“It’s a win-win – for pupils and for businesses who need to dispose of IT equipment without cost.”

The words of David Newman, Director of Finance and Operations at Poole High School.

Today the school, which has just under 2,000 students, launches its RECOM (REcycling COMputers) campaign.

It is appealing for businesses to donate their old IT equipment which must still be operating.

Poole High’s team of IT technicians will collect any computers and laptops considered by businesses to be at the end of their life.

The machines will then be cleaned and any data removed before they’re distributed to Poole High’s feeder schools, in the first instance.

The focus will be on getting the computers and laptops to students who have no means of accessing IT at home.

Some units will be retained for students at Poole High.

As the campaign grows, it’s hoped that more schools across Dorset can be helped.

David, pictured left, said the idea for RECOM had come from a conversation with Debbie Porter, Head of CEAIG (Careers, Education and Information Guidance) and a computer science teacher/Centre Lead for Young Enterprise.

He said: “The current pandemic has left Poole High School, and many other schools in the county, with the challenge of providing reliable IT equipment for students who do not have access to it when they are forced to study from home if they cannot attend school.

“There are simply not enough computers available for the pupils that need them nor the resources to buy more equipment – made even more of a challenge with supplies from the government now being reduced by 80 per cent.

“This got us thinking.

“Why should companies pay for their old IT equipment to be collected when there are schools only too happy to collect the items free and put them to good use?

“Our already overworked, yet always brilliantly supportive IT department, confirmed we had the structure in place to take laptops and computers no longer needed by businesses and reboot them for reuse by pupils here at Poole High School and in other schools across the region too.

“Volunteers will even come and collect the equipment from the businesses.

“It’s a win-win – for pupils and for businesses who need to dispose of IT equipment without cost.

“It also appeals to us from the point of view of the environment too.

“Poole High School is committed to making the school greener with the installation of solar panels as well as many other initiatives so recycling computer equipment is another great green way forward.”

A report from Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) – ‘Governing in Unprecedented Times’ – highlights the issue of IT.

It finds that disadvantaged children are less likely to have access to internet platforms and dedicated devices to access online learning.

Up to 20 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals have no access to a computer at home, compared with seven per cent of all other children.

Debbie Porter, pictured right, said a lack of technology was a hurdle at the best of times but when that lack of access to technology could be deemed detrimental to the future of young people “it really pains me”.

She added: “Many of our students are the future employees of many Dorset businesses and so who better to ask for support?

“Now, appreciating that businesses in the current climate are not likely to be in a position to support us by providing ‘new’ equipment, thoughts turned to the use of ‘redundant’ and ‘decommissioned’ equipment which might otherwise end up in landfill.

“So not only could this idea support our careers programme as well as other online learning in the curriculum, but it would also fit with the eco mission of our ethos of the school to be as green as possible.”

Paul Gray, Head of Poole High School, pictured left, said businesses contributing IT equipment to the RECOM campaign could make a “world of difference.”

He said: “Education should be for everyone.

“This pandemic has thrown up huge challenges as to how schools ensure that pupils from all socio-economic backgrounds are not left behind when it comes to online learning.

“Any computers that can be spared by a business for our ‘RECOM campaign’ will not be wasted.

“They will go to make a world of difference to pupils not just here at Poole High but across the school community.

“It has never been more important to support all our young people and ultimately our workforce of the future.

“Nelson Mandela said ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’.

“This certainly resonates in this world we find ourselves in today.”

• Can your business donate old IT equipment to the RECOM campaign? With your consent, details of companies involved will be published on the Poole High School website. Please email [email protected] or phone 01202 662024.