ONLINE homework is now on the timetable for pupils at a North-East secondary school.

Hetton school yesterday became the latest comprehensive to be switched on to a Virtual Learning system which has been introduced by the City of Sunderland Education Directorate.

It was the introduction of the ICT Broadband system to all the city's school in March this year which not only beat the Government's 2006 target but allowed the development of systems including Virtual Learning.

It is hoped that the facility will support pupils, particularly in the transfer from primary to secondary school.

The individual web folder will also provide a portfolio of work which pupils can use for further education.

Speaking yesterday, director of education Dr Barbara Comisky said: "This development represents a major step forward in extending the use of ICT in education in Sunderland.

"It will enable full use of the broadband provision which is in all Sunderland schools and allow children to access learning resources including revision guides from school and home.''

The introduction of the new system at Hetton school also co-incided with a visit by HM Inspectors.

The step is seen as another feather in the authority's cap.

The initiative also builds on the work of the Education Information Technology Unit (Edit) which received top marks from Ofsted for its work with schools.