online learning | Schools Week

Oak Academy scrambles to secure future as privatisation plan pulled

Oak National Academy’s future set-up has still to be finalised just weeks before government funding runs out – after a privatisation plan, by which employees could have made millions, was pulled. A Schools Week investigation has established Oak management tabled a proposal whereby they would become majority shareholders of a “social purpose company” to run […]

DfE under pressure to address digital divide as partial closures kick in

The government is under growing pressure to say how it will help disadvantaged pupils access online learning during partial school closures, with the cost of internet access the “single biggest issue” for poorer families. Boris Johnson announced last night that schools will move to remote learning for most pupils until at least the February half […]

Almost all pupils were set work during partial closures, but half of year 11s and 13s missed out

Almost all pupils were given some remote learning tasks by their teachers during partial school closures, but year 11 and 13 pupils were far less likely to receive work to do at home, according to new research. Analysis of a survey of 40,000 UK households by the National Foundation for Educational Research found 90 per […]

Coronavirus: DfE admits home-learners may suffer once some pupils return to school

Reopening primary schools to more pupils means the quality of home education offered to those who aren’t allowed back in yet is likely to suffer, the government has admitted. New guidance on reopening schools, published tonight, states many schools have been able to offer “high-quality remote education opportunities or programmes over recent weeks”. The government […]

Safeguarding fears over DfE’s list of online resources

The Department for Education has today released a list of free online resources to aid pupils’ learning as they work from home during the COVID-19 lockdown. However education suppliers have criticised the “lack of tender process” for the list – adding they are not aware of any “checks on resilience, safeguarding, data protection or other […]

Coronavirus: Teachers warned against live-streaming lessons

Teachers have been warned against using live-stream technology to run classes from home, but one school running lessons virtually says they feel it keeps children safer. The National Education Union issued guidance this week on distance learning, saying it “cannot be business as usual” while schools are closed, warning online lessons should be kept “to […]

Coronavirus: AET to spend £2m on laptops as others call for tech donations

One of England’s largest academy trusts has said it will spend £2 million on laptops to help poorer pupils access digital learning. However, the plan by the Academies Enterprise Trust, which will involve live-streamed lessons for some pupils, could set the chain at-odds with unions, which have warned that their members cannot be expected to […]

Coronavirus: Help poorer children access online learning, charity begs tech firms

Tech firms and internet providers have been asked to help poorer children get online after a survey revealed just two per cent of teachers working in the poorest communities believe all their pupils can access the internet at home. A survey of more than 6,000 teachers by Teacher Tapp found the vast majority in the […]