Can a laptop in the Laptops for Teachers scheme be a desktop computer? Possibly, according to preliminary guidelines from the DfES. Last month, the department announced pound;100 million for LEAs to purchase laptops on behalf of schools. Even so, LEAs will be able to purchase desktops under the scheme in exceptional circumstances or as part of a local deal. The department wants teachers to have a machine they can use at home and at work, hence its focus on laptops.
But the universal trend towards web-based applications for lesson-planning, records and email means that working on the same machine irrespective of your location has become less important. Conversely, speedy access to the internet is a necessity, although funding for the cost of home internet access is not covered by the scheme. Teachers with strong reasons for preferring a desktop for home use, who already have access to a machine at school, could make a case. The DfES website has details of the scheme and will be updated as proposals are finalised.
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