Coronavirus: Cumbria's vulnerable pupils given 1,000 laptops

Some families in the county do not have the laptops pupils need to access learning

A thousand laptops have been given to vulnerable children in Cumbria so they can continue their education during the coronavirus lockdown.

Cumbria County Council sourced devices through a government scheme to support disadvantaged pupils and care leavers.

Its allocation was insufficient for the 3,000 eligible but it had successfully applied for an increase, it said.

Cabinet member Sue Sanderson said education provision had been "challenging".

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The council's system of teaching vulnerable children and those of key workers at one "hub" rather than several different schools had been unusual but had suited the county's needs, she said.

Across the county 235 schools were open, accommodating 3,570 pupils - about 7% of the county's schoolchildren, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"That gives you an idea of quite how challenging this is," Ms Sanderson said.

Cabinet members were told the extra laptops would be distributed by the middle of the month.