The government’s delivery rate for free laptops for disadvantaged students has dropped every week since the start of term, new figures show.
This week the Department for Education delivered or dispatched just over 50,000 laptops and tablets to schools, trusts, colleges and local authorities, compared with 139,000 in the first week of the spring term.
The DfE announced on 12 January that it had secured a total of 1.3 million devices for disadvantaged students.
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By that point (as of 11 January), it had delivered or dispatched 702,226 laptops and tablets.
DfE delivers fewer laptops
But the delivery rate has been declining every week since term started:
- 4 January to 11 January: 139,805 devices (total since the start of the scheme: 702,226)
- 11 January to 17 January: 99,298 devices (total since start of scheme: 801,524)
- 17 January to 24 January: 74,489 devices (total since start of scheme: 876,013)
- 24 January to 31 January: 51,676 devices (total since start of scheme: 927,689)
The DfE told Tes it expects to see a boost in deliveries once orders open for extra allocations next week.
A DfE spokesperson said: “Schools remain open to vulnerable children and children of critical workers, but if critical workers can work from home and look after their children at the same time then they should do so.
“We also continue to provide devices at huge speed and scale for those children who need them the most, with over 927,000 laptops now delivered to schools and councils. Over 365,000 of these have been delivered since schools closed to most pupils, helping ensure no child loses out while learning at home.
“We are taking every possible measure to reduce Covid cases and the protective measures that schools have been following throughout the autumn term continue to be in place to help protect staff and students, while the national lockdown helps reduce transmission in the wider community.”
