Continuing our momentum with digital support for schools is important to us and we have stepped in to help Humphry Davy School in Penzance.
We donated 20 laptops to help children's learning and also donated £5,000 to support the school's digital vision.
Humphry Davy School students have also benefited from funds donated by the local community and laptops from the Department for Education (DfE).
Headteacher Bill Marshall said: “The LiveWest grant and donation of laptops, coupled with the community funds, will complement and add to the latest delivery of DfE laptops to provide a meaningful legacy to support students in the months to come. The lockdown may be coming to an end, but the students and their families will benefit long into the future.
“We are truly grateful for the support from our wonderful community and this generous offer by LiveWest as it will make a huge difference to the children.
“By the end of the lockdown period, over 130 families will have directly benefitted from laptops and/or improved broadband access provided by the DfE schemes and there are more in the pipeline.
“We have been open throughout the lockdown to children of key workers and those that would benefit from our structured support, hosting on site up to 100 students per day.
“Staff have planned and effectively delivered on-line remote learning activities and provided work packs where preferable for families; checking in with many families on a daily basis and providing support and advice throughout.
“Students are most receptive to learning when they feel safe, settled and relaxed. With young people and family routines interrupted by the lockdown, a significant focus of our efforts has been to provide regular, clear communication and a series of structured well-being and group activities. The feedback from parents is that this has been very welcome.”
The donation is a welcome boost to Humphry Davy School where 60% of its students live in some of the most deprived wards within the UK. The school has 850 students on its roll, is a member of the Penwith Educational Trust and is partnered with 14 feeder primary schools.
Mr Marshall added: “We also have more than 10% of students on average in each year group compared to other Cornwall secondary schools supported by the Pupil Premium.
“The relationship between many of our families and a social landlord like LiveWest may not be explicit but very real.”
Our Grants Manager, Tim Wotton, said: "It was a real pleasure to be able to support Humphry School in this way and we hope the laptops and financial donation goes a long way to help the children on their learning journey."