Skip to main content
Site logo

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About Richard
  • News
  • Campaigns
  • In Parliament
  • Contact
Site logo

Richard Holden supports moves to ensure every child in North West Durham access to a high-quality remote education

  • Tweet
Tuesday, 12 January, 2021
Richard Holden in North West Durham

Richard Holden, Member of Parliament for North West Durham, has welcomed the measures the Government has put in place to ensure every student across North West Durham receives a high-quality remoted education while schools are closed.

Throughout the pandemic, education has been a national priority, and thanks to the efforts of teachers and school staff across the country, schools remain the best, and safest place for our children to learn.

However, with our country in alert level 5, the highest it has ever been, the closure of schools is now necessary to keep the new variant of the virus under control. While there is no substitute for learning in a classroom, the Government has strengthened measures to ensure every child has access to a high-quality remote education.

As part of the Government’s commitment that no child is left behind, it is providing a million laptops and tablets for schools to allocate locally to students who need them most. To date, it has delivered over 560,000 devices to councils in England, with students in North West Durham benefitting from the 1,808 devices provided to schools and colleges across County Durham, with a further 100,000 arriving this week nationally.

In tackling the barriers to remote learning for our most vulnerable students, over 54,000 4G routers to have been delivered to schools and colleges in England, ensuring every child has internet access. The Government is building on this work through its partnership with the UK’s leading mobile phone providers, including EE, Three, O2 and Vodafone, to deliver free internet access for these students until July 2021.

The Government has also strengthened remote education requirements for schools, which will be enforced by Ofsted, so parents can be reassured that their children will benefit from a set number of hours of high-quality remote learning a day.

Commenting, Richard Holden, Member of Parliament for North West Durham, said:

“The difficult decision to close schools and colleges was not taken lightly but is necessary if we are to keep the new variant of the virus at bay in North West Durham and across the country.”

“While nothing can ever replace the benefits of learning in a classroom for our children and young people, we will continue to do everything we can to make sure they have access to a high-quality remote education so they can receive the world class education that they deserve”.

Commenting, Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson said:

“The last thing any Education Secretary wants to do is close schools and this is not a decision that the government ever wanted to take. But the closing of schools for the majority of pupils does not mean the end of their education.”

“Schools and colleges are much better prepared to deliver online learning – with the delivery of a million devices well underway, data support and high-quality video lessons available via the Oak National Academy.”

You can sign up to Richard’s newsletter and hear more about the work he is doing for North West Durham here or by using the form on this page.

  • Local News

You may also be interested in

Embedded thumbnail for Richard Holden interviewed by the BBC as he welcomes Nissan's commitment to the North East

Richard Holden interviewed by the BBC as he welcomes Nissan's commitment to the North East

Friday, 22 January, 2021

Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, has today been interviewed by the BBC about Nissan.

News

  • Coronavirus

You can sign up here to get Richard's monthly newsletter.

Stay informed on Richard's latest news and campaigns.

The information you provide is used in accordance with our Data Collection and Use policy. By clicking this button you agree to your email address being used in accordance with that policy.

Show only

  • Local News
  • Opinions
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News

Richard Holden MP for North West Durham

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Richard Holden
  • In Parliament
Site logoPromoted by Ian Hirst on behalf of Richard Holden
Copyright 2021 Richard Holden MP for North West Durham. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree