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Frustrated staff and students were unable to use many of the information technology facilities at Pudsey Grangefield School – one of the country's newest and most modern secondary schools – following its high-profile opening.

The computer problems were the latest in a series to befall schools which have signed up with IT giant RM, which will eventually be responsible for half of all high school computer systems in Leeds.

At Grangefield – ironically a specialist computer and maths college – even basic tasks such as electronic registration in tutor groups were impossible.

Grangefield's headteacher, Ken Cornforth, said: "The issue was about capacity. We have one of the most modern schools in the country with about 800 computers. The difficulty was in getting the machines to talk to the main computer server.
"All the computers are up and running now."

Other city schools have reported problems since switching to RM, which boasts it is the country's leading supplier of education products to schools and universities.

The YEP understands that Ralph Thoresby High in Holt Park, which moved to new buildings 12 months ago, had IT problems throughout the last academic year.

Cardinal Heenan High, Meanwood, has experienced problems such as pupils not being able to use the internet and projectors not working since RM took over its network three weeks ago.

Oxford-based RM – the initials stand for Research Machines – won a £25m, 10-year contract in May last year, to supply and run IT facilities in 13 Leeds schools being rebuilt or refurbished as part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF). In April, the firm won an additional contract at four existing high school buildings.
Chris Edwards, chief executive of Education Leeds, confirmed the financial side of the contracts – which are believed to contain potential cash penalties – could be reviewed if service levels were not up to scratch.

But in a joint statement with RM, he said: "We have worked very closely with RM and the schools to iron out these issues and young people across the city are now benefiting from the latest technology to support and develop their education."