Council responds to threat of legal action over North Yorkshire schoolchildren's access to education in lockdown

Jolyon Maugham, founder of the Good Law Project, announced he would take legal action against councils across the country to try to push the government into action over pupils' lack of access to computers and the internet.

The legal activists group - which has successfully sued big organisations including Uber and the Electoral Commission - says local authorities have a duty to ensure disadvantaged children have access to online learning.

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North Yorkshire County Council has now responded saying while home learning methods will vary from school to school, it is "going above and beyond" the new government guidance on education.

Judith Kirk, the council's assistant director for education and skills said: "Across North Yorkshire there will be many varied ways of how schools are working with their communities, some will be technology based, whilst others will have provided other materials pre-closure.

“During this period of national crisis the local authority and schools are working hard to ensure that care is in place for critical workers and vulnerable children as appropriate and that vulnerable children at home are supported by schools and the local authority.

"Our focus is on keeping children safe and ensuring that critical workers are available to work in this national effort against coronavirus.

“Schools across North Yorkshire are rapidly adapting to closure and working hard to provide care for approximately 1200 vulnerable children and the children of critical workers on term time weekdays. Many schools have also remained open during the Easter holiday period.

"In addition to this a number of schools and staff have stepped forward to provide weekend and public holiday emergency childcare for critical workers, going above and beyond the Department for Education’s requirements."

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Nationally, the Good Law Project has estimated around one million children do not have access to learning devices or internet connections at home.

And after launching a £25,000-target fundraiser, the activists have also written to the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, demanding central government give local authorities extra funding to help with provision.

Mr Maugham said online: "Schools will remain closed well into – if not for the duration of – the Summer term. The government's plan for schooling is that it should shift online, however, if matters stay as they are a million children from lower income families will be left behind - either because they are sharing a tablet or laptop with siblings and working parents or because they don’t have a device or home internet access at all."

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter

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