This is who is eligible for a free government laptop so children can learn from home in Milton Keynes

Today Milton Keynes MPs Ben Everitt and Iain Stewart announced that 1,939 devices have been distributed to disadvantaged local pupils so far to enable them to carry out their home schooling.

Last month Department for Education last month announced a further 300,000 laptops and tablets would be made available to help even more disadvantaged children and young people learn at home.

Pupils in Years 3 to 13 qualify for the scheme, which is open to all council schools as well as colleges and Further Educaton institutions where students are aged between 16 and 19.

To qualify, the children must have no access to a device at home. Some can even receive government help to get internet access in their home if none exists.

Disadvantaged children and young people who have been advised to shield because they (or someone they live with) are clinically extremely vulnerable are also eligible for a new laptop.

Some disadvantaged children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are included in the offer too. However, if specialist support and equipment is required help may be available through the government's Family Fund

Parents, carers, pupils and students cannot apply for digital devices or internet access through the scheme themselves. They should contact their school, college or other FE institution to discuss requirements for accessing remote education.

More than a million laptops and tablets have now been delivered to schools and local authorities across England, as part of a £400 million investment that will support schools and young people for years to come.

Schools are already receiving top ups to their original allocations, with those with the highest proportion of disadvantaged pupils being prioritised first, say the MPs.

Iain Stewart said: “No child should miss out as a result of the disruption caused by this pandemic. That is why it has been our priority to equip those children most in need with the resources they need to succeed.

“I very much welcome that young people across Milton Keynes are continuing to benefit from the raft of measures the Government has put in place to help schools deliver high-quality learning, and the 1,939 devices we now have received will ensure no child’s education is hindered, regardless of their background or circumstance.”

Ben Everitt MP said: “Every child, no matter where they learn or whatever their background, should be able to receive the great education they deserve and this extra investment in laptops and 4G routers will help ensure that."

He added: "I know there is no better place for students to be that in the classroom and it’s important we get them back as soon as it is safe to do so, but these 1,939 laptops in MK will be vital to the most disadvantaged students.”

To further strengthen remote education provision, the government has also provided more than 54,000 4G routers to schools and colleges across England, ensuring no child is prohibited from receiving a quality education due to a lack of internet access.