Summer School Catch-up. How? Where?

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WOODMOUSE Pupil premium has increased. The one-to-one tuition programme preceded pupil premium and was initially funded by local authorities. I know, because I was involved with it before 2010.

Pupil premium never had to be spent on tuition, but if tuition was chosen as a means of closing the attainment gap, it had to be one-to-one and had to be delivered by qualified teachers.

One-to-one tuition has now more or less been scrapped because schools can't afford to pay for it.

Details are coming through about the money which is to be allocated to catch-up programmes.

£650,000,000 is to be allocated, divided amongst all pupils, regardless of need.

£350,000,000 is then to be allocated to pupils needing catch-up (no details yet how that is to be decided), but it won't necessarily be those whose schools are eligible for pupil premium.

The £350 million is intended to cover 75% of the cost of one-to-one tuition. Schools are expected to make up the difference form their own budgets.

That sounds like a great deal of money, but it isn't. It depends how many pupils will need catch up. It's estimated about 2 million pupils have done very little work during school closures. If all those pupils are eligible for catch up, that works out at £175 per pupil, which is peanuts. Just over 1,500,000 pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals.

In addition to the above, the current payment for Year 7 catch up for those pupils who fail to achieve a 4 in maths and English in KS2 SATs is being abolished. Some schools are already going to have to find a considerable amount of money from their own budgets to finance catch up programmes for these pupils.

Meanwhile, it appears that the government wants to do the tuition on the cheap with volunteers and newly qualified graduates without any teaching experience or qualifications.

Hi Woodmouse49, at my previous UK high school, I would estimate that about 40% of the students wouldn't attend summer school. That's a conservative estimate.

News is coming through today of pupil premium recipients to receive tutoring support for English, Maths and Science.

This does take me back to 2011 when I retired and took on one to one work in a few schools, with then "new pupil premium money". I remember heads being told specifically who this money was for and that it must be one to one. This money has increased each year. I wonder how much extra PP money schools will get this year !

Today (19.06.20) is the deadline when the summer plans are to be announced.

Gagajo Which parents would opt not to send their children? Teachers always have long terms plans well ahead of when they are needed. Termly plans are done ready for the new term and weekly plans done every weekend, as in my case as a primary teacher/deputy.

It ought to be quite possible to build a summer program. There are ample supply teachers around who could be contracted for the six week. As long as the school had a plan and schemes of work put together for them to follow.

It would require funding. Of course, not all parents would opt in so it wouldn't need the same level of staffing as a whole school.

Would be very good for those heading into exam years to get their knowledge up to date.

I've read that there will be no school provision over the summer holidays

excellent post vampire queen.

Teachers are contracted to work a certain number of hours per year which is how the powers that be get away with making them work a 70 hour week in term time because (they say) teachers don't work during the holidays. As the teachers have still been working during lockdown they will have fulfilled their annual commitment. Will they be expected teach during the time when they're usually preparing for the new school year (otherwise knows as being on holiday) and, because teaching is a "vocation", be expected to do it for free?

An article in today’s Times suggests that the long holiday be cancelled. Children should be going to school for half days and swapping over at lunchtime, with extra buildings opened where required. My son teaches in a state school which serves a deprived area and has been providing excellent provision within the confines of the lockdown. From the start they provided those pupils who needed one with a laptop. But he says that although all the class attends for registration and the formal part of the lessons, only 50% of the children are then doing the work.

You think this government have a plan? Gavin Williamson is a talentless yesman appointed for his ability to sit down and nod, ditto Grant Shapps and the rest of the cabinet. When it all hits the fan they will blame the teachers, the EU, anyone but themselves for their lack of foresight.