Home Access Grants

London Borough of Havering SOCIAL CARE and LEARNING HAVERING INSPECTION AND ADVISORY SERVICE Scimitar House 23 Eastern Road, Romford RM1 3NH To: All Head teachers

Please call: Telephone: Fax: e-mail:

Penny Patterson 01708 433827 01708 431895 [email protected]

Date: 01 December 2009 Advanced Notice of Home Access Programme The Home Access programme will provide one-off financial bursaries for low income families to increase the availability of PC and internet access in the home. The spend of this bursary will be ring fenced to specific products from a small list of commercial partners. “Home Access aims to provide practical and financial support to low-income families who may not be able to afford a computer or the Internet. We will support these families to ensure that the educational and social benefits of 21st century technology are available to them.” Diana Johnson, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools Key Points • DCSF will contact schools by email on 1st December. • Expected National roll out – December 2009 to March 2010. • Schools need to be ready to contact low-income families with promotion immediately when notified. Especially as this is so close to Christmas. • Grant will be available on a first come basis until funding allocation for whole project is exhausted. • Schools will receive Home Access Pack from DCSF with promotional materials – estimated date in school Spring 2010. • It will be advertised on Television so that parents are aware. • Applications are means tested – applicants have to fill in a comprehensive form. Schools can hold meeting to aid parents with this process. • Schools can elect to aggregate the purchases on behalf of families. We recommend that schools only offer the aggregation model if they have the capacity to negotiate a better deal from a supplier and are able to cater for ongoing issues with the products especially after warranty term has lapsed. There is no funding to support this; the school would have to be affiliated to the e-learning foundation. • Schools will need to actively target families who may qualify for grant • Applications will be open to learners in years 3 to 9. • Maximum of one grant per household. • Families who have received ICT equipment from other grants may not qualify – in Havering we have issued laptops to looked after children through targeted home access. How will it work? • Qualifying families will receive a payment card and activation notice from card provider with spend limit of £600. • There is a list of approved suppliers (currently 7)who will have identified products for sale. Families can select from a PC, Laptop or Minibook from various manufacturers who meet the required specifications. Schools may support families in choosing a PC, Laptop or Minibook. • There will be 3 additional assistive technology packages for young people with special needs, these will come through a separate provider. • Families present a letter, payment card and identification when purchasing equipment.

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Families collect goods in-store or packages are delivered to their home address by the supplier.

Eligibility Are you a parent or guardian responsible for and living with a child ...in years 3 to 9 ...who attends a state school in England full time ...who did not get a computer from Computers For Pupils or the Home Access programme in the past Do you receive at least one of the following Free School Meals for your child Income Support Income Based Jobseekers Allowance Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) and an income of less than £16,040 Guaranteed Pension Credit Income Related Employment Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act

Yes

Yes

Learning – what next?

Ongoing Becta ’s

Government Vision - The Home Access programme will be successful when • There is a reduction in the technology gap between varying income groups. • Special needs learners have access to software or assistive technology appropriate to their needs. • There is improved learning amongst eligible learners. • There is increased awareness, interest and parental involvement in their child's learning. • The number of parents using technology to learn for themselves has increased. • Families’ economic status improves through effectively using technology. Yours sincerely,

Penny Patterson Senior Inspector ICT Futures Havering Inspection and Advisory Service

Customers