What's the best sub-£200 laptop for a child?

Sue's eight-year-old daughter wants a laptop for school projects. Will a new laptop costing 200 or an old MacBook do the job?

My eight-year-old daughter uses a computer at school, and she has asked for one for Christmas so she can do her projects at home. I am a single parent on a real tight budget so I'd prefer something for 150 or maybe 200 at a push. I was looking at a Lenovo but was told there was not a lot of space on it, and it would soon fill up, especially if she played a few games as well.

Is there something you could recommend?

The key question is: what software does your daughter need in order to do projects at home? Can you get a copy? Some educational software only runs on one platform, and there is not much point in buying a laptop that doesn't run it.