Two Shrewsbury Town Councillors have provided funds to enable a local school ensure that their students have access to online learning.
Councillors Kevin Pardy and Mrs Becky Wall have utilised their Councillor Grants to provide support to Shrewsbury Academy in Sundorne, enabling the school to provide assistance for the local community and ensuring that children can continue with their education during the current lockdown.
Shrewsbury Town Council has also helped with finance towards the project with a £500 grant from its Coronavirus Fund.
Councillor Kevin Pardy, Chairman of the Recreation and Leisure Committee and Councillor for Sundorne Ward, said: “I am pleased to be able to use my Councillor Grant to help our local children access the resources which will enable them to continue their education in these difficult times.
“We need to support those vulnerable families in our local community both in terms of the education of our young people as well as supporting families when access to online lessons is limited.”
With schools and support services moving online, there are no ‘in person’ meetings to help local families, and without devices, they are unable to access the assistance they need.
Mrs Becky Wall, Councillor for Battlefield Ward, said: “Whilst there has been some provision of devices for children at Shrewsbury Academy, there is a need to provide more families with similar access to online sessions. I know my Councillor Grant will help to provide visual contact between teacher and child, which is essential when schools are closed.
“The children will also be able to contact one another and this will help to reduce any isolation that they may be feeling during lockdown.”
Julie Johnson, Head of School at Shrewsbury Academy, said: “We are delighted that both our local Councillors and the Town Council have been able to provide assistance so that our children can have access to a device which will enable them to access online learning to ensure that they can continue their education.
“The devices will also enable our children to access the relevant apps that develop and support mental health and wellbeing.
“It is vital that we support our families during this time, and this will have such a positive impact on their daily lives, especially in relation to crucial online support sessions.”
Once lockdown is over, the devices will be returned to the school, quarantined, wiped clear and will then be made available for Special Educational Needs students who need to use them in lessons, helping to completely transform how students learn once they have returned to receiving their education at the Academy.
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