East Renfrewshire Council has become the first local authority in the UK to invest in a set of virtual reality headsets for every school in the area.

The council has invested £250,000 to roll out 900 ClassVR headsets, a virtual reality set designed specifically for schools, across all of its schools.

Designed by educational technology company Avantis, the headsets will provide pupils with hundreds of different virtual and augmented reality activities.

School staff will receive what the council describes as ‘full and comprehensive’ training in how to use the headsets from their training partners Tablet Academy.

‘We are committed to providing the best learning experiences possible for all our pupils,’ said Cllr Paul O'Kane, convener for Education and Equalities at East Renfrewshire Council.

‘By investing in this kind of immersive technology it will provide our children with experiences and sensations that they may never experience in reality and brings learning to life in a way that ignites their imagination.

‘As the first local authority in the UK to make this commitment to virtual reality there is no doubt that East Renfrewshire will continue to be at the very forefront of digital learning in the country.’

‘Combined with traditional teaching methods these virtual reality headsets will enhance our pupils' learning experiences and push them to new heights,’ he added.

‘This initiative will equip our young people for the increasingly digitised world in which we live and I'm sure the benefits will be fantastic.’

Nik Tuson, CEO of Avantis Education, added: ‘We have seen incredible results in the classroom from the introduction of virtual and augmented reality during lessons, and the positive impact it has on student engagement.

‘We're excited to see the outcomes of this project and are working closely with the authority to ensure a smooth and successful deployment.’