Becta and the Home Access programme will also work in partnership with key stakeholders, local authorities, schools and the third sector to explore ways of maximising the benefits of Home Access, as well as finding sustainable ways of delivering the required support and guidance to families. The benefits of Home Access are:
- a decrease in the technology gap between the varying income groups
- special needs learners have access to software or assistive technology appropriate to their needs
- improved learning amongst eligible learners
- increased awareness, interest and involvement of parents in their child’s learning
- increased number of parents using technology for learning for themselves
- improved economic status of eligible families caused by use of technology.
In addition, Home Access can also support the delivery of local objectives, for example increasing the skills base of the population and narrowing the gap in educational achievement between children from different income groups.
“Suffolk believes that ICT is a powerful catalyst and agent for transforming learning, teaching, leadership and management. Home Access has already begun to help ICT to become central to the way students work, as well as supporting more effective communication of progress, ready access to attainment information and exemplar work, online assessment and e-portfolios.”
Suffolk County Council
“I’ve enlisted on to an online maths course so when Evan goes to secondary school I’ll be able to help him with his homework. It’s been a big change because I can just look up jobs or apply to different courses.”
Parent, Home Access pilot