Oldham Council is using open source software to deliver internet connectivity to its schools.

The system will serve content delivered to Oldham's 112 primary and secondary schools - approximately 25,000 school children.

The council is using the open source Squid web proxy, MySQL and Linux in combination with Websense filtering technology.

David Honeywell, programme manager at Oldham Council, said: "We like MySQL because it's free and simple to use if you have a background in Microsoft databases.

"Squid is also the basis of large web-filtering solutions deployed to schools elsewhere in the UK."

The system was built by open source services group Sirius Corporation.

Last month education procurement agency Becta invited 21 suppliers to tender for £80m worth of proprietary and open source software supply for schools.