Education Secretary Estelle Morris this week delivered a late Christmas present to teachers in England in the form of 100,000 free laptop computers.

The new Laptops for Teachers scheme is worth pound;100 million over two years - double the figure that was originally envisaged.

Ms Morris’s announcement came as Professor David Reynolds, a senior government adviser, warned that 60 per cent of teachers make little or no use of information and communications technology.

Although not every one of the 410,000 teachers in England will get a computer, the Government scheme is a big step forward in the drive to give the profession better access to technology and bring them closer to their counterparts in the private sector.

It is the first time the Government has provided machines free of charge to teachers. During the first two phases of the scheme, 32,400 teachers received grants of up to pound;500 to buy their own computers. This time the laptops will be owned by schools so that the DFES will not be obliged to pay VAT.

Two years ago The TES launched a campaign to encourage the Government to give laptops to teachers, after research evidence demonstrated the difference personal access to a portable computer could make.

Opening the BETT technology exhibition in London, Ms Morris said teachers must have regular and personal access to computers to develop their ICT capabilities.

“The new Laptops for Teachers initiative builds on the success of previous schemes but moves the pace on significantly,” she said.

Schools will have to decide which teachers receive a laptop and local education authorities will contact heads to agree arrangements for each school.

Ms Morris also claimed that more computers in the classroom will allow bright pupils to move up a year or stragglers to be kept back, without changing classrooms. Unveiling her vision of the future, she said ICT would lead to bespoke study programmes for pupils.

In an article in today’s TES, Professor Reynolds says that teachers are not being given enough advice on how to make the best use of technology in the classroom.

Professor Reynolds, who received a CBE in the New Year’s honour list for his role as head of the Government’s numeracy strategy, says that technology’s potential to transform schools is “threatened as long as we delude ourselves that ICT in schools is an unvarnished success story. It isn’t.”

Last week it was announced that 9,000 Scots teachers would get pound;200 grants to buy home computers. There is no equivalent scheme in Wales, although every Welsh secondary head was given a laptop two years ago and 100 new heads are to receive one this year. The Welsh Assembly has also made a substantial investment in technology suites.

* Teachers do not have to register for the laptops scheme. See http:lft.ngfl.gov.uk or call 0870 241 4679 7.30am to 8.30pm weekdays and 9am to 5pm weekends.

Leader, 18

David Reynolds, 19

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