Parental involvement is highlighted at BETT 2009

Ensuring every child has access to Information Communication Technology, both at school and home, was high on the agenda at this year's BETT show. Jim Knight opened the event at London's Olympia.

The Schools Minister stressed the importance of ensuring parents are engaged with ICT and can properly support their children's learning. He spoke of the role educational technology can play in narrowing the attainment gap between rich and poor. Almost 30,000 people visit the exhibition, many of them are teachers, school leaders and local authority decision makers.

The wide range of products on display included humanoid robots, internet safety software, phone and text systems to combat truancy, and a whole range of interactive whiteboards and tables.