THE Internet generation is already in Britain's classrooms, writes Greg Hadfield, chairman and editor-in-chief of Schoolsnet.

This term, two in three pupils will use computers to surf the web.

And with the number of children online doubling to four million in the last two years, most of them say the Internet is a huge boost to learning.

But to many adults including most teachers and parents the Internet remains, at best, an intriguing novelty or, at worst, a total mystery.

So it was to me when my son, Tom, at the age of 12, created what was to become the world's most popular football website, with me as editor, in the backroom of our home in Brighton.

That was in 1995 and I had yet to send my first e-mail; last year, Disney bought a majority stake for £15 million.

Such is the pace of change that access to the Internet, from desktops, laptops, mobile phones and other handheld devices, as well as via television sets, will soon be a routine part of everyday life for all but a small minority of children.

Up to now, though, there has been very little high-quality educational material available to pupils, teachers and parents in Britain.

Most of what is on offer has been generated in the United States and is difficult to find in the rather chaotic sprawl of the worldwide web.

It is possible now to list more than 50 football websites that post live score updates for Premiership matches; sports sites, games sites, music sites and shopping sites abound.

But it is difficult to think of more than a handful that seek to exploit the potential of the Internet to transform the education of every single child in the country.

Schoolsnet (www.schoolsnet.com), the UK's No1 education website since its launch earlier this year, is at the forefront of such attempts.

Our goal is to build a successful business out of a one-stop site that provides everything that any parent, pupil or teacher needs to understand, enjoy or deliver education.

Currently valued at more than £40 million, and with shareholders that include Newsquest, publishers of this newspaper, Schoolsnet has the resources to give teachers the new tools they need to do their job in the 21st century, to help them use the Internet to extend and enhance what they do in the classroom.

At the same time, it will provide pupils of all ages with engaging, entertaining and highly-interactive lessons, all tailored to the needs of the National Curriculum and created by more than 100 teachers specifically employed by Schoolsnet to explore the educational opportunities offered by the latest technologies.

By building a successful business, Schoolsnet will, in turn, be able to invest in the educational future of coming generations and support parents and schools working hard to give young people the best start in life.

I hope, too, Schoolsnet will play a part in strengthening the relationship between every school and every home as we prepare for an era when parents will be able to make "virtual" visits to schools at any time of day or night to discover what their children are learning and to check up on the progress they are making.

Perhaps most importantly, Schoolsnet will work to help ensure that the Internet bridges not widens the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots', between the information-rich and the information-poor.

Only then can we be certain the Internet is helping all children to reach their potential.

Schoolsnet is promoting the launch of the Civic Art competition for secondary schools, to be run with Honda.

Pupils are invited to express their creativity by producing a drawing or painting, or taking a photograph, inspired by one of three themes: power, space or style.

The competition, to be hosted on the Schoolsnet website, offers prizes that include a Honda people carrier for the schools attended by national winners in three age-groups, as well as micro-scooters and Playstations for individual winners. All secondary school children in the United Kingdom are eligible for the competition.

Entries will be judged in three age categories, and a panel of judges, made up of Honda and Schoolsnet representatives, will choose the most creative 60 entries from all the artworks submitted.

These will then be displayed on the Schoolsnet website from January 8 to February 28 2001.

Visitors to the site will be able to vote for their favourite work. The winners three from each category will each receive a micro-scooter. National winners, selected from each category by the panel of judges, will receive a Playstation 2.

The school attended by each of the three national winners will win a Honda people carrier. Each national winner's class and art teacher will also win a day trip to either Tate Modern, Tate St Ives or Tate Liverpool, whichever is nearest to their school.

All entries must be received by December 30 2000. For full details of the competition and an entry form, visit the Schoolsnet site.