We know there are many pupils in our area with little or no access to technology and this is having a significant impact on their learning. Nationally, research is showing that Covid-19 is increasing educational divides and we want to help to address that. Technology is an area where we can make a rapid difference, and so we have been working with schools and with the education team at the Borough Council, to get support to children who need it right now.
In an effort to eliminate barriers to learning for some of the most disadvantaged in the borough, we've purchased a total of 110 laptops which have been bought through our Covid-19 community fund with support from a generous donation by The Bedford Educational Association, to be shared with vulnerable pupils in Bedford via their secondary school.
The scheme is being offered to all 14 of the borough’s secondary schools, including Mark Rutherford School where Kelli Foster, Acting Headteacher, has welcomed the initiative. “We are delighted that The Harpur Trust is making laptops available to vulnerable pupils and this will make a real difference to some of our families who are in desperate need of technology to support their home learning.”
Throughout the crisis, we have been working collaboratively with other funders, charities and groups to ensure that every penny we spend from our £1.5 million covid-19 community funding goes to the people and organisations who need it the most.
We are also hugely proud of the work all four of our schools have been doing to support the community throughout the crisis. In this particular case, IT staff at Bedford School worked hard to procure and prepare the laptops.
Irene Saenger, Chairperson of The Bedford Educational Association said “As a local charity committed to the support of individual pupils and educational institutions within Bedfordshire, we are delighted to contribute to this important initiative. We recognise the hard work and creative thinking that lie behind it and hope that it will make a huge difference to the learning potential of some of the most disadvantaged young people in our area during these difficult times.”