Remote Education: Computer Software

(asked on 2nd February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria the Department used to include (a) Microsoft and (b) Google but not other commonly used platforms in its list of suggested providers in the Constituency framework: education and childcare setting (excluding universities) guidance.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 15th February 2021

The Department is currently working with Google and Microsoft providers to deliver the Digital Education Platforms programme. The programme provides Government funded support for schools and colleges to get set up on one of two free to use digital platforms, which includes G Suite for Education (Google Classroom), and Office 365 Education (Microsoft Teams).

The funding covers the technical set up of the platform including all staff, pupil and student accounts.

Support is available to state funded:

  • primary schools
  • secondary schools
  • special schools
  • pupil referral units
  • further education colleges
  • sixth-form colleges

The funded support is for schools and colleges that:

  • do not have a digital education platform
  • have access to Office 365 Education or G Suite for Education, but are not yet set up to assign work and communicate with pupils and students

The Microsoft and Google platforms were chosen as they are free to use to the education sector and had the unified technology and support to set up and deliver effective remote education provision.

Google and Microsoft also offer several features and functionalities that are suitable for school needs.

As of 1 February 2021, £4.8 million has been spent out of a programme budget of £14.23 million, leaving £9.43 million of remaining funding.

The numbers of schools applying to the programme by RSC region is as follows:

  • South East England and South London: 968
  • North West London and South Central: 937
  • Lancashire and West Yorkshire: 851
  • East Midlands and the Humber: 579
  • West Midlands: 525
  • South West England: 519
  • East of England and North East:481
  • North of England: 273

The Department wants to ensure all schools are set up with a remote learning platform and are keeping this under constant review.

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