NEARLY one third of secondary pupils have accessed unsuitable material on websites using school computers, according to a new survey.

The poll of 1,000 young people between the ages of 11 and 16 across the UK found 29 per cent of pupils had viewed violent or abusive internet sites, with 18 per cent saying they had accessed adult material.

Only 32 per cent of pupils said the school's computer security system had blocked them from accessing unsuitable websites. The survey also found that 44 per cent said internet speeds at home were much faster than at school and that delays in accessing websites had slowed learning.

Pupils used computers most in information communications technology subjects as well as science and maths, while those studying art used them the least.

Nathan Marke, chief technology officer at technology and telecoms company Daisy Group, which conducted the survey, said: "Schools are investing in technology to improve the learning experience, but in many cases they don't have the correct infrastructure to support it.

"We also discovered that tools of yesteryear, such as blackboards and chalk, are remarkably prominent, perhaps because they are still seen as a fool-proof and reliable alternative to their technical successors."

The study also found that a third of those polled, which included 70 pupils in Scotland, said using the internet in lessons brought subjects to life and helped them learn.

Interactive whiteboards are the predominant teaching tool, with 56 per cent of children saying they were regularly used.

Despite the drive to introduce more handheld tablet computers into schools, children said they were more likely to use text books and a calculator than either a computer or mobile tablet device in lessons.

Mr Marke added: "Education procurement is a long-winded and complicated process which often means that schools stick with the systems they have, rather than shopping for better contracts and systems so teachers are left to work with out-of-date infrastructure."