UK NetYear, the government-backed national initiative that aimed to encourage the use of computers in schools, has closed after a year in operation. David Wimpress, the executive chairman, said the board of trustees felt that its aims of raising awareness about the benefits of using information and communications technology in schools and supporting the training of teachers had been “largely completed” now that the Government has allocated funding. He denied that UK NetYear had failed, but the closure comes just weeks after advertisements seeking sponsors appeared in the national press. UK NetYear projects in Northern Ireland announced last month, including a competition asking schools to devise a blueprint for a website that will be attractive to girls, will continue.

www.uknetyear.org