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Frustration as DfE free laptops arrive ‘locked’

Frustration as DfE free laptops arrive ‘locked’

School ICT lead says they ‘can’t install’ any software on devices for disadvantaged Year 10s

18th June 2020, 11:05am

The government’s free laptops for disadvantaged pupils are arriving at schools “locked” and unusable, heads have warned.

Vic Goddard, co-principal of Passmores Academy in Harlow, said his school received a delivery of 29 laptops only to find they were “all locked” - meaning key software could not be installed.

Sharing an update from his school’s ICT lead, Mr Goddard said: “So our 29 laptops and 13 routers arrived... yippee. We’ve tried to turn them on to check them and hopefully put the software on them that our Year 10s will need. Locked. All locked. My great ICT lead has been trying to solve it.”

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So our 29 laptops and 13 routers arrived... yippee.
We’ve tried to turn them on to check them and hopefully put the software on them that our year 10s will need. Locked. All locked. My great ICT lead has been trying to solve it. This is the email update tonight. @educationgovuk? pic.twitter.com/NQye5kPCju
- Vic Goddard (@vicgoddard) June 17, 2020

An email update from his ICT lead states: “We can’t install anything. I have requested the admin details as it says in a previous email that only the technical contact can request the admin details and my name appears on the document as the technical contact.

“They replied and said I’m not authorised to do it. I have chased them up twice to say I’m authorised but they are now not replying.”

Headteacher Jude Enright previously reported a similar issue on social media.

She wrote: “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, @SLTChat @ASCL_UK, but the DfE laptops are locked and our IT team can’t get admin access. So the dongles don’t work with them... Can you sort this @educationgovuk? [Yes we have tried switching it off and on again...]”.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, @SLTChat @ASCL_UK , but the DfE laptops are locked and our IT team can’t get admin access. So the dongles don’t work with them... Can you sort this @educationgovuk ? [Yes we have tried switching it off and on again...]
- Jude Enright (@judeenright) June 8, 2020

She later added: “Update that @educationgovuk have been very helpful today, most impressive and sorted with code to try for tomorrow.”

The Department for Education has been approached for comment.