Schools across East of England to get fast broadband

Access to reliable, high-speed internet is vital in schools, the government said

Primary schools in "hard-to-reach" areas are to get ultra-fast broadband as part of a government roll-out.

The 91 schools across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Cambridge are mostly in isolated spots that have connectivity issues.

Each will have gigabit broadband by December 2025, with some seeing speeds up to 500 times faster, BT said.

Schools minister Baroness Barran said reliable internet was key to ensuring pupils get the best possible education.

"Whether it's through seamless access to digital resources or video streaming, this welcome investment will unlock new possibilities for hundreds of settings in rural and hard-to-reach areas, bringing ultra-fast broadband to those who wouldn't otherwise have access to it," she added.

The government says it is committed to providing nationwide full fibre broadband coverage by 2030.

The roll-out by BT and Openreach is part of the £5bn Project Gigabit to connect communities and is joint-funded by the Department for Education and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology,  Last month it was announced about 97,000 homes were set to benefit from the scheme across Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire.

Live connections are due this summer following work to connect 142,000 homes and businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Number of schools to benefit by region:

• Norfolk - 13

• Suffolk - 12

• Essex - 19

• Cambridge - 3

• Buckinghamshire - 10

• Hertfordshire - 34