Newsletter

Summer 2010

Writhlington launch one of the biggest ever programmes
Writhlington School near Radstock in Somerset hit the national press following their launch of one of the biggest e-learning programmes ever. A new school building came about through £25m of BSF funds, but the new approach to teaching and learning came through the inspiration and vision of the leadership team. Each of the 1,400 pupils have their own device for use in the classroom and to take home to complete homework, coursework and for independent study.

The school not only wanted to make the most of the once in a lifetime opportunity that BSF represents, but also to ensure the approach could be sustained in the future. The obvious solution was a partnership with the parents.  A proposal was put to parents to make a contribution of about £2 a week to allow every child to have their own computer. The e-Learning Foundation collects the regular donations through the Donation Management Service, saving the school a significant administration burden.

Over 90% of parents have already agreed to contribute to the programme, and most have signed the Gift Aid declaration enhancing the value of their donations by 28%. The school has a relatively low Free School Meal figure with just over 50 pupils currently eligible. These pupils qualified for a Home Access grant but unfortunately none of the computers approved for that scheme were compatible with the wireless network installed at the school. The e-Learning Foundation was able to assist with a small grant to ensure that the school could implement an equity scheme and everyone was provided with exactly the same resources regardless of their circumstances.