Highgate School’s headteacher donned his spikes on Friday morning to run a marathon around the school’s playing fields – and he raised more than £60,000 which will help provide laptops for Year 12 pupils at nearby state schools.

Adam Pettitt, accompanied by his children and the school’s chaplain, did 106 laps of the school’s sports field in three hours and 28 minutes.

Mr Pettitt said he hoped the scheme would help to combat what he called “digital poverty”. He added: “Some children at our partner schools are falling behind in their education because they have little or no access to a computer. “Perhaps they are sharing a smartphone with another sibling – but it’s hard to go to school on a phone. Most of these children are eligible for free school meals, where the digital divide mostly correlates.”

The money raised so far will provide nearly 300 laptops, including for all year 12s at Acland Burghley School in Tufnell Park.

Highgate works with more than 50 state schools across London as part of its Chrysalis partner scheme, while during the coronavirus crisis has been helping vulnerable families in Highgate and Tottenham, collecting for food banks and working to support staff at hospitals like the Royal Free.