VIEWS & OPINION


Societal mobilisation of volunteers required to meet Recovery Tzar's period of


recovery for pupils Comment by JEN FOX, Interim CEO of Action Tutoring


In the latest meeting of the Education Select Committee Sir Kevan Collins, the Government’s Catch up Tsar, highlighted the need for a sustained and far reaching period in which children can recover. Societal mobilisation of volunteers


akin to that witnessed in the NHS Responder programme, set up to support vulnerable people during the pandemic, is required if we are to stem the widening 18-month educational attainment gap between the haves and have nots. We need people from all walks of


life to step forward and volunteer to tutor the 27% of disadvantaged children worst affected by the pandemic and to help them to progress to further education, employment or training. No child’s life should be limited by their background or circumstances. We work in partnership with UK primary and secondary state schools


to deliver outcomes-led tutoring programmes proven to drive up attainment and ‘bridge the gap’ for disadvantaged pupils at risk of not achieving national standards in maths and English at SAT or GCSE level,


using high quality volunteer tutors from a diverse range of backgrounds. 90% of our pupil cohort are eligible for Pupil Premium funding - a government grant which can be used by the charity’s partner schools to fund this highly effective intervention. People across the nation have been re-evaluating what really matters


in life, recognising how privileged they are and stepping forward to offer their time as can be seen in the significant rise in volunteers that have registered with us since the third lockdown commenced – numbers are over double what they were for the same period last year. They are stepping forward because having the power to make change and a tangible difference to others at a time when they have little control over their own lives gives them a real buzz. All our volunteers deliver tuition through the National Tutoring Programme, introduced to support schools in responding to the challenge of school closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, and to provide a longer-term contribution to closing the attainment gap. As a nation we also need to address digital poverty and come together


to provide hardware, software, reliable access to the internet, technical support and repair when required, so should bubbles containing disadvantaged pupils burst when schools go back, they can continue learning at home. In research conducted by the Sutton Trust and Teacher Tapp only 10


per cent of schools across the country reported all their pupils had a laptop. Ofcom also estimate that between 1.14 million and 1.78 million UK children - nine per cent - lack access to a laptop, desktop or tablet at home – and more than 880,000 live in a household with only a mobile internet connection. Once you have the right structure and support mechanisms in place


you can scale up an impactful programme effective across the nation. We have seen it in the Women’s Land Army formed in 1917 to increase the amount of food grown in Britain and which at its peak in 1943 saw 80,000 women become ‘land girls’ before it was disbanded in the 1950s. We can do it again.


The growing mental health crisis amongst school children – how the pandemic has caused a 250% increase in safeguarding incidents


Comment by GEORG ELL, CEO of Smoothwall


New data from over 90,000 pupils shows the extent to which the UK lockdown has put children at serious risk. The data from digital safeguarding experts, Smoothwall, has been collected from over 600 schools across the UK and shows an alarming 250% increase in safeguarding incidents – ranging from online grooming to suicidal thoughts. Much of these risks have occurred as a result of the increased screen


time and the isolation that comes hand in hand with home schooling. As children have been forced to spend more time online, cyber criminals have taken advantage, leaving many pupils exposed to online harms such as grooming, extreme content and bullying. The situation is exasperated by the extended period of time that school


children have been isolated from their friends and peers. The circumstances have lead to an increased number of children suffering from poor mental health, in addition to a rise in pupils being exposed to online risks. Despite children now returning to school, unfortunately these dangers


April 2021


don’t disappear. Mental health concerns remain high amongst children, as the true impact of COVID-19 is revealed. Many of the incidents reported in Smoothwall’s data reveals ongoing and serious mental health concerns – including suicidal thoughts, depression, self-harm and eating disorders. None of which will disappear overnight. Therefore, as children return to schools, it is essential that online risks


are placed forefront and centre of mental health support. The Government has announced a £79million boost to support children and young people with their mental health post-pandemic. Whilst this funding is a step in the right direction, and no doubt plays a crucial role in ensuring pupils’ wellbeing, it is a drop in the ocean. The scale of the mental health crisis facing children across the UK


cannot be underestimated. The Government must take this matter seriously, and provide more substantial funding, alongside dedicated and sustainable resources for preventative and early intervention to online risks in the education settings. Without a further increase in funding, the Government is overlooking a growing crisis that is leaving thousands of children vulnerable and exposed to online dangers. This problem is very real and is affecting children right now. So, we


only have a short window of opportunity to act and prevent online dangers impacting children even further. This is why, now that schools have returned, Smoothwall is imploring ministers, MPs and council leaders to rally for clear and detailed consideration of how funding and support for children will be accommodated at this crucial time. As energy and resources are used to keep one pandemic at bay, it is


absolutely crucial that we do not allow our children to fall victim to another. The mental health crisis amongst children is a very real threat to the future of a whole generation. This teamed with a hot bed for online criminality, including paedophilia, online grooming, exposure to extreme content and cyber-bullying, leaves children across the UK more vulnerable than ever before. If children aren’t provided with the vital support they need today, we will see devastating consequences tomorrow.


www.education-today.co.uk 21


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