On 4 August 2021, the Government responded to a written question on remote education. The written question, asked by The Earl of Dundee, enquired into the Government’s plans to promote online learning at the Global Education Summit on 28-29 July. It also questioned the Government’s plans to support online learning at both local and national levels in the UK.
The Government response acknowledged the important role technology has played in ensuring teaching can continue throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Remote teaching has ensured pupils continue to have access to education throughout school and college closures. The Government also acknowledged that technology has the potential to support teacher workload reductions while also saving time and money.
Minister Berridge stated that Government will continue the EdTech Demonstrator programme which was launched in April 2020 and supported over 4,000 schools and colleges. The Government offered a comprehensive place to support remote education from September 2021. The Government has also committed a further £2.1 million funding for the Oak National Academy.
The Minister of State for School Standards also agreed to meet overseas education ministers attending the Global Education Partnership Summit to share discuss policy and practices.
See the Government’s full response below:
Remote Education
Department for Education
4 August 2021
The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support online learning initiatives at local and national levels in the UK; and what plans they have to promote online learning at the Global Education Summit on 28–29 July.
Baroness Berridge: Technology in education has been essential for continuing to teach remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent school and college closures. Technology also has the potential to support teacher workload reductions, flexible working, cost savings, effective teaching and improved pupil outcomes. We are building on the department’s significant investment in devices, platforms, training and digital services to develop a sustainable strategy for digital technology in education.
The department launched the first phase of the EdTech Demonstrator programme in April 2020. The Demonstrators are a network of schools and colleges which were initially funded in the 2020/21 financial year to provide peer-to-peer support on making the best use of technology to support remote teaching during the COVID-19 outbreak.
During phase one of the programme, the Demonstrator network provided bespoke support, meeting the individual training needs of over 4,000 schools and colleges, with over 11,000 more accessing live weekly webinars and tutorials.
The programme will continue into the 2021/22 financial year and will include support to schools and colleges to develop a sustainable digital strategy that supports wider school and college improvement drives. Schools and colleges can request support from the demonstrators via the programme website: https://edtechdemo.ucst.uk/(opens in a new tab).
From September 2021, we continue to expect schools to provide remote education for pupils whose attendance would be contrary to government guidance or legislation around COVID-19. Schools should, therefore, maintain their capabilities to deliver high quality remote education for next academic year.
A comprehensive package of support continues to be available to schools and further education institutions to help them meet our expectations for remote education, accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-remote-education(opens in a new tab).
To support the hard work of schools in delivering remote education, Oak National Academy was very quickly brought together by over 40 teachers, their schools and other education organisations. The department has made £4.84 million available for Oak National Academy both for the summer term of the academic year 2019/20, and then for the 2020/21 academic year, to provide video lessons in a broad range of subjects for Reception up to year 11. Specialist content for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is also available. Since the start of the spring term 2021, over 98 million Oak National Academy lessons have been viewed.
The department has now committed a further £2.1 million to Oak National Academy, enabling it to operate from the start of the next academic year through to Easter 2022.
My right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for School Standards, has agreed to meet overseas education ministers attending the Global Education Partnership Summit to share policy experience and best practice in raising standards, and discuss approaches for education recovery. These meetings will provide an opportunity to highlight the department’s work such as Oak National Academy, and we expect overseas ministers, particularly from developing countries, to be interested in learning more about our approach.