MP Responds to Digital Divide

 

New research from the education charity Teach First has found that over a third of parents say they have at least one child with no exclusive use of a device for schoolwork. The research found that 10% of parents say they have at least one child sharing with siblings, 13% sharing with other adults in the household, and 6% with no access to a device at all.

During the first lockdown the government pledged 600,000 devices for children so that learning could be moved online in the wake of school closures. However, almost a year later and the government has failed to deliver.

ASDA Pledges 7000 Laptops For Schools

 

Last week Asda announced that they would be donating 7000 laptops to partner schools across the United Kingdom to tackle digital exclusion. This news broke after Jon Cruddas MP put out the call for local businesses to assist struggling schools.

According to Ofcom, around 9% of children in the UK – between 1.1 million and 1.8 million – do not have access to a laptop, desktop or tablet at home. These children are primarily from disadvantaged backgrounds and at risk of falling further behind with their education.

MP Calls on Minister to Support Home Learning

 

At the start of the first lockdown the government promised 600,000 laptops and devices for children across the country so that they could access online learning when schools closed. The majority of children across the country will be learning from home over the coming weeks and the government are still yet to deliver the devices promised to struggling communities.

Sutton Trust Summer School Programme

 

Students in Dagenham and Rainham can now be given an extra chance to access leading universities and apprenticeships. Applications for the Sutton Trust Summer Schools are now open to young people in Dagenham and Rainham.

MP Calls for Extended Free School Meal Scheme

 

In October, ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, Jon Cruddas MP co-signed a letter calling on the Department for Education to extend Free School Meal provision to more children in poverty.

Free School Meals were first established in 1906 and despite the changing eligibility requirements, the premise for doing so has remained constant- to provide a nutritional meal to children in order for them to learn and develop in and out of school.

Time to Read Week 2020

 

From September this year The Book Trust sent out a ‘Time to Read’ pack to every reception age child who starts school across Dagenham and Rainham, and the rest of the country. This year they distributed over 740,000 ‘Time to Read’ packs across England reaching the families of children who started school in the most unprecedented circumstances this year.

UK Parliament Week This November

 

Jon Cruddas MP is inviting everyone in Dagenham and Rainham to get involved in this year’s UK Parliament Week and join a UK-wide conversation about our democracy, people power and making change happen.

UK Parliament Week is an annual festival organised by the UK Parliament Education and Engagement Team, a service of the House of Commons and the House of Lords which seeks to inform and educate all citizens about the work and role of the UK Parliament.

A-Level Results

 

This week in the wake of the A-Level results fiasco, Jon Cruddas MP contacted the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, voicing his concerns. Tens of thousands of young people were left let down and perturbed due to the Government grading system which caused the widespread downgrading of results. 

MP Supports School Governor Charity

 

As schools prepare to return back after an extended break due to Covid-19, places for School Governors are opening up. National education charity ‘Governors for Schools’ have contacted Jon Cruddas MP as schools across Dagenham and Rainham are in need of committed and skilled volunteers.

Raising the quality of school governing boards improves the educational opportunities for young people. The expected challenges schools and young people will face following the pandemic mean that in the coming months schools will need assistance from effective governance more than usual.

Free Summer Support Programme for Local Children

 

New organisation ‘Class Connect’ is offering 450 children from Year 1 – 6 across Havering the chance to catch up on learning online over the summer for free.

The project was launched during lockdown by a Vice Principal at a Havering school. So far at the school a group of teachers have taught over 400 zoom lessons via Class Connect, now the founder wants to open applications up to other children across the borough.

Currently the summer programme has just over 270 children signed up, but they can accommodate for up to 450 in total.

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