AROUND 1,500 school pupils in Herefordshire could benefit from council funding to help them learn more effectively from home.

While schools are shut to the majority of pupils due to the coronavirus lockdown, Herefordshire Council has said £650,000 will be spent to improve internet access, as well as making sure children have access to computers.

The council said learning from home has proved "extremely difficult" for some students where a computer or tablet hasn’t been readily available or their home Wi-Fi connection is poor.

The council’s funding will mean that many of Herefordshire schools will be able to reclaim the cost of digital devices and 4G routers purchased to help vulnerable families.

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"This will result in improved digital connectivity for many disadvantaged children and young people, enabling them to join their peers in accessing their lessons effectively from home, rather than attending school," a council spokesperson said.

"This latest announcement follows the recent news that the council will continue to fund free school meals for over 3,200 primary and secondary pupils throughout the February and Easter school holidays through their schools."

Councillor Felicity Norman, cabinet member for children and families, said: “We are delighted to announce that we have made £650k available from our emergency Covid-19 funding scheme to provide schools with the equipment they need to enable their pupils to be able to access their lessons from home more successfully.

"It is incredibly important that all children and young people are provided with an equal opportunity to continue their education whether it is face-to-face or online.

“We expect that remote learning will be a feature of education for the remainder of this academic year in some form, so we are taking this action to support pupils who continue to struggle to access their education online.

"The additional digital equipment will also give children and young people the opportunity to reconnect with their classmates and teachers, whilst freeing up school places for other pupils who need to be in school.”