Schools may need to bring in IT contractors to help them make the most of new technology, it is claimed.

Around £2 billion has been pumped into schools to provide technological teaching aids, yet many are not getting the most of what is available to them, according to the assistant chief executive of The Design and Technology Association, Andy Mitchell.

Fear of malware and viruses as well as protecting children from explicit content means many firewalls used by schools are just to restrictive, Mr Mitchell explains.

Yet it appears some schools are beginning to realise they need to be more progressive with their security systems.

"I was listening to a headteacher talking yesterday and he was completely against having firewalls in the schools because in most schools you can't access YouTube for instance," commented Mr Mitchell.

Recent evidence from Becta, the government body which promotes technology in learning, has suggested that having a computer at home associates with a two grade improvement in one subject at GCSE.