Microsoft Home Learning Package for the Government's Home Access

Home Learning Package

Microsoft Home Learning Package for the Government’s Home Access Programme

Children with access to PCs do better at school. Studies in the United Kingdom show that students who have access to technology across the curriculum and wider school life miss fewer lessons and do better at school. Schools are using the Internet more, to provide anywhere, anytime learning for their students—but what about those who don’t have access to a computer at home?

Providing Access for All Simple Solutions and Special Pricing The government’s Home Access initiative is designed to Our Home Learning Package is a simple solution for the help some children with grants, and provide all parents with software needs of the Home Access initiative, offered at a information to improve children’s access to computers and the special package price. All of the software comes pre-installed Internet. This will boost their education and life skills—making on the computer, with both the tools needed to support anytime, anywhere learning a reality for all. And to make the learning and the lifestyle software children love, straight out most of the learning opportunities outside of school, Microsoft of the box. has put together a pack of the right software to support students’ use of computers for learning and leisure. Microsoft Makes Learning Fun With the Home Learning Package, Microsoft has combined the Anytime, Anywhere Learning way that children use technology at home—Instant Messaging, At Microsoft we believe that all children should have the video and photo sharing, and other forms of working together learning tools they need to realise their full potential. We are online—with the way that they use technology in school— proud to support the Home Access initiative, and we work note-taking, presentations, and online learning—to make with schools, businesses, and the government to ensure that learning fun. And at the same time, we have added software to everyone is given the opportunity to be their best as they help parents ensure children are safer using the Internet. develop skills they can use into the future. Home Learning Package

The Home Learning Package includes: essential tasks of using computers— to get the most from their computer and • Microsoft Office Ultimate, which from word processors, e-mail and the Internet. Resources like KnowITAll includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Internet use through to digital and the Family Safety Settings are there Publisher, for children to complete photography and music. specifically for parents to help protect school work at home, as well as • Family Safety Settings for Windows, their children online. OneNote to help them collect and which will allow you to set limits on organise information. computer use, control Internet access, and monitor usage. • Microsoft Learning Essentials to Software includes: help children as they prepare their • KnowITAll for Parents, a set of award • Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007: homework, with helpful templates winning resources to help you keep – Microsoft Word and language tools to help them get your children safer online, with a – Microsoft Excel® started. special section for your children. – Microsoft PowerPoint® • The Windows Live suite, which includes ® And of course the Home Learning – Microsoft Outlook things your children already use, like Package supports digital music players, – Microsoft Access Messenger and Spaces, alongside ® digital cameras, and other devices— – Microsoft OneNote things that may be new to them, like ® giving children the tools they need in – Microsoft Groove SkyDrive (to allow them to safely share one single package. – Microsoft Publisher files with friends, and school) and – Microsoft InfoPath Photo Gallery (to help them work with Rich Resources • Windows Live Essentials and share digital photographs). for the Entire Family • Microsoft Learning Essentials • Windows software to help with We’ve noticed that when whole families • Microsoft Encarta Online creativity, such as Microsoft Movie are equipped with the tools they need to Maker and Microsoft Media Player. create an ideal learning environment in • Microsoft Digital Literacy Curriculum • Resources to help children to explore the home, students are more motivated their world in new ways, including and parents are able to take a more • Internet Safety materials Photosynth, Virtual Earth and the active role in their children’s education. for parents from Childnet Worldwide Telescope. Plus, the Home Learning Package uses International the same Microsoft software used in • Access to online resources which will • Family Safety Settings most schools, so that you can be help children develop new skills. For confident you are supporting your • Microsoft Security Curriculum example, Microsoft Popfly gives an children’s learning in the best way. • Windows Defender easy introduction to Web design. • A full range of online services • The Microsoft Digital Literacy Our goal has been to provide one single Curriculum, which will help all family software package, which helps students members to learn how to perform the with their learning and leisure use of technology, and helps the whole family

To find out more about the benefits of Microsoft Home Learning Package, visit www.microsoft.com/uk/homelearning or ask the supplier of your Home Access programme computer. Note: Make sure you ask for a computer with the Home Learning Package already included, as the special package isn’t available to buy separately.

For more information on how technology can support learning at home and in school, learn more from the government’s Next Generation Learning campaign: www.nextgenerationlearning.org.uk