The Department for Education and Skills’ representative in the House of Lords, Lord Andrew Adonis said last week that the government is giving an extra £125 million on top of the £75m which was first announced as part schools' overall capital allocations in November 2004.

The cash is to be spent over the next two years on educational software to help schools realise their vision of a high-tech classroom.

Launched in August 2002, by the then Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, eLearning credits are aimed at boosting the supply and demand for multimedia educational software by helping teachers and pupils make best use of existing classroom elearning technologies, such as laptops, whiteboards, PCs and broadband. Credits may be used to buy a variety of items ranging from virtual theatres, specialist communications for children with speech difficulties and online multimedia newsrooms.

The new money is ring-fenced and will add to the existing £330m of eLearning Credits schools can use to by products and services through the Curriculum Online web catalogue.