East Renfrewshire gives all its schools VR headsets

A Scottish council says it has become the first local authority in the UK to invest in virtual reality headsets for every school in its area.

East Renfrewshire Council has invested £250,000 in more than 900 ClassVR devices.

It said the headsets designed by Avantis would provide a virtual and augmented reality set designed specifically for teaching.

The technology has been provided to all of the council's 30 schools.

'Immersive technology'

Education convener Paul O'Kane said the headsets would be combined with more traditional teaching methods.

Pupils at an East Renfrewshire school with the new headsets

He said: "We are committed to providing the best learning experiences possible for all our pupils.

"By investing in this kind of immersive technology it will provide our children with experiences and sensations that they may never experience in reality and brings learning to life in a way that ignites their imagination."

The councillor added: "As the first local authority in the UK to make this commitment to virtual reality there is no doubt that East Renfrewshire will continue to be at the very forefront of digital learning in the country."