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FEATURE FOCUS: CLOSING THE LEARNING GAP


Summer school provision - essential support for levelling up


providing a combination of enrichment and team building activities that target individual and social development, and build soft skills like communication, creativity and collaboration - indispensable skills for tomorrow’s careers. For children who are not academic, ‘catch-up’


I


n our final look this month at closing the summer learning gap Fleur Sexton, Deputy


Lieutenant West Midlands and Managing Director of PET-Xi, one of the most hard- hitting and dynamic training providers in the UK with a reputation for success with the hardest to reach, discusses the importance of summer school provision. With the Government’s widely heralded


announcement of the ‘Levelling Up mission for education’ and forecasts that 90% of primary school children will achieve the expected standards in reading, writing and maths by 2030, summer school provision has become a critical factor in the education equation. There is a long way to go and we must use every possible pathway in order to have any realistic prospect of reaching those targets, especially for disadvantaged pupils. Summer schools are vital if these commitments


are to be achievable. They are an essential tool in levelling up; bridging the gaps created during lockdown. They are not just helping address ‘learning loss’ in maths and English, but even more importantly, to my mind, building the soft skills that are crucial to enable every child to succeed in life. Many children and young people have not only missed the academics but also the peripheral school and social experiences that help them to discover ‘who they are’. This year, and every year, all children and


young people should have access to the structured, enjoyable and challenging environment, that a well-planned and organised summer school provides, especially those from priority areas. The most disadvantaged children are those who are unlikely to have the holiday opportunities other children benefit from. They are most likely to be at home while parents are working, or at home economically inactive, often without any prospect of days out or activities, due to the current financial crisis and the rising cost of living. Summer school for these young people is a summer lifeline. Well-designed courses provide the right


balance of challenge, enjoyment and feedback; engaging the children and young people and


40 www.education-today.co.uk July/August 2022


is a debilitating, double-edged sword – difficult to achieve and a blow to their self-esteem. Waiting to leave school may feel like just treading water. So the opportunity to succeed in other areas – art, music, performance, sports and volunteering in their local community – provides an avenue to develop and build essential skills such as confidence, teamwork, recognizing their own strengths and the strengths of others. Allowing them to shine in a different way. Education, after all, is about developing the


whole child – a balance between academic knowledge and skills, soft skills and positive attitudes – equipping them so they are ready for life. The resilience shown in a game of football, or the confidence to perform in front of an audience, can transfer to sticking at it when the maths gets tricky or if reading is a struggle. Engagement throughout the summer break,


when some pupil’s may once again feel isolated and alone, helps boost mental health and wellbeing. Young people need to feel supported. Time spent in summer school means less time spent playing computer games or trawling through social media. Less time being targeted by gangs and unscrupulous adults taking advantage of the situation - long days with nothing constructive to do. Summer school provision isn’t a quick fix for


‘catch up’. The time lost cannot be caught up on in a year or two, it may well take a generation. For true levelling up to be a possibility the Government must commit the funding and resources for schools to plan well into the future. This year, schools were left wondering how to


fund summer school provision for their pupils. Luckily funds were made available with the additional 16% budget uplift, from the £65M


funding remaining from this academic year’s National Tutoring Programme (NTP). Previously, funding earmarked for summer


schools has been provided in the spring term – so schools had time to plan well ahead. However, this year there was no mention of additional money being made available. Eager schools that spent their School-Led Tutoring Grant (SLTG) during the school year were left unsure about where they would find additional funds for summer school. Levelling up will involve significant funding,


especially in priority areas where the need is greatest. The Government needs to keep its eye on the ball, and we need to make sure it is held to account and delivers on its long-term commitments. Attention grabbing statistics and forecasts make waves when announced, but the details to drive the change must be there in order for it to be attainable. Whatever else is going on, and there’s a lot, we


must provide the necessary support for all our young people, so we do not fail them. We need to have a vision towards the future and recognize that by supporting children and young people, we are supporting their families towards achieving social equity and reversing the present trends of ever-increasing levels of poverty, disenfranchisement and disadvantage. Investing in the young to ensure they have the right skills and tools for their future jobs and careers, will in the long run help rebuild communities. It’s a ripple effect. Providing quality, local summer school courses


are small pieces of the education jigsaw, but an essential part of the whole levelling up picture. If we truly want ‘opportunity for all’, we need to be committed, the Government must follow through on its words. We must keep the impetus moving to make social cohesion and social equity a reality; continue to give care and support, especially to those that are most disadvantaged and provide real opportunities that make a difference to our children’s lives and futures.


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