Full fibre broadband projects successfully completed for rural primary schools in the East Riding
Two government-funded projects which will deliver full fibre broadband to primary schools in some of the hardest-to-reach rural areas of the East Riding have been successfully completed.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council has worked on the projects – in partnership with managed service provider Redcentric and communication providers, Openreach and KCOM – as part of the Government’s Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) and Rural Gigabit Connectivity (RGC) programmes.
Both programmes are funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The council was awarded funding to deliver gigabit-capable, full fibre broadband to 37 public-funded primary schools. The schools are widely distributed across the region, from Barmby on the Marsh, west of Goole, to the east coast village of Flamborough.
The aim of the programmes – designed primarily with local authorities in mind – is to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre networks in both rural and urban locations.
The Government has identified full fibre broadband and 5G as being essential to its plan to level up the UK. Ministers are delivering a £5billion programme called Project Gigabit to bring next-generation connections to rural areas that would otherwise have been left behind by commercial providers.
In 2017, it announced over £1bn of funding to stimulate the rollout of full fibre networks across the UK. This included the £200m Challenge Fund under the Local Full Fibre Networks programme.
Minister for Digital Infrastructure Julia Lopez said: “I'm proud that our investment in the East Riding has put an end to slow broadband for dozens of schools, helping to level up access to the huge library of learning experiences available online.
“This is just the start of our revolutionary plan to boost broadband in Yorkshire, with thousands of hard-to-reach homes and businesses set to get next-generation connections through our £5billion Project Gigabit.”
Councillor Jonathan Owen, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The successful delivery of these two full fibre broadband programmes will be a boost to our more rural schools, making a welcome difference for both pupils and staff as they continue their learning.
“We want to continue to provide the best, cutting-edge technological capabilities to our region, and this is an essential example of this forward thinking.”
Councillor Victoria Aitken, portfolio holder for children and young people’s education, health and wellbeing at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, added: “This investment for our young people will give great opportunities across our rural schools. It will help them embrace new ways of learning and introduce them to the digital world of education.”
The primary schools across the East Riding included in the LFFN programme are:
· Airmyn Park Primary School
· Aldbrough Primary School
· Barmby on the Marsh Primary School
· Beeford CE VC Primary School
· Beswick and Watton CE VC Primary School
· Bishop Wilton CE VC Primary School
· Bubwith Primary School
· Bugthorpe CE VC Primary School
· Burton Agnes CE VC Primary School
· Flamborough CE VC Primary School
· Garton-on-the-Wolds CE VC Primary School
· Hutton Cranswick Community Primary School
· Middleton-on-the-Wolds CE VC Primary School
· Nafferton Primary School
· North Frodingham Primary School
· Rawcliffe Bridge Primary School
· Rawcliffe Primary School
· Skipsea Primary School
· Sledmere CE VC Primary School
· Snaith Primary School
· St Martin's CE VA Primary School
· Sutton upon Derwent CE VC Primary School
· Warter CE VC Primary School
· Wetwang CE VC Primary School
· Wilberfoss CE VC Primary School
· Withernsea Primary School
· Wold Newton Foundation School
The primary schools included in the RGC programme are:
· Bempton Primary School
· Cowick CEVC Primary School
· Eastrington Primary School
· Kilham CEVC Primary School
· Lockington CEVC Primary School
· Marshlands Primary School
· Pollington-Balne Church of England Primary School
· Reedness Primary School
· Roos CEVC Primary School
· Swinefleet Primary School