1:1 in England A Reality?

on January 29, 2009

Some time ago I was asked by a colleague in the U.S. if England would be the first to achieve 1:1 access for our students. I thought we might be because our Schools Minister Jim Knight had just announced the Home Access Task Force.

This Task Force was charged with looking at how those families, with children between the ages of 5 and 19, who had no Internet access and no device, could get access. This would not only benefit the school children, but also their parents, and enable them to access goods and services, as well as potentially re-engaging with education.

At the end of last year, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced £300m of funding, over 3 years, to provide the estimated 1.5 million families with no access, a device and connectivity. The initial pilot projects were announced in the east and northeast of England, as were the initial providers of solutions that meet the criteria laid down by BECTA, the U.K.'s technology agency.

So exciting times ahead. It is hoped that this funding will prompt others, who won't benefit from the scheme, to ensure that their children have connectivity and a device at home. So the goal of 1:1 access for English children could, in a very short space of time, become a reality. If you want more information on this programme, it can be found at:

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1:1 in England A Reality?

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