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: Penny Patterson
Telephone: 01708 433827
Fax: 01708 431895
e-mail: ppatterson.311@lgflmail.org

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.
 • 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 Yes
...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 Yes
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

Learning – what next?

Ongoing
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

Becta ’s
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