22 February 2007

Pupils who cannot attend school can achieve a "sense of belonging" by using Internet technology, claims a West Sussex County Council official.

A number of children within the authority are currently unable to attend their school, through long-term illness, phobia or enforced exclusion.

However, many can now sit their GCSE exams and take part in specialist classes thanks to virtual classrooms, operated by the council's Learning Electronically Online team in conjunction with technology provider Accipio.

Barbara Temple, a spokesperson for West Sussex County Council, comments to PublicTechnology.net: "Pupils enjoy online learning and it creates a sense of belonging, which is particularly important for young people who have been out of formal schooling for any length of time."

She adds that the system enables youngsters to become more interactive with the learning experience.

One user, Claire Smee from Horsham, said that while the service requires her to find her own motivation, the lessons are often "so much fun that you want to be there anyway".

© Adfero Ltd

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