their games console...

[enjay]

We ordered our maximum allocation in 1 go. My office is now full to the rafters with Chromebooks!

 

The website tells me I can only order them if local restrictions are confirmed. Are you under local lockdown at the moment where you live?

 

Also, does anyone know if we can order more Internet dongles if needed for local lockdown/shielding, or was our original provision in April all we're going to get?

[Primus]

The website tells me I can only order them if local restrictions are confirmed. Are you under local lockdown at the moment where you live?

 

Also, does anyone know if we can order more Internet dongles if needed for local lockdown/shielding, or was our original provision in April all we're going to get?

 

Yup we are an area of local lockdown but what triggered the availability didn't seem to be this but rather rising case numbers we as a school were reporting.

 

We haven't been offered any further 4G hotspots.

[DGardiner]

The website tells me I can only order them if local restrictions are confirmed. Are you under local lockdown at the moment where you live?

 

Also, does anyone know if we can order more Internet dongles if needed for local lockdown/shielding, or was our original provision in April all we're going to get?

 

a local restriction is PHE/Local Authority has instructed you to send a bubble/school home.

 

 

You will be invited to order devices for pupils in years 3 - 11 when we receive confirmation that your school has closed or that groups of children have been sent home due to confirmed cases of coronavirus and based on official advice.

 

Your school should report this through the educational setting status form:

 

If you have pupils in your school that cannot attend school in person because they are critically extremely vulnerable and shielding on official advice, you can tell us about that now, and provide us with more details about the devices that you need.

 

You should provide the following information:

 

• your unique reference number (URN). This is normally 6 digits. If you are a further education college, this will be your 8-digit UKPRN. If you don’t know your URN or UKPRN, you can find these on the Get Information about Schools site
  
• the name of the school
  
• the number of devices required
  
• details of the circumstance where children have recently been advised to shield (on the shielding list, doctor’s note, etc)
  

Edited October 6, 2020 by DGardiner

[enjay]

Thanks @DGardiner I'd missed the wording which said it covers those students who have been told to self-isolate too. Now we just need to worry about provision for staff who have been told to self-isolate!

[DGardiner]

Thanks @DGardiner I'd missed the wording which said it covers those students who have been told to self-isolate too. Now we just need to worry about provision for staff who have been told to self-isolate!

 

Just get your query emails in early if you dont get the invite within a day as there will be back and forth that tends to be a reply a day - also the school need to do the form to report before 12

Edited October 6, 2020 by DGardiner

[enjay]

Just get your query emails in early if you dont get the invite within a day as there will be back and forth that tends to be a reply a day - also the school need to do the form to report before 12

 

That's annoying. It does say on the page to allow 3 days for replies. So do that a few times, then another day for the laptop to be delivered, one more before we can get it to the self-isolating child, and there will be a weekend somewhere in that too. They'll be about ready to come back to school by then!

 

Has anyone had any success with getting the laptops now and pre-empting a specific need?

[hardtailstar]

The person that the email was originally sent to for your School would have been able to make that choice, did they not ask you what devices you would prefer?

 

Our LA just told us we were getting windows laptops for those students that were eligible.

[enjay]

Our LA just told us we were getting windows laptops for those students that were eligible.

 

I think you're confusing two similar schemes which were running at the same time. In one, the school was able to choose Windows laptop, Windows tablet or Chromebook with the number available based on some secret calculation around the number of disadvantaged students in the school. Meanwhile, LAs were allocated devices for students in their schools who have social workers. I think the LAs always chose Windows without discussion.

 

It seems a bit haphazard, really. The person from our LA came to Reception, didn't identify himself and just said he was dropping off a laptop for student. The laptop box just had some initials on it. I had to phone LA and ask who it was for!