The tentative return to school for certain primary school years was met with much controversy, and this week the Government confirmed that pupils of other years would not be returning to school before the summer holidays.
Schools have now been shut for nearly 12 weeks in the UK – almost double the length of the usual summer holiday period – and the learning loss for students during this period is profound, despite the adoption of home-schooling. In fact, a recent report from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) stipulated that the period of school closures had undone the past 10 years worth of progress to close the education gap.
For those parents and pupils wanting to continue their learning at home now, MyTutor – the UK’s leading tutoring platform – have some top tips to begin preparation:
Fill in old learning gaps
If there are any topics your teen didn’t totally grasp this year, it’ll only make things harder when they get to the next stage. The extra time they have now is a chance for them to revisit any of these lingering learning gaps, and fill them in for good. If they’re moving on to A Levels next year, going over old GCSE topics will help them get as ready as possible while still keeping things familiar. Even if they’re confident in their subjects, going over topics at the same level will help them stop any new learning gaps from forming ahead of next term.
A day in the life of home-schooling
If you’re wondering what your child’s days should look like now that you’re homeschooling – you’re in luck. Lots of parents are sharing how they’re structuring their kids’ days – often with help or guidance from their child’s school. For example, check out this timetable for kids aged 4-8 and this blog post for 16 year olds whose exams are cancelled.
Find help from an expert
For any curriculum-focused learning, online tuition is a great way to get help. With MyTutor, all our tutors sat their GCSEs and A Levels in the past few years, so they know the courses back-to-front and they can explain things in a way teens can understand. MyTutor also have a free Online School to help GCSE students.
Don’t over-do it
While the school day is 6-7 hours on average, you shouldn’t feel pressured to replicate this sort of timetable at home. In lockdown, looking after your teen’s wellbeing is the most important thing. The key is to create a schedule that’s relaxed enough to keep stress at bay, and structured enough to keep them busy and engaged.
Cut yourself some slack!
Remember parents, you’re not suddenly expected to be a teacher 24/7. Structure your child’s day so that they spend a good period of time on their school subjects – either with their textbooks and worksheets, or via online lessons. But make sure you clock off at a time that works for your family and do something totally different. Baking, online fitness classes or crafting sessions are a great way to relieve children of some of the stress and uncertainty they’ll be feeling and can be a really fun way to spend time together as a family.