The first delivery of much-needed equipment for lockdown school children arrived this week as parents and teachers praised the Mirror’s Help a Child to Learn campaign.

Colouring pens, biros, paper, glue sticks, hand sanitiser and folders were among items delivered to Cubitt Town Junior School on the Isle of Dogs in East London.

Head teacher Robyn Bruce told how the stock was “vital” for younger children home learning in deprived areas, many of who do not have access to the basics.

The Mirror, in a joint appeal with the National Education Union (NEU), is urging readers and firms to dig deep to help kids struggling to learn at home.

Tell us your thoughts on the Help a Child to Learn campaign in the comments below

Science teacher Oliver Hart and head Robyn Bruce hand home school essentials to local mum Khadija Khatun at Cubitt Town Junior School (
Image:
Tim Merry)

School mum Khadija Khatun, 35, lives on the 14th floor of a tower block with her husband and five children - aged 17, 15, 14, 11 and 10.

As she was handed items from the delivery, she told the Mirror: “It’s really hard at home.

“The school gave us a computer, and that’s great, but we also need other things which we have to go and buy.

Mum Khadija Khatun delighted with school essentials (
Image:
Tim Merry)

“We really need scissors, glue, paper and pens and this will be really useful for us, so I’m very grateful for it.

“Sometimes shops I go to have run out of stock and we just don’t have enough to go around.

“My 11 and 10-year-olds need this kind of equipment more, and we’re really thankful for it.

Cubitt Town Junior School, in East London, has benefited from the scheme (
Image:
Tim Merry)

“My husband is furloughed at the moment and we find out in April if he will go back to work.”

Year 5 key worker and vulnerable children at the school were delighted to get their hands on the delivery.

Mid-way through a science lesson Arsenal fan Bradie Adu-Yeboah, 10, told us: “It’s great because it’s all new.

Frankie, Bradie and Che’nai were all smiles (
Image:
Tim Merry)

“I’ll use it for all the work I have to do at home.

“I have a colouring book so I will definitely be using the colouring pens.”

His classmate Che’nai Quatromini, also 10, said: “I’m doing a moon project at home but I don’t have enough paper so I can use this for my background.

Che’nai said the supplies will be 'really helpful' (
Image:
Tim Merry)

“I can also colour it in and use it for the moon. It will be really helpful.”

This week’s delivery was a sample of what schools will have sent to them.

Schools will get vouchers for either £500, £1,000 or £1,500, depending on their need.

So far, there are 438 schools due to receive vouchers.

Some £131,000 has so far been raised in addition to the NEU’s £1 million donation when we jointly launched the campaign last week.

Colouring pens, biros, paper, glue sticks, hand sanitiser and folders were among the items delivered (
Image:
Tim Merry)

At Cubitt Town Junior School, which also has an infants’ school attached to it, parents collect packages each Friday to help with home learning.

The items bought with the vouchers will help create more packs for the children working from home and for those in need.

Ms Bruce said: “The lower down the age groups you go, the more this kind of equipment is needed.

Schools will get vouchers for either £500, £1,000 or £1,500, depending on their need (
Image:
Tim Merry)

“Having paper, pens, scissors, and glue sticks at home is so important -

and people don’t realise that parents sometimes don’t have them.

“We had a parent whose child filled their homework in with a felt tip, and we could barely read it. I spoke to them and they did not have a pen at home.

“It’s something that is taken for granted.

“Of course they need computers and iPads and online learning is important, but it’s deeper than that.

Some families are struggling to buy food for their children let alone school supplies (
Image:
Tim Merry)

“We’ve got families where there are lots of children in one small place and just feeding them is a struggle - and then we’re asking them to buy pens and paper and glue as well.

“That’s why these deliveries will make such a difference and we thank the Mirror and the NEU for all they’re doing.

“We also want pupils to have time away from the screen and to be creative.

“The divide between those children who are from families which have this equipment and those from families who don’t will continue to grow unless we can ensure they all have the right means to learn.

Mirror readers have come to the rescue

“So much of our budget is being used to help pupils through the pandemic and there will be all sorts of extras to pay for once they return, so these packages help us a lot,” said Ms Bruce.

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the NEU, said: “It is fantastic that Cubitt Town Junior School will benefit from the Help a Child to Learn campaign.

“Every contribution goes to a school so that they can directly support disadvantaged pupils with the learning essentials they need.

“With the help of Mirror readers, we can support even more schools and even more pupils.”

The Government should also see that this sort of help is really needed by so many children - and ensure schools have the money to help all who need it.”

Voice of the Mirror for Help a Child to Learn

The pictures of the smiling children are all you need to know.

Thanks to your generosity they now have the materials they need to help them learn during lockdown.

The coronavirus has disrupted the education of too many kids.

Despite the best efforts of teachers and parents, home schooling is no substitute for being in the classroom.

But that situation has been made all the worse for those unable to afford basics as such pencils, paper and notepads let alone a tablet or laptop.

This is why we launched the Help a Child to Learn campaign with the National Education Union.

No children should be left behind because their parents or guardians cannot pay for a jotter, pen or colouring set.

Together we are starting to put that right.

The money raised is starting to be distributed to schools across the country, putting more smiles on the faces of more children.

We cannot thank you enough.