COVID-19 has changed our lives in ways that we could never have imagined. Unfortunately, we know that although this is impacting everyone, the ramifications of COVID-19 are affecting the most disadvantaged young people the hardest. Sam spoke on ITV news about this issue in April, highlighting the fact that the current situation has exacerbated the existing problems in the education system.
However, the alliance has collectively been planning ways to mitigate this impact in the long term, including yesterday’s member meeting to draft our response to the Education Select Committee (read more about this below).
We remain inspired by the sector’s ability to innovate, rework and rethink our actions to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on the most disadvantaged young people.
One example of this can be seen is Virtual Booster. We would like to say a huge thank you to the 23 amazing experts and 119 innovators involved. The series was a real demonstration of the alliance's dedication to supporting young people and their ability to adapt in these unprecedented times.
As always you can find more information on how to get involved and how your fellow members are responding to COVID-19 below.
Secretariat News
A BIG WELCOME TO ZOYA WALLINGTON, HEAD OF IMPACT AND EVALUATION
Zoya joined the team this week to lead on the FEA's impact and evaluation strategy and support for our Scaling Impact Award winners.
She has lead on service design and evaluation for a range of charities and local authorities. Zoya has worked at two FEA member organisations: For the last three years as Director of Impact at Right to Succeed and prior to that at Teach First. Zoya has worked closely with over 100 schools and 60 intervention partners in areas of high disadvantage in the UK. We are absolutely delighted to welcome her to the Secretariat.
ROUNDTABLE SERIES: COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO POLICY
Education Select Committee on the Impact of COVID-19 (06-05-2020):
Yesterday we held our first Roundtable to guide our collective response to the Education Select Committee inquiry with over 40 FEA members. As a result of this we will be co-creating a response that focuses on the impact on the most disadvantaged young people. You can find the powerpoint here, and notes from the areas which we will be focusing on for the purpose of this inquiry below:
1. The effect of cancelling formal exams, including the fairness of qualifications awarded and pupils’ progression to the next stage of education or employment. Full notes here.
2. The Impact on children’s wellbeing and mental health, and support for this outside of school structures. Full notes here.
3. The effect on apprenticeships and other workplace-based education courses, especially youth unemployment. Full notes here.
4. Impact on teachers: NQT year teachers having support and being supported. Full notes here.
5. Attainment gap/catch up. Full notes here.
Spending Review Submission: FEA response to the Augur Review recommendations (12-05-2020):
In January we hosted a Roundtable on Access to Higher Education. As part of this, Ben Gadsby from Impetus led a session where we collectively analysed the recommendations on Access to Higher Education published in the Augur review.
Ben and his team have kindly taken the discussion points that were raised during this Roundtable away and drafted an initial response. Before we finalise the submission, we’d like you to feed in to ensure that it is truly representative of the alliance’s position.
Oracy Parliamentary Inquiry (16-06-2020):
The Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is continuing to collect evidence for the Speak for Change Inquiry, which was launched last year and is seeking to improve the development of children’s oral communication skills in schools. This roundtable will be focused on gathering evidence to submit to the Speak for Change Inquiry. Submission deadlines are still to be confirmed.
COLLECTIVE ACTION CAMPAIGN WORKING GROUPS: UPDATES
Overarching Collective Action Campaign Working Group (20th April):
In this meeting it was agreed that the impact of COVID-19 has shown many weaknesses in our systems for supporting the most disadvantaged. It therefore presents an opportune moment for the FEA to shape what happens next. One key way we could do this is by responding to invitations for evidence. We also need to work on the campaign itself, by simplifying the campaign message and having one call to action. Full notes can be found here.
Improving support for teachers and leaders, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas (4th May):
In this session we took some time to share the changes that we most wanted to see in order to support teachers and leaders, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas, as well as highlighting some of the potential barriers to making these changes happen and actions that the Fair Education Alliance could take. Full notes can be found here.
