Almost 90 per cent of the 372 primary heads surveyed by the National Foundation for Educational Research reported that their schools had Net access. But just 30 per cent said their connection was consistently good enough to be used in lessons.

Researchers Alison Kington and Lesley Kendall blame the quality of school computers and the volume of traffic on the Net for these problems. Their survey, carried out in the autumn of 2000, found a significant increase in information and communications technology resources in the previous three years, with approximately one computer now available for every 12 primary pupils.

Training boosted teachers’ confidence in using computing but they were not always able to take it up and lacked technical support. Half the heads surveyed said technical support was provided by a teacher but no extra time was allocated for this task. Only 12 per cent employed specialist technicians.

Though two-thirds of heads considered interactive whiteboards useful, only nine per cent had them. By contrast, most had e-mail but did not see it as a learning aid.

Free copies of Digest No: 11 Annual survey of trends in education are available from the NFER. Tel: 01753 747199.

Anat Arkin