Drax helps schools catch up on missed lessons with laptops donation

The North Yorkshire energy company has delivered 320 more laptops to schools and colleges to help students whose learning has been hit by lockdowns.

Kellington Primary, near Selby, is one of seven local schools to receive laptops with pre-paid dongles, taking the total donated by Drax to Yorkshire schools to 402.

Over the last 12 months, Drax has donated about 1,200 to more than 90 schools across Britain to ensure no child is left behind as a result of school closures.

The £60,000 investment includes three months of pre-paid internet access via a 30GB dongle as part of its national efforts to support communities as they recover from the effects of the pandemic.

It follows the launch of Drax’s Mobilising a Million bid to connect with one million people by 2025 to improve skills, education and employability.

Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said: “Ensuring no child is left disadvantaged as a result of the pandemic is crucial if we are to avoid a lost generation of young people, by helping them to stay connected and catch p on their learning.

“Drax has an important part to play in making sure we have a future workforce with the skills to deliver the new technologies needed to decarbonise the economy and meet the UK’s net zero target.”

Helen Humphrys, Kellington headteacher, said the donation of ten Chromebooks would make a huge difference.

"We have and continue to use digital platforms to support the teaching and learning we provide both within school and to access at home. The Chromebooks will allow more of our children access to the internet in order to support their ‘catch-up’ of missed learning and their ongoing education.”

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams said: “This donation will help children with their education by giving them easy access to the wide range of approved educational material that is now available on-line. Now that our children are back at school technology can be used more to help children reach their full potential.”