Collective Response to COVID-19
Offers of support
We are inspired by so many of your quick responses to address COVID-19 and want to support you in taking action. If you would like to see previous asks and offers for support, please click here.
If you haven't already, please fill out this short form with an ask for support (e.g. technical expertise, promotion, etc) or an offer of support (e.g. volunteers, expertise, supplies, etc). We will share responses with FEA members and broker relevant introductions.
Asks for support
Raising money for computers for young people
The Titan Partnership is looking to raise money to purchase computers for children in Birmingham after a recent study carried out by the organisation amongst its members revealed that more than 700 hundred children in some of the city’s most deprived areas do not have access to suitable devices or the internet at home. For corporate donations to the Computers for Children campaign, please contact Project Co-ordinator Mark here. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Titan Partnership please contact Carolyn here. Read more about the partnership here.
Member & Sector News
National Writing Day 2020 Response to COVID-19
National Writing Day 2020 (June 24th) is launching a set of high-quality writing resources for primary and secondary school students to use at home and asking young people to write about their experiences from lockdown (#writefromhome).
National Writing Day will provide:
1. A resource bank - the resources can be found here, with more to follow over the next few weeks.
2. Nine First Story writers will launch one 45–60-minute tutorial a week. Students will be encouraged to write alongside writers and to share their work with each other.
EPI released a policy paper on preventing the disadvantage gap from increasing during and after the COVID-19 pandemic
This EPI policy paper contains an assessment of the likely impact of Covid-19 on the outcomes of children and young people, particularly the most disadvantaged. EPI research finds that disadvantaged pupils are over 18 months behind their more affluent peers in attainment by age 16. In recent years, this gap has stopped closing and, even before the pandemic, there was a real risk that the gap would start to widen. The impact of the pandemic will almost certainly increase that risk. Read more here.
Action Tutoring released their 2018-2019 Impact Report
In a climate of continued pressure on school budgets and concerns about the rate at which the attainment gap is closing, they have supported more pupils than ever before. Read more here.
Transcend Education have shared three things that matter for school communities navigating a COVID-19 world
In a flash, communities across the country have found themselves dealing with the greatest disruption to schooling—and life—in more than a generation. This learning note draws from many conversations the sector is having with schools, systems, educators, supporters, and families. Read more here.
Teach For All’s Insights into Responsive Planning
Teach for All have kindly shared a responsive planning toolkit to help organisations manage the crisis through ‘4 S’ approach - Strategy, Structure, Stories and Scenarios. Read more here.
NUS is calling for a package of financial support to stop students and apprentices falling into poverty and out of education.
Coronavirus has hit thousands of students in the pocket. Students have long been expected to rely on income from employment, family support and commercial debt to pay their way through education. For many, Coronavirus has now meant that the first two of these income streams are in jeopardy. NUS are calling for a student safety net to help combat this. Read more here.
The Young Foundation has launched a citizen science project with the Open University to understand how communities and individuals are experiencing COVID-19.
If you have 10 mins spare over the next few weeks please could you fill in the following surveys and pass on to anyone 18 and older:
Covid and Your Community, is about your experience of community during the pandemic. It allows you to upload photos so can be easier to complete on a phone/ ipad. To add your contribution click the orange button underneath the map.
Covid and You, is more about how you're personally feeling and is a bit more in-depth.
Please pass on to anyone you think would be willing to fill out - particularly people older or younger than you (although they must be 18+).
Funding
£1million Positive Difference Fund created to support local community organisations
Communities in the Anglian Water region are to receive a cash boost to fight the impacts of Coronavirus as the water company’s owners backed plans to establish a new £1 million community support fund. More info here.
Youth Endowment Fund commits £6.5m to reach “invisible children”
The Youth Endowment Fund has today announced that it will commit up to £6.5m in new grants to find the best ways to reach “increasingly invisible” vulnerable young people during the current COVID-19 restrictions. Read more here.