Donations of spare/unused laptops and desktops are urgently needed by students at Cotham School.

Since the beginning of this year’s lockdown, the school has been inundated for requests for IT equipment from families who do not have adequate access to it, a problem for many schools in Bristol and across the country.

Many families of students at Cotham School have multiple children and are without devices completely or in a position where siblings must share.

Laptops and desktops are needed by students to assist them to keep up to date with their school work and therefore prevent them from falling behind.  The IT equipment also ensures that students’ wellbeing is supported through daily online interactions with their teachers, pastoral staff and peers.

In response to this lack of IT equipment, Cotham School is asking the public to donate any spare laptops/desktops they may have.

The school needs desktops and laptops which are no older than seven years old and it does not matter if the hard drive has been removed as they have a number of spares that they can fit.  The school also welcomes donations of computer monitors as the school already has a number of donated devices that do not have a monitor for us to issue them.

Tablets and iPads are unfortunately not suitable due to the smaller screen size and the fact that they use an on-screen keyboard.

Cotham School has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to buy more IT equipment, so desperately needed by the school.

Cotham School explains: “At Cotham School, we’re striving for as many of our 1550 students to be quickly provided with a laptop, desktop and/or broadband or mobile data, as needed, so that they can be taught online for all of their lessons by their dedicated teachers.”

It is hoped that by providing students with IT equipment during lockdown, as well as helping them keep up to date with their schoolwork, it will also enable all students to access their homework and independent study much more easily post lockdown, also, thus optimising their chances of future academic success.

If you have any unused/spare laptops or desktops to donate to the school, you can drop these off to the Visitor Reception at Cotham School, Cotham Lawn Road, BS6 6DT.