Stephen has written to the Schools Minister, Nick Gibb, asking that the Department for Education urgently look at delivering more laptops to schools in East Ham.
Earlier this week, Stephen raised the case of Kensington Primary School with Mr Gibb in the House of Commons. Kensington – which won primary school of the year at the Pearson national teaching awards earlier this year – is still to receive a large number of laptops which it had ordered from the Department for Education.
A survey sent to East Ham schools found that the distribution of laptops has been patchy. Although some have enough devices – often loaning a number of their own laptops or relying on donations – others are struggling. Some schools have only received a third of laptops ordered whilst others estimate they have hundreds pupils who are struggling to access a device at home.
Stephen said: “It is troubling that so many pupils in East Ham are at home and without laptops whilst schools remain closed.
“Every pupil must have access to the devices they need to learn. I have asked the Minister to personally look at some specific instances where the government has failed to supply an adequate number of laptops for pupils.”
To read Stephen’s letter to the Schools Minister, click here.