In an attempt to reduce the
achievement gap between pupils from wealthy backgrounds and children from
disadvantaged backgrounds, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced the
opening of summer schools which will give the opportunity to struggling primary
school children to catch up on learning with their peers.
The schools will focus on literacy and
numeracy, as well as art, music and sport. There will also be sessions where
the pupils will acquire the opportunity to meet their new teachers and
familiarise themselves with timetables and the general atmosphere of secondary
schools.
The schools will be funded through
£50m which has been made available to schools through the ‘pupil premium’-
extra funding for disadvantaged children to run the camps this year.
Mr Clegg said: "This is £50m worth of extra brain training giving
tens of thousands of disadvantaged pupils a flying start at secondary school.
‘It's two weeks in the summer holidays where pupils can catch up on
learning and get to grips with life in secondary school - in short, get in the
starting blocks ready for the off in September. Those who struggle to make the
transition are often among the poorest in society, but two weeks of activities
can really help to bridge the gap’.
Many pupils find the move to secondary school daunting, which can lead
to a dip in their performance that they never make up, according to the
government. Its research shows students eligible for free school meals regularly
under-perform. By the end of primary education, just under 58% of disadvantaged
pupils have achieved the expected level of attainment, compared with almost 78%
of other pupils.
Children's Minister Sarah Teather said: "Many pupils, often those
from poorer families, suffer a dip when they join secondary school.
"These brilliant summer schools give those children that need it a
head start and the extra help they need so that they are well prepared to
succeed at this crucial stage of their education career."
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