School Internet project proves a hit

SchoolNet 2000 - the UK's largest Internet education project to date - has attracted 7,000 schools since its conception in March.

The £6m project is funded by Tesco and will provide 350 Internet centres for schoolchildren in Tesco training departments across the UK. The project is also steered by Ultralab - the Anglia University-based IT research unit - and The New Millennium Experience Company. Xemplar is providing the systems integration expertise.

Macs rather than PCs will make up hardware platform, according to Teresa Selvey, Xemplar's Tesco business manager. "Low downtime and high support were fundamental requirements for the project - so we chose Macs above PCs and Acorn computers," she explained.

The project ties in with the National Grid for Learning - the Government's drive to get all schools and pupils online by 2000. There will also be a Web site where children can contribute their own work and have access to curriculum-led educational content.
SchoolNet will be launched in September. Project leaders expect many more schools to sign up to the initiative before then.