Laptop at school: what are the rules and who pays?.

Is a laptop required at school?

Whether a laptop is needed depends on the school. Some schools work fully digitally, others use laptops only for certain subjects.

It is important to know: a school may not require parents to buy a laptop. Education must be accessible to every child. If a laptop is needed for education and you cannot or do not want to buy one, the school must offer an alternative. Such as a loan laptop.

Schools can recommend a laptop and explain what requirements are needed for education. But they cannot force parents to buy a specific brand or model.

What can you do if the school says a laptop is required?

Sometimes it seems like buying a laptop is required. For example, by how schools communicate about this. If you cannot or do not want to buy a laptop, talk to the school. The school has the duty of care to provide a solution. If you cannot agree, you can contact the school governing body or the Education Inspectorate.

Renting a laptop

Some schools cooperate with external companies that offer laptops. You can then rent or buy a laptop, often with service and repair included.

Renting can seem handy, but watch the costs. You usually pay a deposit and monthly fees. Sometimes you end up paying as much or more than if you buy a laptop.

What should a school laptop meet?

At most secondary schools your child uses a laptop for:

• digital teaching methods
• a Microsoft Office package with programs like Word and Powerpoint
• online platforms from school, like Magister or Somtoday
• cloud storage, like Google Drive or OneDrive
• an internet browser and security software.

Always ask the school which programs are needed. This way you avoid buying a too expensive or wrong laptop.

Can your child also use the laptop privately?

That depends on the agreements and who owns the laptop. If you buy a laptop yourself, your child can usually also use it privately.

The school can apply certain settings to ensure a safe learning environment, for example by blocking certain websites during school hours. Often your child can use a private account next to a school account, so the laptop is normal to use outside school hours.

Can the school check or monitor usage?

Schools can check use of school accounts and school software. For example, to limit distractions or ensure safety.

This must always have a clear purpose and be justified. If you want to know exactly what your school does, you can ask the school.

Screen time

If your child works with a laptop at school, there is of course more screen time. This makes it extra important to be aware of screen use at home. Look not only at how much time your child spends behind a screen but also what they do and if it affects the rest of the day. Make sure there is enough balance with exercise, playing outside, and rest, and make agreements together about screen use after school.