Schools favour laptops over desktops

In its latest annual ICT in UK State Schools survey, Besa says that while only 13% of the 1,379 schools questioned have an extensive requirement for desktop computers, the percentage increases to 30% for laptop computers. Ray Barker, director of Besa, described the move as "a predictable evolution that more accurately reflects the learning environment in schools today". The document, published on 13 October 2010, says there are an estimated 2.54m computers in UK state sector schools. The majority of these, 1.75m, are desktop computers, while the remaining 780,000 are laptops. This figures show an increase of more than 500,000 computers on the figure recorded in 2005. Besa says it expects that during the current financial year laptop purchases in primary schools will exceed desktop purchases for the first time. In secondary schools the provision of desktop and laptop computers is expected to be equal, however. It predicts a 7.4% reduction in desktops purchased by 2011, due to less purchasing and a high level of redundancy. However, schools are likely to retain more laptops resulting in a lower level of redundancy and an overall higher provision of laptops in schools. The research is based on a survey of ICT coordinators and heads of IT in 812 primary schools and 567 secondary schools across the UK, conducted in July 2010. Other key findings in the report include: - 46% of schools said they will probably or definitely be able to maintain planned ICT investment in 2011-12, with only 6% definitely unable to do so; - more than 50% of schools indicated that they are under resourced on laptops, learning platforms and/or digital content; - 50% of schools consider themselves to be well equipped with wireless networking; - 38% of schools feel that the closure of Becta will affect the advice they receive about best practice.