Two funds have been announced: one for disadvantaged pupils and one for all pupil groups.
Estimations are that pupils have been left 12 months behind following the coronavirus pandemic. So the catch up plans have been welcomed, but what do they mean for students?
What is the education catch up plan that the Government has announced?
Schools have been closed to all students – except for vulnerable children and decedents of key workers – since March.
Since then schools have returned in small groups and with social distancing in place. Primary schools began to reopen at the start of the month, followed by secondary schools for Year 10 and Year 12 students.
Read why Year 10 students are your number one priority.
To help students catch up on lost education, an extra £650m has been announced for schools.
An additional £350m has been announced in subsidies for a one-year national tutoring programme.
Why is the education catch up plan necessary?
Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson said:
This package will make sure that every young person, no matter their age or where they live, gets the education, opportunities and outcomes they deserve, by spending it on measures proven to be effective, particularly for those who are most disadvantaged.
The plan will be delivered throughout the next academic year, bringing long-term reform to the educational sector that will protect a generation of children from the effects of this pandemic.
What are the expectations for pupil catch up?
The Government is planning to reopen schools for all pupils in September.
In the meantime, the national tutoring programme has put out an open call for organisations wanting to enrol and receive funding – and will come into effect “from this summer“.
The Education Endowment Fund (EEF) which backs to project says:
The NTP will make high-quality tuition available to schools, providing additional support to help pupils who have missed out the most as a result of school closures.
There is strong evidence that high-quality tuition is a cost-effective way to enable pupils to catch up. While it is certainly no silver bullet, access to tuition will be key to supporting the work of teachers in mitigating the impact of school closures in the coming months and years.
The Government’s support for more high-quality tuition for our poorest children from this summer is a huge step forward. The national tutoring programme is a major opportunity to not only reverse the damage done by school closures, but to also build a fairer education system for the future.
Where to find high quality tuition
The tuition will be key to supporting teachers while the work of teachers in mitigating the impact of school closures on all pupils.
EDLounge Limited‘s catch up service provides access to over 11,000 lessons in a broad range subjects. Tailored to the needs of aspiring GCSE students, our services including access to high skilled teachers and a range of learning materials accessed through the system. A range of learning methods including tasks, quizzes and assessments are built in and can be tailored to the needs of each pupil.
In supporting pupils in education at this difficult time, keep pupils safe through safeguarding mechanisms is essential.
EDClass+ features a number of stringent safeguarding tools, including eyes-on learning, instant/video chat functions, alert mechanisms and access the enhanced DBS checked teachers. As all learning is recorded, any incidents will be sent straight to the school and further action can be taken.
The system also features real-time tracking, so both attainment (to ensure the pupil is doing the work) and progress can be analysed by the school.
For primary school pupils who have been left behind, EDArcade can also help support pupils who are behind on education. Our service of games based learning is perfect for helping students re-engage with education in a fun and exciting manner. Teaching crucial subjects including Maths, English and Science and help improve pupil confidence and also deliver instant feedback which pupils can learn from. Our range of PSHE games are also expansive, developing knowledge of issues including bullying, mental health and British values.
It is perfect for ESOL students with 23 languages available.
For more information on our services and how we can help your pupils, call 01909 568 338.
