Sutton Council and schools have distributed 1,500 laptops to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

It comes as children across the UK were hit with a digital divide after studies moved online due to the pandemic.

Children from disadvantaged backgrounds did not have computers at home, preventing them from accessing educational content online.

It has been confirmed that schools in Sutton were able to source 702 laptops to children in need.

Additionally, Sutton Council sourced 804 laptops, including over 200 devices donated by the Sutton Housing Partnership and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

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The figures were revealed following queries raised by Lib Dem councillor Mo Saqib at a recent meeting of the council’s Strategy & Resources Committee.

Sutton Council’s lead on education and schools, councillor Jenny Batt, said: “I’m really pleased that Sutton Council and schools have worked hard to ensure 1,500 children across the borough get the laptops and routers they need to learn online.

"I also want to thank the Royal Marsden NHS Trust and the Sutton Housing Partnership for donating over 200 of those devices.

"Despite Conservative ministers overseeing an exam grades fiasco and refusing to back free school meals, this is a strong example of a Liberal Democrat council working with local schools to stand up for the education of our borough’s children, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds who could not access online educational content.”