# Teachers say poorer pupils miss more homework for lack of devices

> Half of secondary teachers who set online homework said a pupil had not done it because of no device or internet at home. The gap was widest in the most deprived schools.

The Yoink Report (CodeYoink) | UK | Research | News of 10 November 2026 | Published 11 November 2026

Pupils in the poorest schools more often miss online homework for lack of a device or internet, Teacher Tapp said on 10 November 2026.

Teacher Tapp runs a daily survey app answered by more than 10,000 teachers. In [its weekly results](https://teachertapp.com/articles/behaviour-tracker-screen-time-and-deterrents-for-verbal-abuse-from-parents/), it asked teachers who had set homework needing a device or internet in the past month whether any pupil failed to do it for lack of access. Half of secondary teachers and 37% of primary teachers said at least one pupil had.

In secondary schools with the most pupils on free school meals, 31% of teachers said this had happened to several pupils. In the most affluent schools the figure was 7%. The primary figures were 19% and 6%.

The [Digital Poverty Alliance](https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/news-updates/dpa-launches-schools-census-report-on-digital-access-in-education/), a charity, found a similar problem in July. In its census, 30% of teachers said at least 10 of their pupils lacked a suitable device or reliable internet at home. Fewer than one in 10 said pupils could do all their coursework on a smartphone.

Teacher Tapp also asked about screens in lessons. Most secondary teachers said pupils used no computer or tablet in their first lesson of the day. Most primary teachers said their pupils had no screen time at all that day. [BBC News reported](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c64g1vyxq4j5o) on 4 November that the government is drawing up screen time guidelines for schools and parents.

Online homework is now common. Only 12% of secondary teachers and 45% of primary teachers said they had set none in the past month. For pupils without a laptop or internet at home, that work is harder to complete. The figures show the problem is most common in deprived areas.

Teacher Tapp's panel is not a random sample. The post did not say how many teachers answered each question. It is not known how many pupils are affected in total.

## Sources

- Teacher Tapp: [Behaviour tracker, screen time, and deterrents for verbal abuse from parents](https://teachertapp.com/articles/behaviour-tracker-screen-time-and-deterrents-for-verbal-abuse-from-parents/)
- Teacher Tapp: [About us](https://teachertapp.com/about-us/)
- Digital Poverty Alliance: [DPA launches Schools Census Report on digital access in education](https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/news-updates/dpa-launches-schools-census-report-on-digital-access-in-education/)
- BBC News: [Children spending too long on maths app TT Rockstars, MP warns](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c64g1vyxq4j5o)

Picture: Mutney, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Computers_in_Camelford_Library,_Cornwall_-_April_2023.jpg

Web page: https://codeyoink.com/news/teachers-pupils-miss-homework-devices